Too Sensitive?

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Specializes in ICU, MedSurg, Medical Telemetry.

Shift was steady but not too bad last night. I just given away my first patient and had prepared to hand my other patients back to the day shift nurse taking the rest of my team.

In the middle of report, we all hear a masculine yell "Help! Somebody help!" We run into the room to find the pt I had just handed off, who was supposed to go home, was unresponsive, seizing, and blue! Found to be in Vfib/Vtach. CPR started, pt shocked. After 5-15 min, we got her back and got an order to send her back to the unit.

She came in with a silent MI, never had ANY medical hx whatsoever, and was supposed to go home today. I know that there wasn't anything I could have really done to predict this, but I was rattled giving the rest of report and slept horribly today. I woke up, dreaming about the pt and her husband.

Everyone else seemed to handle it just fine and go on their way. Am I just too sensitive?

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Nightmares the day of a very unexpected code? doesn't sound too sensitive to me. If things don't go back to your norm, talk it out with somebody.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

No you sound perfectly normal. The other day I had a code, handled it well went home confident in myself and I still had a nightmare. Codes are scary and they do effect us.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

No.

Just not used to it.

The more experience you will have with codes, the more commonplace (though some, I am sure, will remain unforgettable) they will be in your state of being a nurse.

Give it time.

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Specializes in LTC.

Nah..it was unexpected and it rattled you for the day. If it doesn't get better then yeah something's wrong. It'll be okay.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

Thick skin grows with time. But a caring heart never dies.

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Specializes in ER.

I can't tell from your post but it sounds like you kind of are assuming everyone else on the floor was ok. Perhaps you could share with them that you were rattled and then give them a chance to tell you how they felt?

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

I'd be worried if this didn't bother you. Remind yourself that this happens and it's not your fault. In the ER I had a rather jolly man come in with an obvious thumb fracture. He went to X-ray, and while there had a massive MI. Survived it, but until humans learn to see the future (tonights lottery numbers would be nice) the unexpected happens.

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