How do you deal with some of the things you see?

Specialties Burn

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Last Monday night I stayed over to help with a major burn admit. I thought I had seen the worst, but this one was really bad. I went home and laid awake for a long time before I finally fell asleep. This entire week I have been exhausted, and I think it is from the emotional aspect of it all. I sleep until it is time to go to work again, and I am not quite myself at work.

As nurses, especially burn nurses, we have to see some traumatic things. How do you deal with those feelings or emotions brought about by the burn patient that really "gets to you"?

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I think the key is to realize that they are real life human beings. You need to realize that accidents happen and mistakes are made and that you are here to help them recover from their mistake.

I try not to take the patients pain personally, but I always try to do what I can to lessen it. I also realize that I could never even come close imagining the pain they are in. I will admit that even after 2 years in burn care I still go home and cry when I have a baby who was burned.

~A proud burn care CNA

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This is a wonderful question and I'm very glad that you asked it.

I am not a nurse nor am I in nursing school. However, this is a question that I have been asking myself and I try to determine if I am mentally prepared to handle nursing. I haven't seen anything yet, but researching through this forum, hearing stories, etc....I get emotional over it.

So as I embark on this new journey, I wonder how will I deal with some of the things I will see.

In theory, you can say don't personalize it...but as a caring human being, it's almost difficult not to feel something.

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Hi, I am a med-surg nurse who obtained a Master of Divinity and am doing a year-long chaplain residency at a Level I Trauma Center that includes a burn unit. I am developing a presentation entitled "Tools for Processing Grief for Burn Unit Staff." I am having trouble finding resources/models/clinical papers. Does anyone have any recommendations?

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Specializes in Step-down, cardiac.
Hi, I am a med-surg nurse who obtained a Master of Divinity and am doing a year-long chaplain residency at a Level I Trauma Center that includes a burn unit. I am developing a presentation entitled "Tools for Processing Grief for Burn Unit Staff." I am having trouble finding resources/models/clinical papers. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Dancer3, I would make a new post for this instead of just replying to an old one, that way more people will see it. It sounds interesting!

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Specializes in ER, Card Cath, Oncology.

12 years recon medic, 11 yrs er nurse, i cant begin to touch what you all are writting about, i just cover it up thoroughly, i have episdoes where i may sleep 14 hours on a off night, that's about it. but i am glad yall wrote about it. life sucks sometimes.

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..

My mother and grandfather died of severe burns when our house caught firw=e. My grandfather was found under his bed. He died of smoke inhalation, and had an open casket. My mother died the following day in the hospital. The doctor did everything wrong. She was wrapped in ace bandages from head to toe causing the burns to go even deeper until she smothered to death in spite of the medical staff performing a tracheotomy on her. I shall always remember her asking me to ger her a stick of Doublemint chewing gum so her mouth wouldn't feel so dry. She liked chewing that brand.

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