Suzanne O'Brien

I could be making a difference with what I do.

Plus, I could do lots of different type of nursing.

And also, I can live different places.

So it sounded good in that sense.

Six months into working at the hospital after I graduated, three years of nursing school, I remember the day I realized I was never going to get the fulfillment from nursing that I thought I was.

And I thought, what am I going to do?

How come?

Why were you not getting the fulfillment?

I have to tell you that our healthcare system is struggling.

It's fragmented.

We have way too many patients.

We have very little actual time with the patient.

It's about documentation.

It's about passing medications, but also watching patients and families not have the education or the support or the time.

And I really will say that time is our greatest medicine when we really can support people with presence and compassion and also education for aging well and symptom management.

And it's just not available.

And also, it was just a burnout.

The whole thing was an eye opener to me.

And I heard a little voice that said, go to hospice.

And I remember thinking, first of all, why am I hearing that?