My first death was hard. It was not anticipated, though not unexpected since I was working LTC. I still remember so much about it. But I've had many more since during my time in LTC and now it's even more frequently in ICU. It gets easier. Some affect me more than others. Sometimes, the business of the job keep me from feeling too much of the death, even during the post death adrenaline crash.
ETA: Now I find it almost harder to tell family their loved one died, especially the deaths from trauma. I don't know if that part of the job will ever be easy.
I'm so sorry, losing a patient is so hard. I also work in the medical field (paramedic) and this is one reason I didn't go into nursing, I don't get to "know" my patients before they do pass and not that it's easy at all but it is slightly easier. ((Hugs))
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So, I am weird and work in L&D and hospice. Anything that goes wrong in L&D has the possibility of fucking me up for a while. Things aren't supposed to go wrong there, people are not supposed to die.
When I started working at hospice, it was definitely a bit of an adjustment. The first ones were so hard (and some of them still can be) but it is a great thing to make someone comfortable and to help them pass calmly. Especially when they have lived a long life and are surrounded by family. I wish everyone could be so lucky. So those are sad why I am there, but they don't stay with me. We all have to die, to do so under the care of a nurse who is making sure you are as comfortable as possible is best case scenario for anyone. So try not to question yourself or be hard on yourself, I am sure did right by him.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on Sept 7, 2016 21:55:53 GMT -5
I'm so sorry.
I was there when my dad (not entirely unexpectedly) died, in the hospital, and those nurses were amazing. I can't remember their names or faces, but I remember their actions, and it is still comforting to know that they were there to watch over all of us at that time.