Sixth Sense

[Adre97]

I am a CNA for hospice.

I have always been sensitive to my sixth sense, but I have never experienced any sensations in my line of work until I started as a CNA. I get super bad panic attack symptoms, but never actually have an attack. I realize everyone I deal with are dying yes, but when I feel like this they usually pass within 24 hours and the feelings are gone.

Am I crazy or is this a real thing?

Thanks guys! :)

[Davey Do]

Welcome to AN.com!

The area of concern would not be a sixth sense but around your ability to deal with your feelings and whether or not your feelings affect your ability to render quality care to those you serve, Adre97. My concern is that "super bad panic attack symptoms" sounds like an attack.

Symptoms are what we feel. Signs are what can be objectively viewed. I guess you could be saying that you experience the symptoms without any overt change in your demeanor?

[ChryssyD]

Mmm. It sounds like you're just having "intuitions" about your patients, which is totally normal, especially in hospice. Almost every nurse or CNA with more than a year's experience starts to develop intuition about his/her patients. This is the unconscious mind noticing things that the conscious mind does not. And it's totally normal!

Now, if these feelings are causing you anxiety, you need to deal with them. You should not be anxious about your patients. But if you are just having "feelings" about them that are strange but not anxiety-producing, you are just developing the normal intuition of an experienced CNA. It's all good.

Hope that helps. :)

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