Too sensitive for nursing?

[DoveWing]

My husband is afraid I'll get too emotionally involved with patients. At what point does compassion get in the way of your job?

[megykilo]

I'm a CNA in long term care (2 years) so I work the hospice unit too. When I started out it was a little tough to deal with death and dying, particularly because my first death experience was very traumatic for me and I was only 17. Sometimes you can't help becoming attached to people, but the beauty of it is reassuring their family that not only did so and so have a great life, but they left an impact on yours and that is truly a gift. I would say that compassion never gets in the way of this kind of job; of course we all need to be efficient, but you will see that there are ways of doing a superb job and getting things done as well. There is nothing like knowing that you gave excellent care even if no one but you and your patient know it.

[DoveWing]

Thank you, Megykilo, that is very encouraging, that I can still do a great job and not be callused or eternally traumatized. You also reminded me that I have already experienced a death. When I was 16 working in a retirement home, one of my favorites committed suicide. At the time I felt it was too much reality for someone so young, so I quit and went to work at a department store. No job since then has been quite that fulfilling, until I volunteered at the hospital. Thank you again and God bless you for being one of the sensitive ones.

[stpauligirl]

Thank you, Megykilo, that is very encouraging, that I can still do a great job and not be callused or eternally traumatized. You also reminded me that I have already experienced a death. When I was 16 working in a retirement home, one of my favorites committed suicide. At the time I felt it was too much reality for someone so young, so I quit and went to work at a department store. No job since then has been quite that fulfilling, until I volunteered at the hospital. Thank you again and God bless you for being one of the sensitive ones.

I will start my first clinical in a nursing home in August....I am not sure how I will deal with someone dying. I am sure I will witness lots of suffering during those first 8 weeks. But I also look forward to be able to take care of those people, hopefully make the day better for many....someone has to do the job

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You learn to empathize and have compassion for your patients while at the same time detaching. You're going to be too busy to get too emotionally involved with each and every one of your patients. You're going to learn to do your best as a professional to maintain their wellness, or ease them into the next phase of treatment (which could be death). Every now and then there will be a patient that affects you, makes you cry, that you think about on your day off. But you have to know your boundarys as a professional nurse.

It comes with time. Compassion is a good thing.