Got nightmares?

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Specializes in Cancer research/ Orthopedics/ Surgery.

I'm a new RN on an orthopedic/neuro med/surg floor and frequently have nightmares about being on my unit with things spinning out of my control (probably because that's my biggest fear). I often feel that way because I'm pulled in all different directions. I do my best to prioritize but it's tough. I just finished a three day ETLA course (emergency treatment of lethal arrhythmias) and last night I was dreaming about EKG strips! Drove me nuts!

Just wondering, any new RNs experiencing the same thing? Sleepless or nightmare-filled nights?

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Specializes in ER.

:chuckle Funny you should ask.....

Apparently earlier this week I woke my husband up hollering something like, "what happened to my patients?". Last night my brain kept running on about blood cultures. I am in my third week of orientation, and I tell ya', when I go to bed my brain is just BUZZING!

I sleep HARD though, because I am just exhausted!

Hang in there.I know things get better for me everyday, and I am in awe of how far I have come in just three weeks!

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Specializes in Ortho/Neuro.

I don't know about nightmares, but I can't sleep the night before I have to work!!!! I too work on an Ortho/Neuro unit!!!

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Yes and Yes!

I went from NCLEX nightmares to all sorts of crazy dreams where there is some weird drama and yet I STILL HAVE TO SEE FOUR PATIENTS Yes it's always four! The other night, there was all sorts of stuff going on and yet there I was in a canoe on the ocean, lots of waves and choppy water, with a long-haired hippy type guy who kept telling me everything is okay, and my former boss walking on her hands on the beach...and I was trying to figure out where my patients went!

The night before, I dreamed I went outside in my front yard and my garden had transformed. It was gorgeous, with lots of dark blue and purple huge flowers, twinkling lights, and butterflies all over the place. A huge black and white moth bit my hand and I was worried because I had to get to my patients, which of course I couldn't find.

It goes on and on. Even with dreams that are normal and no drama, there are ALWAYS four patients I have to see!

And I NEVER sleep without pharmaceuticals the night before I have to work a 7a shift.

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Specializes in Surgical/Telemetry.

Interesting thread. I have creepy nightmares about work just about every night. I had one last night that we had to evacuate everyone because of an earthquake. Turns out we actually had one in the area. Talk about blending actual sensations with my weird work neurosis.

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I keep having nightmares involving water. Maybe I feel at times I am over my head and drowning, (just trying to analyze my dreams). I want six months to pass as maybe I will feel more comfortable. I also keep worrying about what my first mistake will be

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I keep having nightmares involving water. Maybe I feel at times I am over my head and drowning, (just trying to analyze my dreams). I want six months to pass as maybe I will feel more comfortable. I also keep worrying about what my first mistake will be

water often symbolized your own emotions, so pay attention to the characteristics of it in your dreams--is it clear? (you have good insight to your feelings about the issues you face) or is it dark or murky (not so good insight) is it calm (overall feeling pretty balanced) or choppy (emotional upheaval etc). Is the water in the form of rain (you are feeling overwhelmed by your emotions and issues) or are you wading? (You are feeling a sense of control but the issues are still present) That sort of stuff.

And what is IN the water is important too. Are you being chased by sharks (you feel threatened on an emotional level) or are you swimming happily? In a boat or drowning?

In my dream, I was in choppy water with a man who was likely symbolic of Jesus or a savior-type persona (I have this guy around a lot in my dreams). People often represent aspects of ourselves, and our dream-conversations can be described as a conversation between our knowingness and our unconscious. So in my dream, I was feeling shaky in the boat on the waves (symbolizing my nervousness about my new job) but I was also reassuring myself everything was okay. (Ok, or someone outside myself since this specific dream character is very familiar to me....but that's another thread).

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I kept having dreams where I would suddenly remember at the end of my shift that I had forgotten about a pt I had in some room. The pt had gone unassessed, unmedicated and uncared for all my shift, and occasionally had died! Talk about waking up in a cold sweat!

Stevern21

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Specializes in NICU.
I kept having dreams where I would suddenly remember at the end of my shift that I had forgotten about a pt I had in some room. The pt had gone unassessed, unmedicated and uncared for all my shift, and occasionally had died! Talk about waking up in a cold sweat!

Stevern21

I've been working for 8 years and I still have that dream sometimes. It's usually when I'm stressed about something or have had a really bad night at work. But it's almost always the same - I'm 11 hours into my 12 hour shift and find out that one of my patients has been ignored all night. The patients are always at death's door when I find them.

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My hubby told me that during the night i sat up and was patting the bed. He asked what i was doing and i told him i was looking for glasses. He asked why and i told him a patient needed them. He said he'd find them for me and i said ok and laid back down. I dont remember a thing! :lol2:

Lately i have had bad dreams about tornados. I read that they symbolize really stressful events. My only guess is being a new rn.

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While in nursing school and working, I would have this terrible recurring dream that I was like SUPER late for clinical, class, work, etc. I would be showing up for a morning clinical--at night!!! Yet the group would still be there, LOL!!! It was the same thing over and over but different people involved, my instructors, bosses, etc. I had this dream approx. 10+times, thankfully it NEVER came true!!!

Never had a problem w/attendance at school or work!! Whew!

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I'm glad I'm not the only one, I started this week. Here in the Uk things are ver different & I really wish I had the sort of start you all get. (I'll do another post about my first week, so you can all see.)

Every night I've had some dream about work, last night I was dreaming that I had been given too many patients and also I see the programme director for the nursing school I was at but they looked different & I was asking them why my registeration was being held up.

At the moment I feel like I have too many patients, & I'm still waiting for my registration to come, even though I've paid for it the NMC are still waiting for a form from the university they only have half the information they need from them.

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