Is it normal that being a nurse makes me worry about my kids?

[Guest393655]

I work on a very busy trauma and neurosurgery unit at a level 1 trauma center, where the majority of my patients are men age 16-25 who have been seriously and permanently injured in car, motorcyle or construction accidents. Last year I had twin boys and ever since their birth I worry all the time that my kids will end up like one of my patients. I think about all the horrible things that can happen to them ALL the time. My husband says I am "too sensitive" to work SICU, but he doesn't see what I see and deal with the parents of these young men everyday like I do. Is this normal new mommy worry based on what I see everyday at work, or am I taking things to an unhealthy extreme?

[OttawaRPN]

BTW, if you ever feel like your kids (as they grow older) decide they want to do drugs, or smoke cigs...just show them a few black lungs and a tour of the morgue and they'll get over it quick.

I admit. My kids are totally traumatized and it was my intention to do so.

They have monies saved for future therapy--but they will thank me for it when they are emotionally mature....

My teens know all about my 25 year-old now vegetative TBI-brain stem patient who flew through the windshield after colliding with a semi because he wasn't wearing his seat belt.

And about the various 2 pack-a-day-for-30-years Lung CA's dying a slow, grueling, miserable death drowning in their own fluids.

Or the long-standing ETOH patients with lewy body dementia who aren't able to recognize their own children, or wipe their own bums.

I'm continuously using scare tactics to intimidate the crap out of them and yup, all things considered... they are both pretty awesome kids with good heads on their shoulders.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I have 2 sons and work Trauma too, so I am all too familiar with the tragedy.

I counterbalance what I see at work by looking around at all the young men who make it through adolescence and young adulthood just fine.

For every guy who ends up dead or with serious disability, there are thousands who are going to school, working and coping with life just fine.

Unless your sons are at high risk, the odds are good for them.

[Guest393655]

LOL that's a great idea, I"ll have to keep it in mind for when the boys are older!