in nursing you never get close....

I think you never get so close you lose your ability to think and reason effectively. I have been very close to patients that die and I was always a caring, kind nurse who helped them face all the challenges they faced. When my Dad died, I was a daughter, I could afford to loose my objectivity, he had great nurses by the way.

Not that you don't get close to them in other facilities/settings but LTC and hospice nursing are two areas where you cannot help but invest more of your heartstrings than not.

Its not that you don't get close, but rather you keep it at a professional level. I'm close to many of my residents, but not close like family or long time friends. Its just a different kind of closeness you experience when your job is to take care of people.

I have to admit I get too close to my patients sometimes, especiallly when I worked home health. I took care of one lady for over a year. She was originally a hospice patient, but just wouldn't die. Home health took over her care. I saw her every Friday for 15 months. Towards the end, I could barely make it through the visits and maintain a professional distance. When I left, I'd have to pull over and cry for a while. About a week before she died, I transfered her back to hospice. I went to see her as a friend after that. I was with her the last few hours of her life. It was a Sunday. My heart was broken, but it was a priviledge to help someone die with dignity and at home. I still visit her husband from time to time and I don't work home health anymore. I have several other home health patients that I still visit. I still call doctors for them when they are sick and request home health from the doctor. I make appointments for them and sometimes pick up their medications from the pharmacy for them. I figure that since I'm not their nurse anymore, the professional boundaries aren't being broken.