First work related dream since being a school nurse

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

When I worked in the hospital, I used to dream about work all the time (and occasionally still have hospital-work dreams). Everything from IV pumps beeping and unable to find the source (usually my alarm clock, LOL!), to getting to the end of a shift and realizing that there was a pt that I did not even assess. The best one was when I dreamed that I came to work, got report, assessed my pts and gave am meds, then left and went home to bed thinking I did not have to be back to re-assess and give handoff report at 7pm! I woke in a sweat thinking I had actually come home and went to bed and better get my butt back to the hospital!

Last night I had my 1st school nursing related dream. I have a diabetic kiddo with an insulin pen. I dreamed that somehow her pen got left out (which does not happen), and with the needle on (which ABSOLUTELY never happens...straight to the sharps container!). One KG kid somehow got a hold of it and stuck a classmate in the arm with the used needle. I was sure that no insulin got injected, but was freaking out about the needle stick! I tried frantically to get my principal to listen to me, but he was either ignoring me or could not hear/understand me (a frequent theme in my dreams). Same result when I tried to talk to my director of Health Services. I woke up in a cold sweat!

Now, I know that my hospital dreams were stress-related, but I have no idea what brought on this dream! Things are going well at work right now and I am very happy with work, and life in general at the moment (always subject to change, LOL!) Anyone have school nursing related dreams?

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

purple, your dream tells me that you are very consciencious (sp)? and caring and you do take your job seriously. you always strive to do your best by your students. you are wonderful for taking this child's condition to heart. i have never had a school nurse related dream so far.

praiser :heartbeat

[safarirn]

I have not had a school nurse related dream yet, but I CONSTANTLY have hospital dreams.

The most recurring one was the one where I am at the END OF MY SHIFT & a CNA is trying to find the nurse taking care of 912B. Everyone says, "It's not my patient" & I am sure it's not mine either. So, I check the assignment board only to discover that it IS my patient!! It's the end of my shift & I didn't assess them, give them their meds, take their vitals... I did NOTHING FOR THEM.

I wake up in a COLD SWEAT EVERY TIME I HAVE THAT DREAM!!

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

LOL, Praiser, I was thinking it meant that I need to make sure to keep the med closet locket! :)

What is it about the hospital the gives us those horrible dreams? I honestly felt like I had a very mild PTSD when I finally got out of there and into school nursing. I had been on nights, and there was always a certain tv program that came on at the time that I had to start getting ready for work. For MONTHS after I quit, I could not watch that tv show, and would get sick to my stomach when I was flipping channels and it happened to be on There is something really wrong with a job that does that to you.

[jagalu100305]

I think it's because we are caring by nature and want to make sure we do the best we can as nurses. If you step back and think about it our jobs are crucial to peoples lives and that can be overwhelming. Not only have I had dreams but I also have woke up in the middle of the night worried i have forgotten to do something!! I mentally go through my day to make sure I had not forgotten anything!! That has not changed for me since school nursing I still have dreams, wake in middle of the night etc. It's because we care!!:redbeathe

[kidsnurse1969]

I had dreams about head lice several times during my first months on the job. I had to stop telling my husband about them since they were freaking him out too.