I'm new to this site and new to nursing (graduated May 2010)....just got a job in LTC....but that's not really what this post is about.
I recently took a CPR recertification class (Wednesday actually). Friday, two days after the class, my cousin falls in the pool. No one sees her but my 9 year old cousin. I turn around when I hear him screaming and find my cousin. She is blue, life-less, and foaming out of the mouth. Now, thankful, I had just recertified! I took over the scene and gave everyone a task. One cycle of CPR and she's vomiting. I turn her of her side and give her hard tap to the back. I literally felt her heart start beating again. I've never been so glad to hear a baby scream. I held her until EMS arrived on the scene.
Now, my question is....how do I get this out of my head? Like, I said I'm a new RN...and situations like are bound to happen again and I fell like I handled it right, but how do I forget about it?
I see her blue and foaming out of the mouth over and over again. Thank God, she's alive...but I can get that darn image out of my head.
Not to mention that everyone needs to talk about it over and over again! Everyone keeps calling me a hero and I just want to forget and move on.
well im sure everyone keeps talkin bout it cause their so thankful you were there. but as far as getting it out of your head..maybe you should consider seeing someone to help you forget.
Instead of seeing a blue and dying child, get a picture of the girl after the accident and when you think of it look at the pic and say that wouldn't have happened without me.
I liked hearing focusing on her being alive. I went to see her in the hospital afterwards and remember thinking about how good her color looked. I remember looking at the EKG tracings and seeing how perfect they were. I had to fight myself not to go borrow a stethoscope from a nurse working there to listen to her lungs (true nurse, huh?)....but anyways, my point is that I keep trying to thinking about that whenever her blue face pops in my head.
But yet again, thanks for all the reassuring! It really has helped :)
Such a good job! Be proud of it. And remember that the baby is ok. Post traumatic stress presents that way sometimes....I found that if I fought the images, they got worse. Your brain will process it eventually, and it will cease to be distressing, but it will take time. And that's ok.
Specializes in cardaiac telemetry, neuro, case manageme.
You need to make new memories with your cousin-- happy ones. I had to perform mouth to mouth on my child when he was 18 months old-- It was the scariest moment in my life. However, I think about it less and less (he is now 13). I thank God I was in the right place at the right time. As you create new memories, it becomes easier to "forget that scarry moment". Best of luck!
People tell the story over and over to debrief....it is an excellent coping strategy....you need to debrief....when you go through something like that you have to go "through" it..it can't go around it, over it or under it......I hope you can find some help
I don't necessarily think its unhealthy to keep seeing the image provided it doesn't bring up all the same emotions again. I have a lot of patients that I can "recall" due to something in my mind storing them in there for a reason, its not always unhelpful. Sometimes they can remind you of something in a time of need.
RNperdiem, RN
4,592 Posts
Instead of freezing in place and watching tragedy happen while you stood stunned, you took action and saved a life.
In my first few life and death situations as a new grad, all memory of CPR was momentarily absent and I called for help as a first step.