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As a new graduate, I would periodically have the classic dream that represented my feelings of ill-preparedness. In my dream, I would get to about 6pm in my shift and "realize" I had forgotten to write down my times of med administration on my "brains" (nurse pocket sheet or whatever it is called now). I would invariably awaken feeling panicked, wondering how many meds I had forgotten AND then I would realize that I was only dreaming. Still, it would take a little while for my heart to quit beating extra fast before I could settle down and go to sleep.
A friend told me she also had a version of this dream. Is this the "great, cosmic nurse dream" nightmare? Has anyone else out there had this dream or one similar to it?? Happily, the dream passes....
Thought this was funny!
Thought this was funny!
Wow, I am relieved to discover that I am not alone in having these "nurse mares." I have had several variations of these dreams, one that I forgot to give a blood transfusion, and another that it is two hours into my shift and I have only seen two of my seven patients. I wake up panicked and my husband wants to know whats wrong, and doesn't get it when I tell him. It is definitely nice to have a group of people who do.
what about sleep walking not only do I have those crazy dreams of giving wrong meds or forgeting to do a procedure or running to turn that pump off but I sleep walk doing my nightly rounds at 2:am on my off nights or waking up screaming someone answer that call light (its either the door bell or telephone ringing) hubby & a few guest have had quiet a laugh at my expense.:chuckle :chuckle
When I worked 3rd shift at a psych hospital, I used to have a nightmare that I fell asleep during my shift (i was the infirmary nurse that took care of the psych pts with medical probs) which was a huge no no. The intense panic I would feel would make me literally nauseas....I would get up so fast that I would just get dizzy and it would take me a minute or two to realize that i was just dreaming. I did this almost every day for a long while and I thought I would go insane, pardon the pun.
Flynurse
250 Posts
Constantly! I had this dream constantly while I was in nursing school.
I would also fall asleep on the couch after a long day at clinicals and then wake up at 6:45pm thinking it was THE MORNING and that I was late for clinicals! I would run around the house for five minutes "getting ready" when I realized by all of the noise my apartment neighbors made that it was really 6:45 in the evening. I would then make dinner while I watched my evening shows.
One time I even called the cell phone of one of classmates telling her to tell the instructor I would be late. Imagine my embarrasment :imbar when she oriented me to person, place and time! LOL :chuckle Alert with momentary confusion!