Communicating on bad days

Nurses Stress 101

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I'm sure this is on here somewhere I'm just not completely sure where. For anyone who is married or has similar experience, how do you handle coming home after a "bad" or stressful day? I've noticed that I tend to not talk as much on my bad days when I come home mostly because I know my wife won't understand and I don't want her to feel like I'm trying to overshadow her "bad" days. Also there i have a very real fear that she will belittle it I just don't really know how to go about being able to explain those kids of days to her

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Is your wife interested at all in your work life?If she watches shows like Grey's Anatomy,Chicago Med,Code Black she might enjoy hearing about your day(with all identifying information changed or deleted) ...I have a cousin who became an EMT as a second career after working as a guard in a federal prison,I could listen to him talk all day long.(That honey dripping Southern accent of his does not hurt)His ex-wife felt differently,now he is engaged to a nurse from the prison.....

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Is your wife interested at all in your work life?If she watches shows like Grey's Anatomy,Chicago Med,Code Black she might enjoy hearing about your day(with all identifying information changed or deleted) ...I have a cousin who became an EMT as a second career after working as a guard in a federal prison,I could listen to him talk all day long.(That honey dripping Southern accent of his does not hurt)His ex-wife felt differently,now he is engaged to a nurse from the prison.....

Nah not typically. She gets grossed out by everything

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Hello! I think a good rule for those types of days applies to bad days at home as well. We should leave our burdens at the door, before walking into work and before walking into our homes. My husband doesn't understand most of what I do at my job so I just tell him the interesting things and save the rest for a venting session with my fellow nurse friends. Also, you could let your wife tell you about her day first and then gauge what you tell her in return so you aren't overshadowing her bad day, if she's had one. Sometimes a simple "I've had a bad day at work but I'm so glad to be home," is sufficient. Best wishes!

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