I have been a pediatric nurse for 5 years. I started in a pediatric hospital doing inpatient neurology/neurosurgery and I currently do home health intermittent visits, primarily for patients with cancer. I've been doing it for so long that I barely remember that it's not normal for kids to have cancer or for them to be G-tube dependent, etc. I've had a few situations this year where I've been asked about my job and then when I describe the patients that I care for (many of whom die or are permanently neurologically devastated), the other person is completely dumbfounded and has this look of horror on their face. Like today, for example, I was out with this guy who was asking me about my patients and I started talking about this little baby (1 month old) who developed hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy after prolonged shoulder dystocia and was without a heart beat for the 1st 18 minutes of her life. I was seeing for G/J tube teaching. This is apparently terrifying to your average person. I think I am completely jaded. Anyone else?