First death situation

After 20 odd years, lots of deaths, non I feel responsible for. Its a part of life. All I hope to do is make it as easy on the pt and their loved ones at possible. I still remember the name and face of the first pt I saw die, an elderly man, and his son who was devastated. Over the years there have been children, people my own age and younger, much harder to deal with. But you do. All I can tell you is don't let that thought discourage you from a career in nursing; death happens every day, whether we are there or not. We can make it a bit easier on all concerned, we have succeeded. We are not Saints, have no say in it, and yes the fear of making a deadly mistake? Yes any nurse will tell you we live with the thought, its why we take the time to check and double check when we are in doubt. It makes for a good nurse. Good luck with your choices.

I have a crippling phobia of corpses, so I just try to deal with them as little as possible. I'll have the aide come in and look at them. There is a certain look/aura or whatever that comes from a dead person, and I know when I look at them they are DEAD.

I worked in a Nursing Home, so you know that most patients that are there are there to live the end of their lives. My first one, I couldn't sleep. I was on a double that night and the thought of, "Did she die peacefully?", "Was she in pain.", or "Did I mess up." Came across my mind. She was a Hospice patient, so it was bound to happen. After that, I really wanted to work in Hospice. Maybe someday.

I did my first clinical rotation last semester,

my partner had a 90 something yr old pt that was

just barely hanging on.

I was ok with helping her, and keeping the lady as comfortable as

possible, but this got me.

They called the ladies family that morning and told them to

get to the hospital as soon as they could, because she wasn't going

to be able to hang on much longer.

It was noon and nobody showed up.

This completely broke my heart, I was in tears before we left (off

to myself of course)

my partner spent the day singing to the pt. and doing anything she could for her. It was a sad day