Student In Emergency Nursing.

suzanne4, RN · May 1, 2004

It is hard no matter how old the patient is when someone dies, especially on

"your watch." There are going to be some that are going to be saved because you were there, and others, no matter what you do, you just can't bring them back. If you remember, that you are doing CPR on a "dead person" and if you are able to revive them, then great. Look at it from the other side, they did notdie because of you, but you were able to bring them back, when you do get one to survive.

Hope that this helps, even if just a little....................I have been doing this for over 25 years, and it doesn't get easier as the time goes on, especially if there was no reason for them to have been put in that postion to begin with for whatever reason......................

:balloons:

TinyNurse, RN · May 2, 2004

sometimes they use debriefing........ i've never been with one even though i've coded more than one teenager.......

debriefing is usually the thing used........ basically everyone says how they feel etc......

Rav_810 · May 2, 2004

Thanks for the advice. I still feel sad but it will not be the only one to happen. Suppose i have to be strong. Debriefing does help, i had a session the night it happened.

Once again thanks.

gwenith, BSN, RN · May 2, 2004

It is NORMAL to walk away from a cardiac arrest feeling like there was more you could have done, that you could have moved faster better more precisely - THIS IS COMMON.

Some of it is the expectations that are put on us - every second counts!!!

Truth is that all resuscitation is give them, maybe, a second chance. It is not guaranteed ever to work and there is no absolutes.

veetach · May 4, 2004

Be patient, Ray. It is a common misconception that because you are a nurse, you have no feelings. (for ER especially, we are perceived as seeing bad stuff so we must get "used" to it) It is normal to feel bad. As you become an experienced, seasoned nurse you will develop coping skills to handle the stress and the tragedy and death you will see on a routine basis.

If you must walk away and take a breather after an especially traumatic, sad or horrible patient, its ok.... we all do at one time or another.

RNin92 · May 4, 2004

We have cried with each other.

We have cried with the families of our patients.

We are all human beings sharing in the most basic of human emotions.

Allow yourself time for that.

You will find that the sharing that happens in those times is what binds you together. That is the beauty of the ED. I have worked many different places. It happens no where else like in the ED.

ang75 · May 5, 2004

Jeevs, ditto to what everyone else has said. There will be days when all you can think about is a bad outcome for a pt-be it death, disfigurement, or whatever the case maybe. Just hang in there. It never becomes easy for us. If it does, it's time to change careers. It just gets to be not so hard to get up the next day for work. If it helps, here is what I do...

Talk to a friend in the same department or a debriefing session.

Hershey's chocolate syrup-on anything edible. If the day is bad enough, we used to pour it in the plastic med cups when things slowed down and try to drink it like shots.

When you get out of school and get into the ER full time, you are usually too busy to think about it much until the end of the day. Go home, hug your family and be thankful it wasn't them. Then start over with the talk to a friend part. And as always, you can talk to all of us.

Keep your chin up. You are not alone. I still think about my most depressing code too.

Rav_810 · May 7, 2004

Thank you once again for your advice, it's great to know ppl care out there.

:)