Recurrent dreams about work.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I have recurrent dreams that always have one of the same two themes: forgetting a patient or seeing it's 1600 on a 0700-1900 shift and realizing that I haven't set eyes on my patients at all. Occasionally, my subconscious will throw in an assignment that requires me to walk a long distance between two buildings for my patients, and I always seem to get lost along the way until I'm frantic.

Its always the same, and it seems so real. I will sometimes mercifully wake up and need to shake it off. I don't think this type of dreaming is unique to me, so please share your recurring dreams.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

not a psych nurse, but it sure sounds like textbook anxiety. If you have an employee assitance program I recommend contacting a professional to learn how to deal with stress. We all have stress, but maybe you need some new coping skills. GOOD LUCK

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When I was a new ICU nurse I dreamed an entire 8-hour shift-- every set of vital signs q15 minutes, every turn, drug, blood draw, lab result, visit from the house staff, respirator change, visitors, hourly U/O, NG tube fidget, hemodynamics titration, and charting all of it. I woke up to go to work in the morning absolutely exhausted because it was just like working a double shift.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I found myself thinking about what I SHOULD have said or done, after the fact. Waste of time of course. Nursing is stressful so it is important to learn how to cope.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
not a psych nurse, but it sure sounds like textbook anxiety. If you have an employee assitance program I recommend contacting a professional to learn how to deal with stress. We all have stress, but maybe you need some new coping skills. GOOD LUCK

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't feel anxious in my working hours, but because I've been so exhausted with my schedule, I told my boss that I will no longer do overtime, and she's very cool with it. I'm registry, and they frequently scheduled me for four shifts a week, but not anymore.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I don't have work dreams that often, but when I do it's one of the ones you describe! I'll wake up in a panic and almost feel like melting butter when I realize it was just a dream, I relax so much.

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I have dreams with all the beeping alarm sounds everywhere. Sometimes I'm in a hospital, but sometimes I'm just in random places hearing alarms. I've had a dream about an IV pump alarm going off that I couldn't find, but it was my alarm clock!

We had a patient once that stayed with us for weeks and weeks, constantly yelling out, "Nurse...nurse...nurse!" the entire time. I had a dream that I could hear her calling somewhere, and the whole dream was just me running around trying to find her.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I have a similar dream- it's time for report and I realize there's a patient I haven't seen all shift. The 'deluxe' version of this is that I cannot for the life of me find their room. The 'super deluxe' version is I have a full bladder and the staff bathroom is occupied for the whole twelve hours. Yeah....

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Not a nurse yet, but I worked as a night auditor at a hotel for 3 years. I'd have a recurring dream that I was sitting at the front desk (a no no as we were supposed to stand) and I would dream that I fell asleep and woke up with my manager standing in front of me. Actually had a dream I left in the middle of my shift to go swimming (at 4 am) and both my bosses were there when I got back with soaking wet hair and told them flat out where I had been. Also dreamt that I forgot to make breakfast numerous times. I'd always tell my boss about them, she'd get such a kick out of them and tell me I'm crazy. Well yes, but that's beside the point ;)

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Specializes in CVICU.
I have a similar dream- it's time for report and I realize there's a patient I haven't seen all shift. The 'deluxe' version of this is that I cannot for the life of me find their room. The 'super deluxe' version is I have a full bladder and the staff bathroom is occupied for the whole twelve hours. Yeah....

I've had this one numerous times.

There is also the version where I fall asleep at the patients bedside and don't wake up until it's time to give report.

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This is analogous to the exam dream many have in school...going to take a final only to find out that you did not go to class all semester OR that you cannot find the room for the test!!

I don't think this is terribly worrisome, just your brain processing your shifts. When I worked at bedside, the dream was always that a pt had been put in some "phantom" new room at the end of the hall, and I had not seen them all shift!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I've had them....it's your brain processing your day...no biggie. Mine came in spurts

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