GOODNESS GRIEF, i HAD THE WORST NIGHT OF MY LIFE................I HAD 3 ICU PATIENTS, ONE OF WHICH CODED AND LIVED(NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE TONITE)................ONE OVERDOSE, A PSYCH, 2 PATIENTS OF WHICH HEMOGLOBINS WERE BELOW 5, I FELT LIKE THE NIGHT WOULD NEVER END, I thought about walking out, I dreamed how it would be to work in hospice, I thought about being a dog catcher or perhaps a housewife.................then the night ended I survived and I learned how to operate an art line. I learned the maximum dose of a nitro drip and I learned that Im strong and I was made to work in the ED..........I learned tonight that although Ive only been on the job for 6 months, I got what it takes............ I may not be the fastest at yet, but hell I didnt kill anyone and noone died.................Hang in there new grads, I AM............ AND IF I CAN DO IT TRUST ME, YOU CAN TOO..........................
Thanks for posting that. I'm also a new grad in the ED and going on 6 months. I've had a couple of nights similar to what you describe where it seems everything is coming through the doors at once. I too had a "flash-thought" of hanging it up or at least shredding my license when I got home. I didn't. Thanks for letting me know I wasn't alone in what I was doing/thinking/feeling/dealing with down in the ED.
Congrats to all you newer grads. Just so you know you are not alone even with the seasoned nurses. I never thought of shredding my license, good one. But I still have days where I wonder if it is worth it and dream of that desk job where my behind is just getting bigger while I sit on it. The answer is, of course it is worth it. We are facing an ED nurse shortage in the near future. You guys are the life blood to help us figure out how to make this work.
Good for you!!!I have been ER and level 1 trauma for a long time now and still have shifts like this. But we keep coming back and doing the very best we can because we are smart, tanacious, tough, compassionate, quick thinking. In short we are the best...we are ER NURSES!!!!
i HAD THE WORST NIGHT OF MY LIFE................I HAD 3 ICU PATIENTS, ONE OF WHICH CODED AND LIVED(NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE TONITE)................ONE OVERDOSE, A PSYCH, 2 PATIENTS OF WHICH HEMOGLOBINS WERE BELOW 5, I FELT LIKE THE NIGHT WOULD NEVER END, I thought about walking out, I dreamed how it would be to work in hospice, I thought about being a dog catcher or perhaps a housewife.................then the night ended I survived and I learned how to operate an art line. I learned the maximum dose of a nitro drip and I learned that Im strong and I was made to work in the ED..........I learned tonight that although Ive only been on the job for 6 months, I got what it takes............ I may not be the fastest at yet, but hell I didnt kill anyone and noone died.................Hang in there new grads, I AM............ AND IF I CAN DO IT TRUST ME, YOU CAN TOO..........................
Virgo_RN, BSN, RN
3,543 Posts
Not a new grad, but new in the ED, and I really needed to read this today. Thank you.