I freaked out

[beautifulb]

I totally freaked out at work the other day. It was extremely inappropriate and uncalled for. I am embarassed to go to work.

The other morning, right during our 8am med pass ~ including all the insulins ~ the janitors were waxing the floors which meant that whole portions of the hallways were totally blocked off from the pt. rooms. I had a heavy assignment which was the farthest from the med room, pts that were unhappy, tons of meds. Each time I entered the pt's rooms there was something extra that they needed. Well, with just "busyness" and inability to even remotely catch up, I freaked out at the janitors. Okay, I am very embarassed to even admit this, but I began what started as asking them why portions of the unit were totally blocked off, why couldn't they just do half of the hallway, etc. in which I eventually got more worked up. At this time, there was PCA's, other nurses, new orientees, student nurses that stopped to watch the whole confrontation. I eventually "mini" stormed off. Afterwards, I apologized profusely to the janitors, in which they accepted my apologies, but of course, I am now looked at upon a different light. Usually, I am happy, friendly, smile at everyone and I am not like this. People were kind of keeping away from me and talking about this incident all day (understandibly). I am working tomorrow and I don't even want to go in because of this.

I respect the janitors. It is not my opinion that they are below us (my husband was a janitor), it was basically that I felt that the management scheduled it at time when the floor was the busiest without any consideration for the unit. I sometimes feel that the nursing staff is disregarded and unimportant to basically all involved in hospital operations.

Please help me. I don't know how to face work now and am terrified for tomorrow and every shift after.

[twotrees2]

i too am usually the happy yada yada person - but yes over the yrs there have been a few times i have lost my cool - only shows everyone you are human after all ( i have had friends coment to me after an outburst they were glad to see i wasnt all so happy go lucky as i seemed - guess it made them feel i was more like them then they thought. )

I totally freaked out at work the other day. It was extremely inappropriate and uncalled for. I am embarassed to go to work.

The other morning, right during our 8am med pass ~ including all the insulins ~ the janitors were waxing the floors which meant that whole portions of the hallways were totally blocked off from the pt. rooms. I had a heavy assignment which was the farthest from the med room, pts that were unhappy, tons of meds. Each time I entered the pt's rooms there was something extra that they needed. Well, with just "busyness" and inability to even remotely catch up, I freaked out at the janitors. Okay, I am very embarassed to even admit this, but I began what started as asking them why portions of the unit were totally blocked off, why couldn't they just do half of the hallway, etc. in which I eventually got more worked up. At this time, there was PCA's, other nurses, new orientees, student nurses that stopped to watch the whole confrontation. I eventually "mini" stormed off. Afterwards, I apologized profusely to the janitors, in which they accepted my apologies, but of course, I am now looked at upon a different light. Usually, I am happy, friendly, smile at everyone and I am not like this. People were kind of keeping away from me and talking about this incident all day (understandibly). I am working tomorrow and I don't even want to go in because of this.

I respect the janitors. It is not my opinion that they are below us (my husband was a janitor), it was basically that I felt that the management scheduled it at time when the floor was the busiest without any consideration for the unit. I sometimes feel that the nursing staff is disregarded and unimportant to basically all involved in hospital operations.

Please help me. I don't know how to face work now and am terrified for tomorrow and every shift after.

[twotrees2]

Oh geez, can I relate!! There were SO SO many moments during my years as a Med/Surge nurse that I freaked out, and then felt way embarrassed to go back to work the next day. So many moments, I can't even number them. I have a VERY low tolerance for stress, hence yet another reason why I finally chose a slower paced area of nursing.

Believe it or not, there are times when I actually miss the fast pace of Med Surge, but then I really think about what it would be like to go back to it and I think... nahhhhhh. Not until my life outside of work slows down and becomes a little less stressful anyways. (House being renovated, four-year old running around, new baby on the way.... not likely to happen soon!!!! :))

Another thing... at my hospital, floors were generally waxed, and carpets shampooed, at night? Wonder why they couldn't do that where you work????

lol thats what they do at my place and i throw a fit - people are trying to sleep for heavens sake - and on my wing you wake some of em up they aint going back to sleep and ya have a whole new batch of trouble lol.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

I once had a janitor vaccuuming a patient's room during my med pass.

Another time, pharmacy decided to delay restocking the med cart until I was in the middle of my pass. Some meds weren't available, and I had to try to remember to go back and give them once the restocking was finished.

Both scenarios led to major med errors on my part. Luckily, one of them was caught by the patient herself (wrong meds/wrong patient in a 4 patient room).

[Pompom]

You can't unring a bell, just go about your business as usual. Soon someone else in your unit will do something that everyone will talk about and forget about your meltdown.

[muffie, RN]

i once had to tell a housekeeping staff to please not spray and buff the floor in a pt room while the pt was eating lunch !?!