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In the life of a Registered Nurse what goes on behind closed doors, and how do you manage to get over the obstacles?
I'm barely starting school, but I'm so curious on what happens behind closed doors. For example how do manage to get through the tough times, and what do you do that helps you.
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Marcia’s Answer
Congratulations on your career choice. What goes on behind closed doors are huddles, where we talk about what we have to do for the day,to make sure the patients have a positive outcome. How do we keep our patients safe. If we have a difficult patient or family. How do we communicate with them; some people will get angry with you if they feel they are being ignored or not being treated as everyone else. Communication is key. At the bedside; treat the patient as if you’re treating a beloved family member. Leave any bias you have at the front door of your job. I’ve been a nurse for 40 years. Started with high school LPN program then got my RN 5 years later. When you’re in charge, respect the staff working with you. When you’re teaching show kindness and respect to the new nurses, who may have to take care of you one day. You will have lots of stressful moments, with unstable patients, aggressive patients, patients who refuses you because of your race. You will excel with all this with good communication skills and a strong support system at work.
( I can’t see the original question while I write this, so I hope I was able to answer at least part of your question)
( I can’t see the original question while I write this, so I hope I was able to answer at least part of your question)
Thank you so much Marcia! Congratulations on your 40 years of being a nurse, you did an absolutely amazing job at answering my question. I've always been so curious on what a day looks like behind closed doors, and reading your response has really helped me a lot to understand that. I appreciate the medical field so much. I'm really excited to study and reach my goal and learn along the way like learning how to have great communication skills and etc.
Talise
Updated
Char’s Answer
Hi Talise,
Nursing is challenging but rewarding. My best advice is to learn how to manage your emotions. When you are a nurse, you are not only dealing with sick patients, you are also dealing with scared and angry family members, stressed coworkers and managers who may be demanding. Dealing with all of these emotions can be overwhelming which is why it's important to learn how to manage your own emotions. There are times you will have to calm the nerves of a scared patient while being scared yourself. Learning to stay calm, stay silent at times and be bold are good ways to start.
Nursing is challenging but rewarding. My best advice is to learn how to manage your emotions. When you are a nurse, you are not only dealing with sick patients, you are also dealing with scared and angry family members, stressed coworkers and managers who may be demanding. Dealing with all of these emotions can be overwhelming which is why it's important to learn how to manage your own emotions. There are times you will have to calm the nerves of a scared patient while being scared yourself. Learning to stay calm, stay silent at times and be bold are good ways to start.
Updated
Sue’s Answer
You have chosen a very rewarding path as long as your goal is to help people. When the doors are closed you get to vent maybe about demanding patients and family and maybe even a co worker here or there. We are all human beings. We sometimes have good days and bad days and when we are sick it is sometimes more challenging to see the good in people. Ive been in nursing for over 40 years and love caring for others even when sometimes it doesn’t feel warm and fuzzy. Good luck in your passion.
Congratulations on your 40+ years Sue! Thank you so much, I've come to realize that not everything is going to be perfect and I will have days that'll be rough but as long as I push through and change my way of thinking everything will fall into place. I'll definitely be looking back at your response to remind myself that everything will be okay and it's normal to feel many emotions especially during difficult times! Once again thank you Sue, I really appreciate you answering my question.
Talise
Updated
Hannah’s Answer
I am not a RN, but my mom was for some time. My mom loved what she did but decided to become a NP. I cannot speak on everything, but there were times she would cry over patients, encounter rude doctors, or handle difficult family members. Just like any job, you will have bad days. But she leaned on my dad for a lot of support. Surround yourself with people who will help you on your hard days. Also, find humor in your work. It is OK to laugh. In fact, it may be a method to cope when you hit an obstacle.
Thank you so much Hannah, I've realized that life does get really hard at times and it really makes an impact when you have friends and family who'll support you and be there for you along the way. I appreciate you telling me this because it really opens my mind a lot more and the way I perceive things. Once again thank you so much!
Talise