Great start, but I'm worried about the roller-coaster!

tokmom, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2012

I believe everyone copes differently. I think of all the good care they have received, and how I hopefully made a difference. It is difficult at times to see a familiar name in the Obituaries, knowing you won't see that particular person again.

Just remember all the good you do. All the kindness and gentle touch you gave this person. The listening and talking to them.

Crying is ok too, you know. I don't think it makes us a bad nurse to shed a tear over a loss of life. I have cried over a few pts that really touched me. With everyone I have lost, I have taken something away. More compassion, understanding,increased knowledge over a certain disease process. All of this I take and give to the next patient and the next.

As for your NCLEX..good luck and keep us posted.

Job: It sounds like you are doing well, so cut yourself some slack. It will come to you. Give yourself a few months from now. You will have the routine down and be just fine.

:yelclap:

anotherone, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

I'm a new grad nurse on a med/neuro floor. Thing have been going great and I love the people I'm working with; my preceptor has more than 20+ years experience and we have a similar sense of humor too!
So, I'm up to 3 patients on my Friday and it's very hectic! I finally got all of my 0900 meds passed on time! (almost) ... The hospital is full with lots of new admits before the weekend starts. Two hours before end of shift I get a direct admit from a smaller community hospital's ER who was seriously delerious and unstable gait, so I couldn't leave her for fear she would go ker-plop on the floor!
All-the-while I'm worried about a little old feller that had been my pt for 3 days and had become my 'project'. At first hoping to get him back to assisted living, next worried If he was going to 'go'; then finally he got orders to be referred to respite care. I kept my composure the whole while I'm removing his telemetry and d/c the IV.
I'm usually a tough-guy, but I was welling-up tears the whole drive home. My patients love me and their families love me: I feel so slow somedays and my preceptor assures me that I'm not and I will get faster with more experience over the next few weeks: I love my job, but I'm driving myself crazy wondering if I can hack it.
How do you avoid becoming emotionally attached/affected by the people you care for 12 hours a day? To top it off, I'm taking the NCLEX Tuesday and am pretty anxious, so I ddin't need any more stress! ...but I do need prayrers!

I generally do not get too emotionally attached anymore. I try not to think about it outside of work. You will have many patients die and become comfort care only or go home on hospice. I try to compartementalize my life. I don't think this is especially healthy but it is how I have coped with events since childhood. I also try to think there is nothing I could have done to have changed the outcome and go in every shift trying to do my best. I still think about some sad cases sometimes.