My name is Stephanie Turnage and I am Christian wife and mother. We have 3 beautiful bubbly little girls, whom I homeschool. I also work outside of the home part-time as a nurse practitioner in a long-term care practice and for a local hospice provider. Though I am a certified family nurse practitioner, I’ve spent the bulk of both my RN and nurse practitioner career in geriatric care and hospice. For the past 14 years, I’ve assisted aging adults and their families with both medical and emotional support.
I began my nursing career 14 years ago as a registered nurse practicing on a gynecology/oncology floor of a very large medical center, providing chemotherapy. While I loved the patients and their families I hated being confined to the hospital walls. However, above all else, I hated leaving the patients and families hanging. Families and patients were always so desperate for support and answers, answers that I didn’t have, and answers that I couldn’t provide in a 12 hours shift if I tried.
I quickly realized that hospital shift work wasn’t for me. I dabbled in dialysis and got my feet wet with home care. I really enjoyed visiting patients at home. I felt like the ball was in the patient’s and family’s court. So often in the hospital, health care providers are forcing all of the patients on to their schedule. Labs at this time. Meds at that time. Sleep?? What’s that? When you provide care in someone’s home, you get on their schedule. I quickly adopted the model, “when in Roman!”
That’s when I stumble upon hospice. I had a few experiences with family members on hospice, but nothing up close and personal. The company I interviewed with was a Christian organization and even in the interview, I felt right at home. I felt extremely blessed to be able to openly share my faith with my patients, it was even encouraged to. I had found my perfect fit.
The only problem was that I was just 24 years old and the only route I saw for career advancement at any point, was to go into management (gasp!). I knew I wanted to stay at the bedside with patients and families. So, after 5 years of nursing I began my journey to becoming a nurse practitioner. I studied to become a family nurse practitioner because I thought it would give me more flexibility. However, old habits die hard and passions die even harder. So, I initially took a job in oncology and quickly transitioned back to long term care and hospice.
While they are 2 separate jobs, they frequently intersect. So while my job titles, responsibilities, and scope of practice have evolved over the years, my passion for caring for patients and families has not. Over the years, I’ve realized that caregivers need just as much care and support as patients.
My aim with this blog is to help caregivers, practically and spiritually, navigate this unpredictable road ahead with their loved ones. A road full of joy, pride, and memories, sprinkled with speed bumps of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Everyone deserves to age with dignity and respect, surrounded by love, no matter what that picture looks like for them. I want to provide practical help with my medical and nursing expertise while providing spiritual encouragement, because let’s face it, being a caregiver is hard. Let me help you give care gracefully.
God Bless,
Stephanie Turnage, FNP-C, RN, MSN
