Nursing Dreams

elizabells, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2006

After my clinical day floating to NICU (which is what I want to do after school) I dreamed that my nurse manager hadend me a suitcase full of preemies that I had to get all set up in their isolettes before the parents showed up. She held them off while I got linens (specifically those quilted waterproof pads - do they even put those in isolettes?) but then I opened the suitcase and the babies were INVISIBLE. Whoo. Glad I woke up from that one!

introspectiveRN · Mar 8, 2006

The first time I took care of a vent patient (3rd semester) I went to sleep that night and dreamed that the patient was making a horrible noise-gasping for air, choking etc. I kept looking for the leak...looking at pt's tubing/site...panicked...pt o2 sats were plummeting and I was frantically calling for help but was all alone on the unit...

...I woke up and realized that the noise was my boston terrier, "Bud", he was sleeping next to me (on his back as usual) and was snorting/snoring up a storm :lol2: (also as usual) .

MadRedneckRN · Mar 8, 2006

The first time I took care of a vent patient (3rd semester) I went to sleep that night and dreamed that the patient was making a horrible noise-gasping for air, choking etc. I kept looking for the leak...looking at pt's tubing/site...panicked...pt o2 sats were plummeting and I was frantically calling for help but was all alone on the unit...
...I woke up and realized that the noise was my boston terrier, "Bud", he was sleeping next to me (on his back as usual) and was snorting/snoring up a storm (also as usual) .

I've had that dream!!!!!! I had to start locking the Boston's out of the bedroom!!!!!! :lol2: :sleep:

2bnursescrubs · Mar 8, 2006

Thank you guys :) All of your dreams were very interesting to read.. My days usually affect me enough that whatever happened that day I turn around into more events in my sleep, but I haven't had "nursing nighmares" yet

All in good time :lol2: Anyway thanks for posting all of your dreams! I hope they don't put additional stress on anything you do:nurse:

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 8, 2006

I just had another one last night! I dreamt that I was doing home health and I had a patient at MY home and I had set up the old outdoor shed (dark, no light, cement floor, messy) for this old mexican lady to stay. She was on a mattress.

She had really bad chest pain all of the sudden and I gave her an ASA. I wanted to try nitro but I didn't have any. Then the monitor tech at my real life job showed up and wanted me to find out if her heart was on the right side of her chest.

I then was debating if I should take her to the ER...LOL

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2006

I dream about work a lot... usually it is the missed patient thing, or it is about patients I had the shift before I went to sleep and I'm still responsible for them and forget all kinds of things, can't keep up and don't know what the heck is going on and often wake up and want to call the hospital about something I forget when I realize it was just in my dream and NOT something I was really responsible for. So far they've always been in my unit so they seem very realistic, it takes a bit after I wake up for me to realize they were just dreams...

introspectiveRN · Mar 9, 2006

I wish that I could lock him out! When I close the door he just cries and sighs off and on all night...it's easier just to let him lay their and elbow him when he wakes me up so he'll roll over. My house is really really tiny with paper-thin walls so that putting him in his crate is useless.

And I have to say that for every one time that he has interrupted my sleep, he has given me at least five really great belly laughs...he is a complete clown and keeps us all rolling!

pugmum · Mar 9, 2006

... Do you dream about your work often?

Never, but having said that, I sure hope I don't jinx myself...it would be a nightmare, that's for sure!

LeahJet, ASN, RN · Mar 9, 2006

I have dreams where I'm at work and it's been a crazy night, and towards morning I find out that I had another patient assigned to me that I didn't know about. Patient has been neglected all shift long (in an ICU setting no less) and is practically dead by the time I find out about it.

OMGosh...I have had that same dream! It has been about 2 years since I've worked ICU but I remember having that dream a couple of times then. I discovered the patient at about 5am on a night shift and they had all kinds of titratable infusions and an unclamped EVD.....~shudder~

2bnursescrubs · Mar 17, 2006

Well turns out to be many of you have repetitive job-dreams and even the same dreams just in different circumstances

Thanks guys :) For posting all of them. They're very interesting to read :Melody:

veegeern, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2006

One night I started dreaming about taking care of a patient that belonged to Dr. D (name changed, etc..). He was going to put in a triple lumen cath. Then, the dream changed, and I became the patient. I was begging my coworkers not to let Dr. D put in the TLC because they all knew what kind of mess he makes when he puts in one.

FLoridarnl · Mar 17, 2006

I used to dream that I didn't give my meds or assess my patients and it was almost the end of my shift. That would be scary. I had a scary dream where a psych patient was killing our case manager, and I couldn't dial the phone to call for help. These are more nightmares than dreams.