Nurses' Fears

[Davey Do]

A lot of threads here on allnurses are generated by members due to fears. Fears due to recrimination and subsequent retaliation, fear of losing face, fear of being terminated, and the be-all and end-all fear of losing one's license.

In the nursing profession, losing one's job or license is akin to death, as if saying, "I was employed but now I'm jobless. I was a nurse, but now I've lost my license. I was alive but now I'm dead."

In one study of fears, death was listed as the number one fear and loss of livelihood was listed as the fourth most feared. We can't escape death, but we do have some semblance of control in putting it off for a while. We don't have full control over being terminated, however, we can take measures to lessen the chances of that happening.

I was fired from four facilities over my four decade career, not counting a demotion. The first time, I openly wept during the execution. The fourth time was a minor blow to my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me for the moment. Desensitization does work wonders.

The closest my person has been to death was at the age of 19 when I experienced an NDE after an MVA. It has been said that an NDE is like visiting a neighborhood yet not residing there. My experience has lessened my fear of death, somewhat.

Woody Allen said something along the lines of, "I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens".

I fear living in pain more so than I fear death.

Jung said something along the lines of, and again I believe I'm paraphrasing, "Embrace your fears, for there your soul will grow". I took that to mean that if we face our fears, we will be wiser and stronger beings.

My signature line is, once again a paraphrased quote, made by Edgar Cayce: "Overcome fear by seeing the ridiculous, yet funny side to every situation". I feel and believe that I have a good sense of humor, and I use it to my advantage whenever I can in an attempt to face my fears hoping that my soul may grow.

 

 

Got fears?

 

 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Fears, yes. Mainly that something will happen to any of my children that is beyond my control and brings them pain or death.

Having been downsized three times and fired once, jobs come and go and life will go on. That one doesn't phase me as much. 

Losing a license would ostensibly result from an egregious error my own, either in judgment or action, so that might be harder to get over. Especially depending on the outcome and whether I caused harm or death to another person through my own action or inaction. 

I don't have too many other fears I can think of, although I generally jump scare at all loud noises, much to the delight of a few coworkers. Some of those same coworkers also delight in that I will catch and release any spiders and/or bugs found on the unit, so they are generally careful not to sneak up and scare me too often.  ? 

[Davey Do]

12 minutes ago, JBMmom said:

I don't have too many other fears I can think of 

I am seeing a fear that you have, JBMom, merely by your actions.

Or should I say, "inactions"?

[sevensonnets]

I'm scared of spiders, snakes, lizards, and boats, Oh, and drinking out of the wrong cup in the breakroom. Always compare the lipstick on the cup occupying the exact spot you left yours 10 minutes before, Shades don't match there's a 99.9% certainty it ain't your coffee.

[Daisy4RN]

When I was working as a nurse my biggest fear was doing actual harm to someone. I don't think I could have lived with that (very easily) if I did. Secondary was fear of losing the license because it meant losing my source of income, not just the license per se. Like you DD once you are fired it really isn't such a blow again, tough for sure but also can sometimes a relief.

My first husband was very violent and there were times I really felt the end was coming soon. I believe that type of fear lead me to enjoy my life much more (after the divorce) because it helped keep things in perspective, helped to realize that life is a gift and is indeed very short. My faith also helps keep that in perspective as well as any fear of death. 

 

4 hours ago, sevensonnets said:

Shades don't match there's a 99.9% certainty it ain't your coffee.

LOL, I think sometimes people don't care when they just NEED coffee.

And now that I think about that I was fearful of going to get my lunch out of the frig because I girl I worked with had a bad habit of stealing food from everyone. Then you had to go to the cafeteria!

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

33 minutes ago, Daisy4RN said:

My first husband was very violent and there were times I really felt the end was coming soon. I believe that type of fear lead me to enjoy my life much more (after the divorce) because it helped keep things in perspective, helped to realize that life is a gift and is indeed very short.

So glad that you are no longer in that situation. My heart goes out to domestic abuse victims, that's a stress that I'm fortunate I cannot imagine. My marriage may be far from perfect, but I've never known fear for my life or the lives of my children. 

[Davey Do]

7 hours ago, Davey Do said:

 the be-all and end-all fear of losing one's license.

loss of livelihood was listed as the fourth most feared

 

1 hour ago, Daisy4RN said:

 Secondary was fear of losing the license because it meant losing my source of income

 

7 hours ago, Davey Do said:

 I openly wept

[Davey Do]

6 hours ago, sevensonnets said:

I'm scared of spiders, snakes, lizards, and boats, Oh, and drinking out of the wrong cup in the breakroom.

In the USA, anywhere from five to seven people per year die from spider or snake bites or bites from reptiles, like alligators. I could find no cause of deaths attributed to drinking someone else's coffee.

There are approximately 615 boating deaths per year.

However, in the USA, every year approximately 38,000 people die in MVAs and approximately 115 million people in the USA drive a car every day.

I fear the nut behind the wheel and I am not afraid of "spiders and snakes 'cause that ain't what it takes to love me", Jim Stafford.

[EDNURSE20, BSN]

I remember reading a news article about a woman who had a cockroach stuck in her ear. It was painful, and required surgery to remove as it had gone in way to far. They had to pour olive oil in her ear to kill it, while waiting for theatre. Since then I have major fear of any bug going into my ear. 

turns out most of fears are strange. 

[Davey Do]

1 minute ago, EDNURSE20 said:

 Since then I have major fear of any bug going into my ear. 

turns out most of fears are strange. 

Or unfounded, EDNURSE; not based in reality as evidenced by the previous post.

More people die in MVAs than they do spiders or snakes, yet we will regularly subject ourselves to road hazards, on a nearly daily basis, while we make sure the exterminator makes his regular visits.