YOU come first

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

Many years ago, a woman I worked with said "caregivers should take care of themselves first. If they don't, then who will give the care?"

Please think about this! So many of the threads/discussions are about our guilty feelings about placing ourselves first.

YOU COME FIRST. Sore back - take care of it. If you don't, you may end up with a debilitating injury.

YOU COME FIRST. Pregnancy issues - do not feel guilty about enforced bed rest, needing to be off earlier than expected, or staying out longer.

YOU COME FIRST. Fever? Sore throat? Bad cough? Stay home - do not pass this on to your patients or peers.

YOU COME FIRST. Pt in isolation? PROTECT YOURSELF!!!! Wear all the PPE you should.

YOU COME FIRST. Do not recap used needles. You can't possibly know what that pt has been recently exposed to, why risk giving it to yourself. For people who think this is 'anal', well, they haven't stuck themselves yet, gone thru the embarrasment of telling on yourself, incident reports, blood work, having to ask permission from the pt to do HIV/Hepatitis testing, waiting for the results. And don't think it won't happen. It will.

YOU COME FIRST. Refuse the inappropriate assignment, and document it. If forced to work, take a blank piece of paper, write down your objections, write down who you told about it, date it, sign it. Make copies on the spot. Attempt to give one to the highest level superior on duty at the time. If this is a repeated issue, send copies to the DON, CEO, Hospital Board, ethics committee.

Please, please, take this to heart. YOU COME FIRST. Then those you live with. Then the patients.

BTW, that woman was the head nurse of the local volunteer ambulance squad. It was working with the ambulance squad that led me to going to nursing school. And I kept volunteering all during nursing school, and many years beyond.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/CVICU/ED/HS.

Thank You!!!!! For this awesome reminder. Some of us need to be reminded more often (turned in 38.5 hrs of O/T over 2 weeks:imbar). Slept for 17 hours my first day off. My body was worn down, immune system weakened... Gotta put "NO!" back in my vocabulary... THANX for this reminder, mamamerlee.:heartbeat

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Specializes in Oncology/BMT.

And, do not forget to take bathroom and meal breaks!

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

I learned this early in my career. I do not feel any guilt as nursing is 24/7 and the world goes on with or without me.

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ack! you are so right. i'm constantly telling this to everyone else, but forget to include myself.

i just thought of this: when i was working as a pca in nursing school, i had my original back injury. i was working my shift and my back just didn't feel right. over the course of an hour, i could not stand up straight and had horrible lumbosacral pain. my coworkers had me heat up a wet towel in the microwave, wrap it in a chux pad, and tape it to my back. i don't remember anyone saying, "gee, you really need to go to employee health/ER/whatever and have that checked out." i just kept on going, despite the pain. i was too naive to know any better. that's what i've always done since then...just kept on pushing. this past year i've worked so many times when i probably should've been home in bed.

thank you for the reminder, mamamerlee! i know better now! i just need a wake up call every now & then. thank you!:heartbeat

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Specializes in med/surg and Tele.

I agree. I am just a tech in the hospital but we (nurses and techs) runs our tails off all the time. Forgetting to go to the bathroom and ending up holding it for 7 hours and gettings UTI's and starving because we forgot to go and get something to eat and take a break for just a few moments to let our bodies re-energize and get off of our feet. Making sure we sleep and if we dont feel right to just call in and let them know (not saying to call in if you have a cut on your finger). But as in above dont go to work and pass all your germs to everyone else because trust me. They do not want them just as much as you do! Remember all....TAKE CARE OR YOURSELVES!

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Specializes in Ortho/Neuro/MedSurg.
And, do not forget to take bathroom and meal breaks!

Being a new nurse, these are things I tend to forget to do, but I'm getting better at it. I think I'm going to start wearing diapers like Lexi did on Grey's Anatomy. :lol2: Since, I tend to forget to eat and drink, I try to keep little snacks and bottles of water on me at all times. My co-workers usually have to remind me to take a break, so sad I know.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care, Cardiac, EMS.

My Paramedics Instructor told us (eons ago) "Dead heroes save nobody." He was talking about scene safety, and who the most important person at any scene is - YOU.

When the caregiver collapses - who is there to give care?

Good points all, mamamerlee!

Ted - (scribbling in his planner to make Dr./Chiropractor/massage therapy appointments)

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

Thank you all for your affirmations. It is sad to see so many nurses made to feel guilty about taking care of themselves. Administrators prey on already guilt-ridden staff to work the extra shift, work when we are ill, take on inappropriate caseloads.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.

:yeah:brilliant!!!

without self-care

there's no patient care!:loveya:

sounds like a winner to me.:D

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