Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen. When I worked at the hospital, not so long ago, overstressed, understaffed...you know the routine. Anyway, used to dream about work...never felt rested cause I was working all night or day in my sleep. Even woke up a few times to stumble out of bed and answer a call light. Hubby asking me what I was doing and I'd be confused and half asleep looking for the trouble. Relieved when I realized I was home and supposedly resting/sleeping.

My dreams have always been reflective of what was happening in my life, so the dreams where much of my decision to leave, knowing that it was just too much stress for me. Oh, and the bedcovers were a mess...must of been running codes in my sleep! Anyone else with similar experiences?

Oh yeah! I used to work in a CT ICU, very intense environment, and we had the QRS beeping turned on, which was a good thing, you could hear the change in rhythm, even if not looking at the monitor. I used to lay down to sleep in the morning (I worked nights) and hear that be-beep be-beep be-beep, and sometimes when the phone rang and woke me up, I would answer it " SICU, Linda speaking..."

I don't think I've ever answered a call light, but definitely have had dreams and nightmares about work, a lot more freq'ly when stressed.

no, not with regards to call bells. however, with answering my home phone, i have greeted the caller, stated place of employment, my name and ask if i may help the caller.[this has been quite a few years ago.]

Signed a few checks ___RN.

Hear beepers, call lights, IV pumps, and PCA pumps frequently.

In Walmart once they called a Code (something) and I almost ran to it.

This is too close to home-yes, I do remember hearing call lights in my sleep, running codes in my bed, having phones ringing, pagers beeping, pumps beeping, and ,yes, have answered the phone with my title, jail medical how may I help you? My relatives and friends thought this was a hoot.

What used to fry me was when I worked noc, and the phone would ring at home, I'd answer it at noon and somebody would say,Gee, did I wake you up? it's NOON! I started calling them at 0300 and saying, Gee, I'm awake now-what did you want. The pc soon stopped when i was asleep.

Originally posted by P_RN

In Walmart once they called a Code (something) and I almost ran to it.

:rotfl:

When I was doing my rotation in the icu, one night my cat was sleeping on the bed beside me. I woke up just enough to see her and for some odd reason thought it was my patient! I remember thinking "I gotta take care of my patient."

originally posted by p_rn in walmart once they called a code (something) and i almost ran to it. :chuckle

I have also been awakened by the phone and answered it as if I were on my unit. I still get teased about it.

Sleeping one day, I spent the entire day dreaming I was running from room to room trying to fix malfunctioning IV pumps. When I woke I found that road construction was going on outside and the "backup beep" tone on the equipment out there is the same as the beep on our IV pumps.

I started hearing call bells in nursing school. I still after being out of the hospital for a couple of years have an occasional one from a favorite patient. I have heard things that would be similar to things like metal bedpans crashing in the hall. I think we care too much and there is just so much going on that our own minds don't shut down. This will only add to burnout if it continues that you don't get adequate sleep. Find a diversion that has nothing to do with work and possibly be something that even you would not expect of you. When talking with a colleague while not at work do not talk about work. Studies have been done to show that nurses even off the job will talk about nursing within a few minutes of starting the conversation. Be mindful of it. If it starts stop it quickly. Also, letting your hair down to speak with someone who understands what you are going through but not directly related to the situation. Maybe a stress counselor. Take care of yourself first as your employer certainly won't they would rather dispose of you and leave the rest of the staff even further stressed. So get a hold. Good Luck and be good to yourself and maybe hubby might be able to help. Be certain that you do not bring your work home either. Okay once and a while as with anything else if someone hears too much of one thing it can turn them away. God Bless.

When I first started back into floor nursing, I used to wake up on my days off around 0900-1000 and go into a panic thinking I'd missing giving my 0800 meds....

Yah. I dream about work and never feel rested

I hear the monitors and IV pumps going off. Vent alarms and BIPAP alarms too.

::sigh::

Cherry

when l have a nightmare shift, l go home and scenes from the shift play over and over in my mind asleep and awake...for about 24 hrs...l hate that...l actually hear the voices and bells and whistles in my sleep...l wake up and try to shake it off, but it just comes back as l drift off...then during the day l find myself staring in space..like looking at a big screen tv and seeing it all again............LR