I didn't sign up for this!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Nursing is difficult on the best day. I remember the first time I had to tell a family member that their loved one had died.

I was young and naive.. thought that was the doctor's responsibility.

We certainly weren't prepared for this massive responsibility in nursing school.

When did you first experience delivering that news.. and how did you handle it?

[LynnLRN]

I had a pt die unexpectedly during my first year as a nurse. I thought the same thing that it was the doctors responsibility. Fortunately, when I called the person I talked to was like oh we thought he would die tonight when we left. So after hearing that I didn't feel as bad.

[Vespertinas]

A nurse with him I worked and had grown close to had her dying father admitted to our unit (which was very unfamiliar with DNR-type cases). I took on the role of caretaker every night whether I was assigned to him or not. Every night that week I had to do my regular work AND be mindful of my friend's loved one. I was frantically lost.. I felt like it was my own father. I still regret not having called her the night I felt would be his last. It was his last and she wasn't there. I did not sign up for that.