In honor of 9/11.... what was it like as a nurse?

MamaCJRN · Sep 10, 2011

I was working in Bakersfield, CA at Mercy Southwest. I was ending my night shift and walked into the break room to see the 1st tower burning and then the 2nd plane hit, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Some of the travel companies were asking for nurses to volunteer to go to New York to help. The sad part is there weren't very many survivors so they didn't need us. A few years later I heard an ADON from St. Vincents in NYC speak at a conference. It was very moving to hear how staff and citizens came together to deal with this great tragedy.

Now my son, who was 11 years old when 9/11/01 happened, is in Afghanistan serving in the Army.

God Bless America and God Bless our troops!

mama_d, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

I was a brand new nurse...we didn't have cable so we were listening to NPR for coverage. A friend of ours brought over videotape of CNN coverage. I was stunned...can't even imagine what it was like there, I felt like I should have been crying or something but was just kinda numb. Boeing is right here, so of course there were concerns about that, worries about it happening here and having to be one of the ones dealing with it.

I finally cried after news about United 93 came out...I have to say that I was proud to be an American, cliche as it sounds.

My step-son was 3 1/2 when it happened, and he remembered it. Asked about those planes blowing up those buildings for months afterwards. It's hard sometimes emotionally to realize that my kids are growing up in a time where attacks on our soil are perceived as a real risk, and that there's been ongoing war their whole lives. My brother-in-law signed up for the army shortly after 9/11, and served in Iraq for three tours. At the time, he and my sis were dating and she was living with us, so the kids saw up close and personal the emotional toll it took on both of them. Even with all that, though, my step-son talks about wanting to go into the Army "to protect our people". He's a trial sometimes, as teenage boys tend to be, but even though I'm torn about the idea, I'm still proud of him that he's grown up in an age of war, heard stories about what it's really like, and still has that desire.

kcmylorn · Sep 10, 2011

I was working same day surgery in NJ approx 2 hr south of NYC. The first OR outpatient cases were coming back to us. All us nurses were scurring around doing our usually routine of preop admits and receiving the post ops back. The TV's were always on all the time to keep the pt's occupied. I heard this one guy shouting "Nurse, nurse! " as I went by(me not paying attention to the TV's) I went over to him and asked him why he was shouting. This man was coming out off the stretcher at me. Then he started demanding "get this thing out of me" pointing to his IV, "I have to go!!" I told him He will go when he recovers from the anesthesia. He said- Do you see that!!(pointing tothe TV- the 2 towers had been hit and were on fire and smoking. I was not paying any attention to the TV's) He told me he was in the Army active duty and "this is war woman! Get this IV out of me, my son is coming in 2 min. to pick me up and take me back to the base. I work in supply" I told my NM and she talked to him and we let him go. I don't even remember if we gave him discharge instruction because when I went turned around he was gone in a flash. The unstarted surgical cases were cancelled and surgeries were cancelled for 3 days. Our hospital was going to be used for those who were non critically injured but needing care and as a morgue. The supervisors dischaged all the patients that could be discharged, transfered to SNF. The hospital was cleaned out in a matter of hours in anticipation of an onslaught of injured and dead- NOone came.

realnursealso/LPN, LPN · Sep 10, 2011

I was doing homecare for little one, less than one year old. He was still asleep and I was waiting for him to wake up. I had Good Morning America on, as usual. I was in Oswego, NY, the home to 3 nuclear power plants. All of a sudden the commentators said they had reports of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. They were showing WTC tower one smoldering when another plane crashed into tower two before my eyes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing on the tv. I was worried, making plans in my head as to what I would do if we had to evacuate. The little guys corificeat was with his mom in her car. I figured if I had to I could fasten him in the car with the seatbelt. His mother, who was going to nursing school, called and ask if I would take her baby with me if we had to leave. I told her I would never leave him alone. I got through the day, somehow, thinking of my loved ones, and hoping nothing more would happen. What I remember most was the eriee quiet that desended on the area that afternoon. The little one lived across the street from an elementary school, and not one sound could be heard from there. It was a nerve racking day that I never thought would end. The mom got out of school early and came home, but didn't let me leave early, I think she didn't want to be alone. At 7pm, the end of my shift, I hightailed it home and sat glued to my tv as everyone else was.

What I saw that morning:http://news.yahoo.com/9-11-video-timeline-how-the-day-unfolded.html

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

I had just walked into an LTC to see a couple of pts. All the staff was in the dayroom around the TV. I asked what was going on. My first thought was maybe a small plane, pilot had a MI or something. Then the second plane hit and I thought, "oh my God". I had a hard time wrapping my head around the thought that we were being attacked.

When I returned to my car, I changed the station to talk radio. I live by the Mississippi River and there are refineries all up and down the river. The talking heads were saying that Exxon might be the next target. My daughter called and wanted me to get out of the city and come over to her place about 40 miles from the city. I just continued on w/ my day, trying to take care of my pts the best I could. I prayed a lot that day.

I am so proud of all the men and women who wear the uniforms of the United States army, navy, marines, air corp, guards, and reserves. Thank you for keeping this proud American safe. God bless you all.

havehope · Sep 10, 2011

I can't put any input in a nursing view but,

MamaCJRN-We sure are thankful for your son!

And if any of you have any family members serving may God bless them!!!

God Bless Our Troops we truly are thankful for them!!!

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

I was 13 years old, getting ready for school on that day. I watched everything on TV; before I left for school, both the towers had collapsed. I remember some kids were not in school that day because their parents kept them home. Many buildings in San Francisco were being evacuated because some people thought they would target other cities. I donated much of my allowance to the Red Cross in the aftermath, and I displayed an American flag somewhere visible so that I wouldn't get targeted as unpatriotic. Thankfully, my family and I did not get much racism in the aftermath of the attacks.

I have mixed feelings about the events and the aftermath 10 years later. On the one hand, I'm proud of our armed forces, who definitely smashed down the terrorists hard, and still do to this very day. I was elated when I heard the news Bin Laden got shot. And our forces do the best they can to make life better for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, even while fighting the bad elements of those countries. I don't doubt the intentions of the brave young men and women who volunteer. Many of them are my age, and were affected the same way I was 10 years ago. On the other hand, I've seen brave young men and women with their good intentions being used by cynical leaders for their cynical ends. Why the heck did we have to go to Iraq and waste so much money nation building over there? If not for that detour, Bin Laden might have been finished off much sooner. We were lied to in order to manufacture consent for the war in Iraq. I've watched as political cronies of the previous administration (and heck, even this current administration) get rich off of the war machine and security apparatus we have in place. I've watched as we have become a police state, where even innocuously using a video camera in a public place gets you questioned and arrested by the police, especially if you have brown skin. I've watched as the burden of all this spending of billions of dollars has been shifted to the lower classes, and the rich don't pitch in their share. I've watched as the men and women with good intentions come home and are given the shaft after being used up by our cynical leaders who don't care about this country or the people. I've watched as the cynical leaders let things go too far and now our economy is in pieces.

Obama just said that 9/11 made us stronger. Far from it. I apologize for bringing this thread down, but these are my feelings about this day, 10 years later.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

Was anybody on this forum working as a nurse that day? In NY or Washington? Or, even if you weren't there, what did that day mean for the hospital, anywhere in America? It's hard to imagine the world didn't just stand still.
Stories, anybody?

I wasn't a nurse at time. But I was a 6 months pregnant EMT for our local volunteer ambulance. We are about 1 hrs drive to NYC (I'm in CT). We (the ambulance) had offered our vehicles and staffing to help with rescue and recovery. We were on standby. Sadly, as we all no, there were only a very few who were rescued. At the time of the actual plane hits, I was working in an office (scheduled to work an EMT shift at 5pm). The owners of the company let all the staff go home as the schools were doing emergency dismissals for kids..and honestly no one at the office could concentrate after watching what happened.

It was an odd and very errie day. You don't notice how many planes fly overhead until there are NO planes overhead at all. Most schools were closed down, many companies shut down, many people (Including me) worried about those we know who live and work in the area..etc. It was strangely quiet. No matter where you went, people seemed to be talking in hushed tones..even in places you normally wouldn't talk quietly..almost as if everywhere you went you were attending a wake or funeral.

The world might not have stood still..but in a sense the USA did. We did our jobs but did so in a bit of a fog, maddened and confused by what happened. Scared to death another plane would hit somewhere else, or have some other form of terrorism happen. My town is very close to a several places in CT that could be major targets (places that supply the military with aircraft), we also have the place that makes submarines for the military.

I pray nothing like that ever happens on our soil again. And MANY MANY MANY thanks to all the soldiers and their families who protect this great Country. I, for one, appreciate all your sacrafices you give so that me and my family and loved ones stay safe!

Biffbradford · Sep 10, 2011

Came home from night shift. Plopped down in the chair, turned on the TV to watch the news and saw the second plane hit live. Got to bed late that day.

FancypantsRN · Sep 10, 2011

I was not a nurse yet on 9/11 but that event is what led me to nursing. I was a flight attendant. I was NYC based and was on a trip that morning (New York to Chicago flight). Actually 10 years right now I was with a coworker at the time visiting her friend in the north tower.

I was furloughed right after 9/11 as my base was closed. The airline massively downsized and eventually ceased to exist. My next step? Nursing school. I still can't believe it's been 10 years.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 10, 2011

Previous An threads:

Not a single victim to treat for nurse at Ground Zero - Nursing ...

Nurses Remember 9/11/01 - Nursing for Nurses

Where were u 9/11/01?

ANA 2011:

From Your ANA President - Lessons learned from 9/11