priteinventor

I just got back on this site after years being away. Silly me! Nursing has always been my calling. I graduated in '87 from school and have worked VERY interesting jobs and met inspiring patients and fellow nurses and physicians along the way. From Neuro-Science, ICU, Lyme Disease, general surgery, physician educator, supplemental staffing manager, nurse liaison, director AL. Love putting people at ease during invasive procedures and was considered a hand holder and the "go-to" for difficult sticks. Was it stressful...absolutely! Did I relate to PTSS....YES! Do I miss it? Yes and NO. I miss the interaction with the residents and their families. I miss my fellow workers because they were kind and listened when my heart was heavy. I don't miss administrators who don't do the right thing by putting residents first. Nursing taught me compassion, not to sweat the small stuff, and to try to find the time to carve out of every day for myself. However, that isn't always possible for a million and one reasons. I feel you when you said the feelings come back about patients, families, tasks, situations that were unbelievable to anyone not in nursing. I have "flashbacks" all the time but it is getting easier. Now it seems that they are just memories on my tapestry of life. During my time away from this site I worked on a project that took ten years and that chapter just began in January of 2017. I invented a product to enable/empower women to stand to pee when faced with gross bathrooms, no bathrooms or to help while obtaining urine samples. I left my position as a nurse liaison to make this dream come true...helping one woman at a time. Looking forward to staying connected to fellow nurses and to see what everyone is doing if they are no longer working in healthcare! Did you find something that fills your heart with joy? Are you struggling because you are out of your comfort zone? I would love to hear back from anyone who wants to share their story too. Thanks very much and hope today is AWESOME!