Have you ever felt that you just have no more to give. Nothing more. Can't think about what to say, all the tears are dried up, you just can't focus on someone else's concerns because you are still trying to figure out your own.
That is what me, and most nurses are experiencing. And not just nurses, but anyone in healthcare..RT, PT, CNA and the list goes on and on. When you have a family member or friend that is a patient in the hospital, please try to have some understanding and extend the nurse some compassion and empathy to them. We are having a lot more bad days than there is good. And it's taking a lot to cope with everything that we are faced with.
Yes, the nurse may be short in her answers, or he may not spend as much time with you when answering your questions, but it is not because they are angry or upset with you or your request. Keep in mind it could be that her other patient has just died and the family may not have been there and she had to call them to tell them they had passed. It is very heart breaking for us to do this. I have seen and heard so many complaints from families to the nurses complaining about how bad the care is and how mad the are at the nurses because we are not giving them what they want.
First of all, we cannot be everything for everyone. And we have to go by our policies set forth by administration. Visitation policies are set to protect us, you and the community from covid. I want to just say to them to be grateful that the patient is allowed one visitor because when covid first started last year, we were not having any visitors...AT ALL!
And second, for those who are complaining about how bad the care is, I just have to say to them, come walk in my shoes and then tell me how bad my care is. Because YOU have NO idea. And don't go to WebMD or google then come and try to tell us or the providers what treatment we need to do. This isn't what is best for your loved one. Let the providers do what they are trained to do. What they went to school for so many years to learn how to care for people. Let them do their job.
All of this complaining just makes a bad day worse. And takes time away from us caring for our patients. So many nurses are leaving the bedside. And no telling how many are experiencing PTSD from all of this pandemic stuff going on. But I have to say to all my fellow nurses, stand tall! Support each other. Nursing is like a marriage. Let me remind you of the vows: We are in it through sickness and health, good times and bad. In those difficult times where we need to cling to each other and support each other, encourage each other and just lift each other up to get through these hard times.
Third: HUGS ARE GOOD. We don't do it enough. Hug your co-worker (in a good way, not creepy way!)
I know we can do it.
As I am getting ready for work, flipping off of my dayshift job to work nights to help my staff/unit with staffing needs, I think, I just can't do it again. Another night shift, another 12 hours. 12 hours of patients crashing, asking for help breathing, begging to be placed on the vent. Or families calling begging to allow them to come in and visit, just to look through the window to see their dad, spouse, or families calling and yelling or complaining because we didn't call them with an update every shift. (They do not know or understand that we may have just been with a patient that had died, a patient that needed to be flipped to his belly to help him breathe better, or we were setting up a zoom meeting with a patient and family for them to say I love you before we intubated them). Sometimes I feel I can't do it, but then I think, if I don't, who will?
So I wake up for each of my shifts, sometimes it is days, sometimes nights. Sometimes it is 10hrs, 12hrs for 5 days or 7 days a week. But I have a choice how I will react and how my day will be. I wake up and say, This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118;24
This is why we have compassion fatigue. We are pulled in so many directions, having to contain so many emotions and tears to just get through the shift. This comes out as a flat affect on our face, or as us laughing at something that may seem inappropriate to those not in healthcare and wouldn't understand. BUT, if God brought you to the battle, He will bring you through the battle.
As Esther 4:14 states: PERHAPS YOU WERE MADE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. I know I can make a difference. I just may not know this at that time.
Love to all,
