adrenaline rush?

[shannonRN, BSN, RN]

last night was a pretty slow shift. well at about 11:15pm we had a resident pass out on the toilet. when the nurse found him, we got him to bed and all his vitals were stable. afterwards the nurse yawned and said good night. i said how can you be tired, now i'm wide awake. he replied, that doesn't even phase me anymore.

have any of you lost that adrenaline rush? is it inevitable?

i think that if i lost the rush/panic state then i would have lost my caring aspect too. what do you guys think?

[Agnus]

no I don't think this means the nurse doesn't care. I think this nurse is experienced enough to be confident to the point that he/she does not go into a high adrenene state with every patient incident or emergengy. Adrilene actually interfers with one's ablility to think and act rationally. You can control this, it comes with experience.

Family members panic (adrenalin) they want you to do something anything. Even when it is not appropriate. Sometimes doing something is just standing back and observing or taking the time to just think. The panicky family member does not see it that way. Family members panic because they do not posess knowledge and understanding that the cool MD or RN does, so they are scared as they feel helpless.

No, I would say you are working with a great teacher.

[shannonRN, BSN, RN]

i'm not saying that this guy has lost his caring. i think he is an excellent nurse and a wonderful teacher. he has so much experience, i just want to learn everything he has....

maybe it is because i have only been a nurse for 2 1/2 years. but to me, that panic is concern. well, sometimes. i don't know.

most of the nurses that were there have been nurses for quite a while and said that they still get the rush. so, i was just looking for the allnurses response.

thanks for the response agnus...really got me thinking!!!:)

[researchrabbit]

:) Some of us don't do so well with adrenaline. All it does is make me shaky. Luckily I'm pretty phlegmatic and don't get excited easily in an emergency.

You won't catch me on any rollercoasters either!

[Dayray, RN]

I dont think a passed out patient has ever gotten my adrenaline flowing. That woudl just make me wonder why he passed out and go into my cerebral mode. Now a truama that never gets old =P.

oh yeah and Id prolly be tired from carring him to bed

[mark_LD_RN]

i don't think it means lack of caring. I am a very caring and compassionate nurse. but i don't get that ole adrenaline rush as easily anymore. but i still care as much as i used to , and my level of care has not declined at all. i still love to spend time with my patients.

[misti_z]

I agree it is not a lack of caring. I do get caught in the adrenaline trap--sometimes. Like if we have a code a 6:45am it is hard for me to go to sleep at 8:00 when I am home. But I have learned to control my excitedness during the 'crisis' because I have found that it actually slows me down! Peeps at work are always asking me "How do you say sooooo calm?", if I get myself tied in a knot running in 5 different directions I slow myself down. I've learned to focus and prioritize to get the job done quickly!