Emotions

I carried a dead 2 year old who coded out of a house yesterday. There's a BIG difference between when a 2 year old dies and a 90 year old with multiple medical problems dies. Some people might argue this differently with me but If i was like you I would of either been locked up on a psych ward or i would of honest to go committed suicide by now because of the all the horrible/mean/nasty things I've seen in my 9 years of EMS. I'm not saying becoming a cold hearted A-hole. But you gotta get a little bit of a tough skin when it comes to things going bad on you because whether you like it or not, at some point in your career IT WILL HAPPEN. And when there's family around, your demeanor will set the tone for them, meaning if you are hysterical, then they will probably be even MORE hysterical. And also, look at the two situations you were in, one was a 'good friend' and another was you wife. You are really close to those situations, in the hospital and esp. in EMS there is a certain distance that you maintain. I'm sure that if the people who were involved in your OP weren't friends or family you probably wouldn't of had the same reactions to the degree that you had them. I usually live by my own golden rule that say I don't practice medicine on friends or family so i can maintain a certain distance from situations for my own sanity...Good luck to you either way.

Those are two very difficult situations and I believe that you had very appropriate reactions. You are close to those people and it does you good to cry and let your grief out.

I have a question for you, where you able to help your close friend and your wife even though you were upset? If you are able to say yes then I think you could be a good nurse. There will be situations that you will find upsetting, terrifing, and will make you want to walk away and never look back when you are a nurse. However, if you are able to pull youself up by the boot straps and help your patient through these situations you will have done your job well.

When I am faced with a situation that I find upsetting (for lack of a better word) I put my feelings and emotions in the back for my mind so that I can help my patient. Once the crisis has passed and I get some alone time I cry, yell, talk to someone who understands what I am going though, or whatever I need to deal with what happened.

Just remember that nurses are allowed to have emotions too.

I am starting to wonder if nursing is right for me. The reason I am wondering this is because I seem to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I have a tendency to be emotional mostly tears and crying when something happens. For instance when a good friend of mines 8 year old daughter died in a car accident. I had more tears than anyone in the funeral home. And recently when my wife was raped I blamed myself for weeks because she had to go to work so I could go to school I cried uncontrollably a number of times blaming myself for what happened to her since it happened at work. I have a phone conference set up with a school adviser tomorrow but I want more input than just from an adviser.

Thanks,

Myron :cry:

You need to seek out a licensed therapist. Now...

Emotions are who we are.

Sorry.

Heck I cried during the movie, "Up." Twice! I am a dude, and my kids were sitting there with me.

Emotions just say we are human and care.

i agree about getting therapy asap.

i do believe you're in or near crisis mode.

grieving a child is huge...

then dealing w/the rape of your wife???

honey, of course you're crying.:icon_hug:

this has little to do with nursing, and everything to do with being personally affected.

for what it's worth however, i think our experiences mold us into who we are today, and it's ever-changing.

for the sensitivities you've displayed, you'll make a wonderful nurse.

for now though, please get some help immediately.

get a referral from your doc or someone else you trust.

wishing you both, much strength, faith and peace.

leslie

I have all ready sought help from the counselors at the college. They have helped greatly so far. I will actually be talking to one later today again. She feels that we will do fine. I just wasn't sure how this might affect being a nurse, but like most have mentioned these two cases were very close to me personally and they will have a greater affect on me. Thanks everyone for your input.

Myron:cry::)

so sorry to hear about what happened to your friend and your wife. you're an amazing person by caring, and like some else said, those two situations are close to you so it hit home pretty hard. i'll be praying for all of you. i think you'll be a terrific nurse.

and for the 'dude' that cried over up, i did too, i love that movie. . .