Do you consider yourself a "highly sensitive person" ?

[Gentle Giant]

I just finished reading Elaine Aaron's book, "The Highly Sensitive Person." Do you identify as one? Take a self-test here: http://www.hsperson.com/pages/test.htm

There is a chapter in the book about HSPs and finding the right career. Ms. Aaron claims there are two classes of people: the "warriors" (non-HSPs, people on the front line) and the "royal advisors" (which includes many HSPs, some of who are behind the scenes).

I do identify as an HSP, but I'm now a bit worried/skeptical if nursing is right for me as I'm about to enter a BSN program soon. I, like some other HSPs, can feel overaroused in some situations, and can find it challening having to complete numerous tasks all at once. So, I'm curious to get thoughts from other nurses who identify as an HSP.

What are some pros and cons of having this trait as a nurse? How overwhelmed do you feel most of the time? How do you manage that? Do you think nursing is not a good choice for an HSP?

The book also claims that there are many positive traits of being an HSP, such as identifying subtleties and changes in environments, and being keenly aware of the suffering of others. Are there some advantages of being an HSP in nursing? I suspect many HSPs are drawn to nursing because of this compassion, but I'm also not sure how they manage the stress and overstimulation at times. For all you HSP nurses out there, what type of nursing environment works best for you, if any? What are some other thoughts?

[dianacs]

Glad to see this thread! Just wanted to say that yes, nursing and being an HSP are very compatible! You will find ways to make it work for you, HSPs have many strengths!

[jwha]

"warriors" vs "royal advisors" - this, to me is the perfect description of the HSP.

Personally, like many HSPs, I was drawn to nursing because of compassion, but from a practical perspective, it's a poor fit for me. I'm dropping out of nursing school because I've found my personality & aptitude is such a poor fit that clinicals (and I'm sure the career itself) was making me miserable. I'd easily ace the exams, but when it came to actual nursing I felt like a headless chicken being pulled in all directions & would perplex my preceptors with how daft I could be, because being put on the spot all the time made me bewildered, forgetful & unable to think straight.

The 1st time the nurses on my ward realised I'm not stupid was when a few of them couldn't work out a dosage calculation & I gave them the answer off the top of my head while they tapped it into their calculators (quiet peaceful drug room... go figure). My preceptor was like "You should be an accountant". Funnily enough, that's what both my parents are (genetics lol!). That's when I realised I'm awful at being at the front lines (it makes me deeply unhappy too), but better at working behind the scenes. I'm transferring to bachelors of medical science to become a lab tech. It's a much better fit for me.

That's not to say that introverts & HSPs don't make great nurses, many do, but the process is significantly more painful for them than it is for a natural people person who finds chaotic environments energising.