Bad night last night

[RN1982]

This is just a rant slash vent.

Is it wrong to be stressed? I come in last night, we are short staffed so I have a patient who is crashing and burning along with another patient who is stable and vented. I ran nonstop last night with my crashing patient and yeah I got a little stressed out. I had multiple orders to take care of, trying to push bicarb IV, D50, insulin because my patient is acidotic and hyperkalemic, maxed out on 3 vasopressors because the patient coded. So yeah, it was pretty crazy and while I've been in ICU for over a year, I haven't had a patient this sick so I was a little perturbed when my charge nurse says that if I'm stressed maybe this isn't the place for me. Excuse me? When is being stressed in the ICU not allowed. The last time I checked I am a normal human being with normal emotions. Stress being one of them. Since when is stress not allowed. Anyhow, kept my cool most of the night until my patient died, then I cried.

[Freshman RN]

small amounts of stress are useful. Nights like these can only be chalked up to learning days. kudos to you for giving all you could

[leslie :-D]

(((tls))) - i'm sorry.

the adrenaline crash feels horrible.

but you gave him/her your all, and you did it like the pro you are.

you can sleep at night, knowing that you always do right by your pts.

rest, honey.

and here's to a better noc, tonight.:icon_hug:

leslie

[IMABSNRN]

Callousness and insensitivity seem to be an epidemic among nurses. I am thinking of one I work with right now who is about as cold-hearted as a person can get. It does serve her well with nasty familiy members and employees. Unfortunately, she doesn't discriminate with her own nastiness.

[RN1982]

I'm back, awake. Still feeling kinda depressed about last night. Ultimately, the patient dying was inevitable. He coded down in OR then when he came back, severely acidotic and hyperkalemic. Like I said before, this was the first patient that I had that was that sick. The charge nurse's comment was rather insensitive. I did the best I could, but I felt like a failure anyways. What an awful night. Live and learn I guess.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Coming in a little late, but sorry about your bad night. Lick your wounds, pull on your wading boots, and wade right back in. That's all you can do. You sound like a fine nurse. Don't let one insensitive remark eat at you.

[Rabid Response]

Sorry about your night. It was natural for you to feel out of your element since this was your first time taking care of someone that sick, but it sounds like you handled it. Boo to your charge nurse for saying something so callous to you when you were feeling down already. Maybe that's just how she is or maybe she was having a bad night. Either way, what she said was wrong, and she was insensitive to say it. Keep this incident in mind when you are a senior nurse and dealing with newer nurses or students. Tearing people down is not the way to build a stronger unit.

[WalkieTalkie, RN]

I love those kinds of patients... keeps you on your toes. After you take a few of them you will learn how to deal with the multitude of interventions, meds, treatments, and whatever else the patient needs. Always expect the unexpected. It gets better!

[vivacious1healer]

Makes you want to turn to that charge nurse and say..." You do realize you made that insensitive comment out loud, right? It was kind of a crappy thing to say....ooops, did I say that out loud too?"

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Makes you want to turn to that charge nurse and say..." You do realize you made that insensitive comment out loud, right? It was kind of a crappy thing to say....ooops, did I say that out loud too?"

I disagree. It's a passive aggressive way of dealing with someone who obviously needs a reminder that people have feelings.

How about, "I had a rough night last night. What is it about my behavior/productivity last night that make you think I don't belong here? Is there an opportunity for improvement? If there is, I'd appreciate a more productive way of doing that than receiving remarks that I construed as a direct attack."

Be forthright, calm and direct. If she gets defensive, don't get defensive back. Just say that you wanted to create dialogue and avoid any of the usual back-biting, gossiping, resentment that can build up instead of having creating an open channel of communication.

Men can do this well; it is about time that women do too.

And if you ARE extra sensitive, remember that you are playing with the big kids and to put on your big girl panties--and chalk it up to experience of how YOU wouldn't want to treat anyone else.

[vivacious1healer]

I disagree. It's a passive aggressive way of dealing with someone who obviously needs a reminder that people have feelings.

How about, "I had a rough night last night. What is it about my behavior/productivity last night that make you think I don't belong here? Is there an opportunity for improvement? If there is, I'd appreciate a more productive way of doing that than receiving remarks that I construed as a direct attack."

Be forthright, calm and direct. If she gets defensive, don't get defensive back. Just say that you wanted to create dialogue and avoid any of the usual back-biting, gossiping, resentment that can build up instead of having creating an open channel of communication.

Men can do this well; it is about time that women do too.

And if you ARE extra sensitive, remember that you are playing with the big kids and to put on your big girl panties--and chalk it up to experience of how YOU wouldn't want to treat anyone else.

And you are entitled to disagree......but it was being direct with a hint of sarcasm. Not everyone can be diplomatic under that kind of pressure. Bravo to those who can.