How much death do you see/ have you seen on the job?
I know this varies depending on your area of practice... For example, a Nurse working in an MDs office vs. Acute Care/Trauma. Nevertheless, I am just curious as to how many Nurses on this forum have witnessed/experienced death on the job in their careers, how it affects them, what keeps them going? A professor I had in nursing school admitted that she had never experienced the death of a patient in her entire career; and that she purposefully avoided working in areas/specialties where death would be at an increased likelihood.
She explained that she wouldn't be able to cope with "all that day-in day-out death" for the long-term... and I agree with her because I feel a similar way after witnessing/experiencing a lot of deaths in my career. I used to work in palliative care. I did that for many years and was good at it, but left because it became too much.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
My first job out of nursing school was in a nursing home. So clearly it comes with the territory. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was my first death I ever witnessed so it was shocking to me more than sad. I had never seen a dead body before *and* I was a fresh nurse! She didn't die on my shift but the previous shift wasn't able to finish everything so I helped out (as much as I could).
OrganizedChaos, LVN
1 Article; 6,883 Posts
My first job out of nursing school was in a nursing home. So clearly it comes with the territory. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was my first death I ever witnessed so it was shocking to me more than sad. I had never seen a dead body before *and* I was a fresh nurse! She didn't die on my shift but the previous shift wasn't able to finish everything so I helped out (as much as I could).