Safety First
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Being on the road always carries risk. For visiting nurses, therapists and aides in home health and hospice, the risks extend to your travel to and from patients’ homes. If you are a woman, you can be overpowered by most men. Men are at risk, too, because they can be caught by surprise. If car safety is not one of your priorities, now’s the time to make it one.
Car safety is not difficult but it can be boring. In fact, it can be so boring that you forget all about it. If you have teenagers, you are one of the chosen few who can delegate these tasks. If you don’t, keep a check list specific to your vehicle that includes:
Keeping your gas tank full. Your best bet is to top it off when your gas gauge is at the halfway mark.
Change your oil every 6 months. After having your oil changed, ask to see the dipstick. There have been rare instances where the oil was not replaced and the car is irreparably damaged. This usually happens in a rural area where serial killers roam free.
In Louisiana, our windshield wipers are checked by default every time it rains which is usually a couple of times a week. If you live in a dry climate, check your wipers. If your wipers get stuck in the middle of downfall, you will be stuck, too and it would be best if you weren’t on an interstate when that happens.
Tire pressure is something I don’t understand but I do know that it is important. Most cars these days have a dash signal that alerts you to low air pressure. It looks like this: ( ! ). Don’t be like me and call a mechanic to find out what it means. Tire pressure that is too low or too high can put you at risk for a flat or a blow-out. Luckily for less than a price of shoes, you can buy a tire inflator that will take care of things for you. This tire inflator from Amazon is easy to use, won’t break a nail or get your hands dirty and will automatically stop at the pressure you set.
Another essential to have is a battery charger. This is the charger I have and it gets a lot of use because it works as a USB and USB-C charger, a frighteningly bright spotlight (great if you have neighbors you don’t like) and its good for about 90 charges or at least that’s what they say. So, if your car won’t start and you need to call someone because it isn’t safe to get out of the car, you can use your battery charger for your phone but only if you have a charging cable for the phone.
It doesn’t matter how late you are, you have time to get some water and a granola bar. If you’ve been a visiting nurse for more than a week, you don’t need any further encouragement. Nobody wants to find your dried up and shriveled body in an overheated car.
Being stranded is a horrible feeling. Be safe. And let us know if there are any other tips we forgot.
