Nursing nightmares.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

35 years of experience and retired for 2 months.

My current nightmare is ... I can't find the door to get out at shift change.

What are your nursing nightmares?

Specializes in ICU.

I have three patients. It's 0645 and I'm getting ready to leave. I only ever saw two of my patients all night.

I think this is the adult version of the "it's finals week and I never went to my calculus class (it's always a math class) and I have to pass to graduate" dream I had all through high school and college.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I, too, just retired two months ago, and it's been ten years since I worked med-surg. But right up until a couple of years ago, I would frequently have the forgotten patient dream. I'd dream that I was back on my old floor, and at first I was really happy to be there. Then I'd realize it was nearly end of shift and I had one patient I hadn't even looked in on. I don't even know if he's still alive. Then I'd think to myself "Gosh, I've dreamt this so many times, I can't believe I've actually gone and done it this time." I'd be so surprised and relieved to wake up and find out this, too was a dream.

The other dream is that I'd have to leave my unit to go on some errand and I could never make it all the way back. Sometimes I'd find myself on foot, miles from the hospital.

Luckily I don't have those dreams much anymore.

Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

Worse than any actual nightmares I've had re: nursing was one actual live resident, whom I am eternally grateful is no longer there. :^)

I dream that my supervisor is a complete idiot who continually writes care plans that are impossible to achieve and then writes me up for being non compliant with the care plans. I dream that she is reading every progress note I write and then leaves me notes just ripping apart what I do. I run to my Director of Nursing and try to get help and she just says, "So?".

OH WAIT I'M NOT DREAMING IT'S REALLY HAPPENING!!! Silly me.

I, too, just retired two months ago, and it's been ten years since I worked med-surg. But right up until a couple of years ago, I would frequently have the forgotten patient dream. I'd dream that I was back on my old floor, and at first I was really happy to be there. Then I'd realize it was nearly end of shift and I had one patient I hadn't even looked in on. I don't even know if he's still alive. Then I'd think to myself "Gosh, I've dreamt this so many times, I can't believe I've actually gone and done it this time." I'd be so surprised and relieved to wake up and find out this, too was a dream.

The other dream is that I'd have to leave my unit to go on some errand and I could never make it all the way back. Sometimes I'd find myself on foot, miles from the hospital.

Luckily I don't have those dreams much anymore.

Both ...classic work nightmares! I actually did the "one patient I hadn't even looked in on" thing in real life (screwy assignment). Patient was a nurse and said something 6 hours into the shift.

I have been retired for about twelve years, the night mares have finally gone away. But I rememer being a young nurse and dreaming that my manager walked into my bedroom and demanded to know why I was sleeping when evey light was on down the hall. I actually jumped out of bed and ran down the hall trying to answer them. My husband chased me and woke me which I believe saved me from being hurt. Gives you some idea of the sever stress I was under as a new nurse. It has all been over for a while but I still thank God every night when I go to bed at 10pm instead of going to work.

Specializes in nurseline,med surg, PD.

My main nightmare is that I forgot to do anything for my patients.. last night I dreamed that it was Christmas eve, I was exhausted, and my replacement nurse didn't show up so I had to stay.

Specializes in nurseline,med surg, PD.
I don't remember if I told this one on AN or not, but I once had a nightmare that I was walking down the hallway at work and one of our little tiny old ladies was shuffling slightly behind me. Suddenly, the lights went out and it was pitch black. I could see absolutely nothing. I stopped and frantically attempted to find the little old lady because I didn't want her to get hurt.

I could feel that I was touching her and then I realize she has the fingers on both of my hands in her mouth and she is biting down hard. And not only could I sense enormous pain, I could also sense that she was something much more malevolent. I can see nothing but black.

Terrified and in pain, I manage to reach my thumbs out to gouge her eyes and make her let go of my fingers... but I could feel this little old lady, this evil thing did not have any eye sockets! It had no face at all but the teeth biting off my fingers!

I woke up trying to scream. My husband was all concerned and stuff, but when I got to the part where an old lady monster with no eyes was biting my fingers off, he could not stop laughing. Thanks, Honey.

One more: I had a dream I was walking down the hall (again!) and that my night was so stressful, I could feel my heart racing, then becoming very irregular and then beginning to stop.

As my heart began to stop, I began to pass out and fall to the floor. As I was going down to the floor, I thought, "This is it" and I guess I died, because I woke up at that point.

This sounds like sleep apnea.

Specializes in kids.

As a school nurse I dream about not being able to save/protect my kids in the event of a shooting...I actually think about it all the time now, so I'm not sure if it is a nightmare or just a perseveration...it sucks. I look at windows and doors in a very different way than I ever did.

Specializes in nurseline,med surg, PD.

I also have dreams where I get so busy with one patient, it will be end of shift and I haven't even seem the other ones. And I can't figure out how to explain that to the next shift.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Four years retired CRNA. Still have production pressure dreams but they are becoming more rare. Wake up exhausted and drag the next day.

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

The only one I had more than once was when I first became charge and I dreamed that I forgot to assign a patient for day shift and they died. A couple times I've run downstairs in the middle of the day to find a COW in my kitchen to pass meds to the patients (in my kitchen?). And the other night I took a nap on my break and had a dream my patient was in the middle of my kitchen floor. I checked on him when I got back from break and told him I was glad to see he wasn't on my kitchen floor- he thought it was pretty funny.

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