I swear I’m a good nurse ✨

Hello my wandering souls. I recently had a day at work. It was a day like many days in my career. It was busy and my patients were stable, but I walked out of those hospital doors mentally spent. 

I spent most of my shift frustrated. It started at 7am. I was annoyed by the horrible report I received from the previous shift. I was irritated that my usual routine of looking up labs, orders, and reading notes was interrupted by one of my patients clicking away on the call light every other minute. 

I had a very demanding patient that wanted me to reposition them twice an hour (if not more). They would ask me to do something even before I finished the last task they asked me to do. I probably made the statement “ yes I will do that next. I only have two hands” about a hundred times. They did not get the hint. 

I tried my very best to be patient and kind, but internally I was pulling my hair. I had that thought! “I could use a drink after this shift.” 

I admit it! That thought still pops up in my head every once in a while and it’s OKAY. I am not perfect. I went home and ate a bunch of m&ms instead. It hit the spot. 

I talked to my family and asked about their days and vented about my day a bit. I distracted myself with some mindless tv. I found no need to slip into old habits of coping with a frustrating day at work. Just because the thought pops up in your head doesn’t mean it’s something you actually want to do. Maybe it’s an intrusive thought. Maybe it’s just something your brain likes to tell you when you’re irritated. Either way, the habit has been broken. So I will go to bed and start fresh tomorrow with no hangover.

My sober wanders or my fellow frustrated peers - you’re not alone. Tomorrow will be better :)