Depressed about nursing

Published

I've been a nurse in the SICU for a lil more than a year now. yesterday, while I was helping another nurse with her pt who was agitated and going through alcohol withdrawal. The pt spit (or more like splashed) the medication and water that he was holding in his mouth, all over my face, on purpose. His spit got in my eyes & mouth. I went to occupational health to get baseline labs taken, just in case.

As nurses, we are suppose to keep our pts away from harm, keep them from harming themselves, but who is suppose to keep them from harming us.

This incident just made me really depressed about nursing. I try my best to take the best care of my pts...I put their needs in front of my own. I love bedside nursing...but honestly I have no idea how long i can deal with things like this.

I'm sad and frustrated.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

sue the creep

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

Being drunk or in alcohol withdrawal gives you no license to treat nurses crummy. This is where 4 point restraint should be mandatory!

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Specializes in medical surgical.

I have been a tech for 12 years and a RN BSN for 11 and I have been kicked and hit and spit it on several times. It is easier to understand when the pt is confused but when they are alert you want to kick butt. This is when you find the power deep within and with the Lord's help and be better than the patient. Keep the faith.

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Specializes in CTICU.

If you're dealing with violent/withdrawing pts, wear appropriate PPE. They sometimes can't be held responsible for their actions is they're not in their right mind. Doesn't help you feel better though.

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Specializes in Haematolgoy.
Being drunk or in alcohol withdrawal gives you no license to treat nurses crummy. This is where 4 point restraint should be mandatory!

restraints? in a no psych ward/ hospital? i'm not even sure if we (Scotland) have physical restraints i psych wards.... i'd be all for them for the right patient's like, both for their and staff's safety. i had a fire extinguisher swung about at me the other month and all i could do was dodge out the way, block the guy from getting to other patietns and wait for the police!!!

but hey, sadRNsinceYesterday, i'd say these crappy things are at a minimum and most patient's are grateful and appreciative. as long as you can go home after most shifts feeling better than you do now, keep at it:)

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

Try not to take it personally. People who are going through alcohol withdrawal feel so bad they will do just about anything. It doesn't feel good to be on the receiving end of bad behavior.

In the past 32 years I have been spit on by a guy high on PCP, kicked in the teeth by a woman in labor, hit upside the head by the mother of a sick premie, bitten by more than a few children, threatened with bodily harm by psych patients, and felt up or flashed by numerous drunks and a few doctors.:mad: ANd that is by no means the complete list. If I took it personally i wouldn't have made it past the first year(well, I did take it personally when that surgeon put his hand under my shirt in the lunchline!). If it makes you feel better, police and dog-catchers have the same problems.:clown:

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Keep the faith, pray about it. Without going into a religious diatribe, perhaps remember that some religious figures were also spit on and now sit high upon thrones.

On Christmas last year I had a patient call me an SOB and hit me while I was changing him... he was alzheimers and I just don't think he knew I was trying to care for him.

Relish the good patients you get.

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I work at a "no restraint" instituition. I understand the goals of this place, however, when staff is getting kicked, bit, spit on etc... there is nothing wrong with chemical restraints. Of course some behaviors happen for reasons (pain, cold, loss of control etc), but, doesn't the powers that be understand the bedside nurse has tried everything to avoid/address these behaviors?

On my subacute rehab wing last night, I was treated like **** by a pt. He is so verbally abusive, none of the staff even want to answer his call light anymore. There is no pleasing this pt. He needs to be on a psych ward, not the med/surge rehab wing. We will have care conferences with him, to see how his rehab is going...I know the outcome..."ya all need to answer his call light sooner, quit trying to get him up and walking (s/p hip ORIF) so much, let him rest, dietary will send his own personal "waitress" to take and deliver his orders etc etc...

Like you sadRNsinceYesterday, I put the pt. needs before my own. Go the extra mile etc. I've only been a nurse for 2yrs. I've worked in retail 28+ yrs, I know about "customer service", but, with only 2yrs into the nursing field, I'm already feeling frustrated with the whole "client" vs "patient" political correctness.

I was advised in nursing school to work ICU and only take the intubated ones..hhmmmmmmm, that nurse sure knew what he was talking about :nurse:

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Specializes in trauma, critical care.

I applaud your commitment to our profession and giving nature, but give yourself a break -- you've got a long career ahead of you! There is a difference between professional caring and patient centered care and putting the patient before self (and others including staff and other patients). Inherent in the idea of putting the patient before you is that you are somehow less important than your patient. You are a human being first and foremost. You have the same right to dignity and respect as your patients. You did not give up your rights as a human being and citizen when you became a nurse. Patients make choices and are accountable for those decisions. If a patient spits at you, hits, punches, threatens, or otherwise molests you, they should expect an encounter with Securtiy in their near future. If they are confused or mentally altered, it is a patient centered, caring, and appropriate intervention to restrain the patient, under a physician's order, to protect them, the staff, and other patients and visitors.

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I am so very sorry this happened to you. :scrying:

Our job is quite digusting at times, isn't it?

I agree with Josiah. Pray about it. My faith in God is one of the things that keeps me going.

I do not love bedside nursing. But prescription Zoloft, Adderall, and Klonopin have been helping me to survive working full time as a nurse. My ARNP has prescribed them for me over this past year, since being employeed as an RN really takes its toll on my emotional health. Counseling helps a lot. Sometimes after a really bad shift, I need to sit down with my therapist and talk it all out in counseling.

And purplehockeymom, I totally understand where you are coming from.

sadRN, my sympathies are with you. I hope all the labs they ran in Ocupational Health turn up negative. Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Med Surg-Geriatrics.

Was always glad to when I started wearing glasses just for this reason,not to mention GT's that explode in your face and the occasional splash from empting foley bags etc..occupational hazards

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