Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/822423
8 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | NWADG.COM/YOUATYOURBEST MAY - BEST NURSES | SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2017 SPECIAL TO NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE The best nurses are always pre- pared, ready to do whatever it takes to care for their patients. When Taeko Arakawa, a registered nurse at Washington Regional Home Health, arrived at a patient's home last year and found the structure on fi re, she did not hesitate to come to her patient's rescue. Along with some of her patient's neighbors, Taeko helped to pull the man from his burning home. With emergency crews on their way, Taeko comforted and carefully administered care to the patient. Once the situation was under control and the man was safely in an ambulance, Tae- ko drove to her next patient's home to con- tinue her workday. As incredible as this story is, it's not the only unusual incident Taeko has encountered as a home health nurse. And that's part of the reason she enjoys work- ing in home health. "Even if I'm provid- ing care for the same patient for weeks at a time, it's never the same day twice," she said. Taeko, who earned both an asso- ciate's degree and a bachelor's degree in nursing, as well as certifi cation as a Le- gal Nursing Consultant, began her career in New York City. When she became a home health nurse in 2005, covering the Bronx and Harlem boroughs, Taeko was surprised by the number of people, espe- cially older adults, who didn't have any- one to help them with even basic care at home. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 40 percent of home health care patients aged 65 and over require assistance with activ- ities of daily living – such as bathing and dressing – and more than 15 percent re- quire homemaker services – help in main- taining a safe and clean environment. In addition to providing healthcare profes- sionals such as nurses and physical ther- apists, agencies like Washington Region- al Home Health can also provide trained aides to help with basic care. Although Taeko has learned to deal with the unexpected, during her training she also learned to offer compassion and support to patients who are themselves dealing with the unexpected. Taeko was a nursing school student in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001. "My college was fi ve blocks away from ground zero," she said. "I took care of 9/11 victims during my clinical rotation at Bellevue Hospital. One of my patients had third degree burns on both arms and on her lower legs, because when the airplane hit the South Tower, burning fuel came down like a shower." Taeko, who relocated to Northwest Arkansas in 2009 and joined Washington Regional Home Health in 2014, clearly has demonstrated that she is prepared to act under pressure in serious situations. And, just as importantly, she also has learned that in some situations it's best to just laugh. For instance, she recalls visiting a patient two years ago who lived in a ru- ral community. "One day my patient's husband came out and kindly escorted me from my car to their house," she said. "I thought he was a real gentleman, escort- ing me in and out. When I thanked him for being so nice, he replied, 'I just don't want you getting bit by snakes.' He told me then that he had found a snake pit by the front door the previous day and already had killed a couple of rattlesnakes!" It's never the same day twice. The Best Nurses are Prepared for Anything Home Health Nursing "Never the Same Day Twice"