How to not get affected by pts/residents?

[wjxn]

I've been working in the healthcare field for less than a year. I'm one of those "over-emotional" type of person. Sadly, my feelings get hurt easily, especially if I'm getting yelled at. There was an incident when an elderly women yelled at me for not waking her up early. (She usually had a different CNA working with her but she was out that day.) Long story short, she said a lot of negative things about me and how I can't do my job properly and all that good stuff.

How do I become more thick-skinned? Is it something that you get better at with time?

[nursephillyphil, BSN, RN]

its takes time and exposure, but it has more so to do with how you cope with it. do you take it home with you? or do you leave it at work where it belongs? what are your coping mechanisms?

[wjxn]

Embarrassingly, I ended up crying. (In private, of course.) Not like, a big cry fest, but my eyes did get watery. I still had to continue my job though, but the whole incident was still bugging me. I just wondered if I could've did things differently to prevent that whole ordeal. She ended up being agitated all day and I jut felt really guilty.... Once I got home I still thought about it but I got over it an about hour after my shift. I just don't want to let things affect me so much or at least not while I'm on the floor.

I see other CNA's and Charge nurses get yelled at but they all seem to be able to brush it off.

[VANurse2010]

Sometimes nursing home residents act out because they are either (a) demented or (b) have zero control over anything in their lives except how they treat others. Once you realize how pitiful and sad that is, you won't feel as bad when you're mistreated.

[nursephillyphil, BSN, RN]

sometimes, the patient and even the family are mad at the situation. sometimes they had a detailed plan about how they wanted their lives planned out, and health issues aren't something we necessarily factor in. I become irritable sometimes with patients who push my patience, but i try to look at it that way. We are the ones who come into most contact with the patient, so we end up taking the anger they can't express elsewhere. I think as long as you remained respectful toward the patient and were able to fulfill your duties you did a great job. Try not to take it home with you, our jobs are stressful enough as it is. In time you will learn to brush it off as your coworkers did, thick skin takes time to form.

just make sure your thick skin doesn't compromise your compassion.

[Kiki1970]

I used to be VERY sensitive!! My first real job was in a very nice, new hotel at 18. After having everything go wrong and lines of people at the front desk yelling at me (and coworkers) I thought of a duck. Yup. And water rolling off its back. That was the last time I ever cried about a work situation. Now when a resident decides to hit me, curse at me or worse, I just say no thank you and come back later. Do not engage with them when they are being abusive physically or verbally. I don't recommend you say this but I would've said something to the fact of "well at least you DID wake up today." And smiled my sweetest smile.

but becareful- its easy to toughen up but that toughness will carry over to other areas in your life. No one likes hardened nurses.