PedsRN810

I was curious what everyone's thoughts are on staying in contact with the family after you leave the case (to work a different area, take on a new case, etc.)? If you're a PDN, what have you done in the past? It seems to be the norm for this family for previous nurses to stay in contact with the family either by adding them on social media, phone calls, or some coming to visit the child and family at their home and becoming like a family friend. It's not the case for all nurses, but some. I have been debating leaving my particular case (honestly, possibly leaving nursing in general due to stress.. ) and I can already tell that the family is not going to be happy if I were to leave. (I would also be super sad as I've been with this patient a while). I'm not the best with boundaries (something I'm trying to work on personally/professionally) and I feel like leaving would be a messy situation so that's why I want to have a clear plan in mind of what to say regarding future communication with the family. At the end of the day, I want to be the best nurse I can be, but I have found that nursing is almost too overwhelming for me.

Moomin, Thank you so much for your kind comment!! I am going to continue to try to work on doing things that help reduce my stress. So nice to hear I'm not alone! Again, thank you SOOO much!

I honestly don't have much advice for you because I am in the same boat. I am also introverted and have anxiety/ social anxiety. I also have a hard time talking to people in authoritative positions and am debating leaving nursing ? so hard but you are not alone in it!! That is super cool you won the leadership award and have been a charge nurse! It sounds like you really enjoy the hands on care. Are you still interested in doing post partum? That might be a great fit and you could be doing hands on care again. Or I wonder if an OB-GYN clinic job would be a good fit? You should be SO proud of yourself for seeing a psychologist. Anxiety is the worst but I know you are a great, capable nurse trying your best! I wish you the best and lots of rest and things you love in your off time!

Hi! Just to give context I have been a nurse for 3 years now. I worked on a floor with adults in the hospital for 2 years and while there were some good things/ a lot of learning, I hated it. I would cry on the way to and from work and was just too overwhelmed/ anxious and so depressed during those 2 years. I also have social anxiety so it was hard around co-workers. I switched to private duty nursing working with Peds and compared to the hospital it is a dream job for me.. but my anxiety is so bad at work some days I feel like I can barely function. Boundaries are also super hard in PDN with parents/ dealing with manipulation and guilt tripping. I was in counseling for anxiety when switching from my last job that seemed to help but I have started counseling again recently. I am debating whether I should stick it out with my current PDN case (but try to be better with boundaries/ continue counseling), if I should switch cases within PDN, if I should apply to a Peds clinc or something similar, or just give up nursing all together. (If so, I literally don't know what I'd do or where I'd work and would be so upset/ ashamed if I wasted those 4 years of school for nothing..)