What we face - Page 2 - Nursing Voices Forum – Meet other nurses, share your nursing knowledge and experiences

KimRN · #11 07-04-2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyOwnWoman

Some things will never leave you. I think some incidents you will remember until the day you die. I will tell you one thing that I have learned; each and every time you feel low and saddened about what has occurred, you've grown in nursing. All these things will work together to make you a stronger, better, and more compassionate nurse.

Lilies grow in the vallies; not the hill tops.

Great quote - and it's true. Growth is sometimes painful and nursing is no different.

KimRN · #12 07-04-2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/J

Doing research over the University Holidays. One of the projects is on how nurse cope with death and dying in the ED. Any ideas what should be asked in a questionare to get some good productive answers, so that measures can be put into place to support staff.

Thanks.

How much time are you given after the death of a patient before you must begin caring for another patient?

You express emotion after the death of a patient. Are you given support or expected to "suck it up" and move on?

What would be the best way for your unit to help you after your patient has died? Time away from the unit? Permission to cry? A chance to ventilate to someone?

I'll try to think of some more....

KimRN · #13 07-04-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyOwnWoman

I don't know if this is appropriate or not, but during an arrest when the family is not present; I find myself singing. I don't sing vulgar or obnoxious songs, but they aren't always gospel hymns either.

After the arrest, if the patient has expired, I raise the head of the bed 30 degrees to get the blue hue to leave the face and cover the patient with a heated blanket. I cover the whole body but especially the hands where the family members are more than likely to want to touch. I know it's a silly ritual, but I'd like them to feel the warmth of their loved one. They have a life time to deal with the cold reality.

I don' know if that's a question, but it's just one of the ways I cope.

I do the same thing - especially with the warm blanket. I want the family to see the patient looking as normal as possible. It's amazing how many family members need to know it is okay to touch their loved one after they have died.

KimRN · #14 07-04-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marachne

PJ,

Having recently completed a course about designing survey instruments, let me just say that it's a pretty difficult thing, requiring some very specific knowledge to design a reliable, valid measurement tool.

I'm all ears - hopefully we will get a topic of for academia or back-to-school nurses and I need to learn these things.

Any tips on how to actually phrase a question?

kate loving shenk · #15 07-14-2007, 09:16 PM

we have many women come to our hospital for inductions for babies who have died in utero.

many times the babies are born alive. sometimes they live for several hours or days.

this is quite intense and beside keeping a therapeutic and caring atmosphere for all concerned, the arrangements with funeral homes, pastoral care, picture taking, and mounds of paperwork is quite overwelming especially for new employees.

PTSD is an outcome i have seen in others and in myself.

so tears and caring are one side of the equation. but how do we help those who actually are experiencing the effects of PTSD?

i've brought this question to our bereavement committee. we still are working on the best way to help.

Wendy · #16 08-03-2007, 11:19 PM

Dealing with death is the worst thing about our job, with babies and kids it is even worse. I always wondered if it would get easier, it doesn't. I realize that if it would get easier it would mean I was becoming callous and uncaring and then I wouldn't be the nurse that I strive to be.

Julie · #17 08-04-2007, 04:07 AM

One of the things for me has been that as I have got older and had more life experiences, then the more I can personally identify with the situations. When you are a young nurse it feels sad but, once you have had healthy children of your own it hits home harder.

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