How long does it take you to calm down?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was out to dinner today and a man started choking, no one around got up to do the Heimlich, and I had been trained to do it YEARS ago, but I figured that trying was better than doing nothing, and thankfully it worked. It's hours later and I'm still really shook up about it, I just can't calm down.

I was going back and forth about going to nursing school and now I feel fairly certain that it wouldn't be the best career for me. :/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

Good job to you for stepping up and saving this persons life! Don't let your reaction to this deter you. Most importantly you WERE able to act when it was needed. It gets easier.

Again - good for you! :yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg; Telemetry; School Nurse pk-8.

You were scared. You acted anyway. That's what heroes do. :yeah:

Go to nursing school. It gets easier with knowledge and time. Besides, we need more heros. Great job!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Rehab/Geriatrics.

You did an AWESOME thing, don't worry, events like this do take a while to calm down from, you are probably going over and over it in your mind but that seems normal, you acted courageously!! :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Honestly, unless you work ER, trauma, on an ambulance, etc. nursing is seldom, I mean really rarely as sudden, dramatic, and scary as what happened in the restaurant.

I've been a nurse 28 years. Recently a child on my street was hit by a car (slow moving, thankfully, some injuries but not life threatening). I was shook up for several weeks if not a month.

It is completely different from what you will be see, be exposed to, in a controlled hospital environment.

You were brave, with good qualities and instincts to be a great nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

what has helped you relax/calm down in the past?

i assure you nursing school is going to drag lots more emotions out of you than what you felt today.

if you want it bad enough, identify ways to cope, use these coping mechanisms and rise for to the challenge.

good work today!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is usually when I am outside the clinical environment that I will experience what you are talking about. I believe our brains just expect something to happen at the work place, not outside it. I think the more you talk about the experience with a friend or co-worker, you will begin to calm down.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Why wouldn't nursing be a good choice?

You saw a crisis situation, assessed the situation correctly, used what you learned and saved a man's life.

While the others around you froze, you were able to act. This is not a common quality for people who do not routinely work in life and death scenarios.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.

You did an amazing, amazing thing :heartbeat

There are many, many different areas of nursing, very few of which are as intense/fast-paced/dramatic as what you experienced. But the fact that you experienced what you did and had the judgement and skill to act as you did even IN a situation so extreme says to me that you would be able to cope in any area of nursing, especially after training and feeling more confident in you abilities.

It's not all critical care, and if nursing is what you do want to do you will find your place. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment