No one likes difficult conversations. These communication tips – difficult conversations can help make these conversations a little better.
difficult situations
When my patient’s son pulled up my Instagram account
Nurses on social media can be a wonderful thing. It can help build your brand, connect you with others, and even further your career. But depending on how you use social media, it could harm you. I was working in critical care. It was the day shift and I had just finished my morning med […]
When Your Patient Starts Crying
One of the first questions you may ask yourself in your nursing career is “What to do when a patient starts crying.” Everyone has their own forte’, and for some, providing emotional support to people in crisis can be an OMG WHAT DO I DO moment. It can be uncomfortable. It can be weird. It […]
Guest Blog Post: A Mother’s Goodbye
Just like I’ve done one hundred times before, I recently held a young patient’s hand while we withdrew life support and they passed away. We have to stay in the rooms throughout the passing in order to administer the pain medication and anti-anxiety medication, and to ensure they are comfortable and calm in their final […]
Assisted Suicide: A Nurse’s Perspective
Let’s look at assisted suicide, what it is and the legal issues surrounding it.
I’ll Never Forget Your Room Number or Your Pain
I don’t know what else to do. Here you are, lying in that hospital bed that you’ve been sitting in for five days now, totally aware of what is going on but unable to tell anyone what you’re thinking. You can’t move your right arm or leg. You can’t swallow so you cough on your […]
Nurses on the Front Lines: How Do You Handle Patients Addicted to Prescription Pain Killers?
Have you seen this video posted on KevinMD this month about drug seekers in the emergency department (ED)? Take a look at this 4:31 video made by an ED physician. Spoiler alert! If you love Taylor Swift, you will totes love this. Disclaimer: If you are someone who does not manipulate physicians and nurses to obtain […]
Why I Can’t Cry With You
Since my post I Wish I Could Cry With You, But I Can’t went up, there has been quite a large response. I felt the need to write a follow-up post to further explain myself. I think that a lot of nurses really understood what I meant with my post, but those that either aren’t nurses or […]
I Wish I Could Cry With You, But I Can’t
This post contains affiliate links Author’s note: I believe many people misunderstood what I meant by I can’t cry with you. I think many assumed that I was trying to communicate that I am not allowed to cry, rather than I emotionally cannot handle your pain right now and therefore must distance myself. Please check out my follow-up […]
Something You’re Dying to Talk About
Being a critical care nurse, I’ve witnessed quite a few people pass away. I’ve assisted in taking people off of the ventilator to allow them to pass naturally. I’ve cared for patients that are donating their organs. I’ve been there for people when they take their last breath because their loved ones could not bear […]
How to Deal With Gossipy Nurses
I recently got a job as a new grad in a peds hospital, I love my job but hate the people I work with, they all gossip and talk behind everyone’s back and I’m not sure how to deal with that. I don’t want to seem rude but don’t want to be part of that […]
Sitting Down for Your Patient
I went to NTI in Denver, Colorado this last week. For those of you that don’t know, it’s an annual national conference for critical care nurses. And it’s awesome. I went to a lot of sessions. Some on brain death, some on vasoactive drips, on sepsis, and hyponatremia.. but the ones that hit me the hardest […]
Orienting a Struggling New Grad
Love your blog! I’ve been a pedi cardiac nurse for two years and I’m orienting my second new grad (yikes!). I have this really awful feeling that she is not cut out for acute care. Week 4 into her orientation and it feels like day 1. We were giving an IV med yesterday and after […]
Working With “Difficult” Patients
Have you ever had to deal with difficult patients? Examples would be non compliance or worse. How do you handle difficult patients?
A Nurse’s Confession: Sometimes I Hate My Job
But not in the way you’d think. It’s not the hours or the pay or the poops. It’s how keenly and constantly aware I am of our precious and fragile lives. Today while I was driving, I came up behind a car with an “organ donors save lives” bumper sticker and I immediately thought, that […]
Our Nursing Reality – Part II
Back in November, I posed a question to my nursey Twitter buds: If you were on a reality show.. what moment in your nursing career would you want the world to see? #nursingreality The response was jaw dropping. Every single tweet I read moved me to tears… either from laughing so hard or being so […]
When Patients Die – A Guide For Nurses
How do you react and heal when patients die? This is a sad and emotionally difficult experience for every nurse. And this guide will help you prepare for it or heal from it. When Patients Die – A Sad Reality for Nurses If this hasn’t happened in your young nursey career, it will at some […]
Comfort Care Conversations
It’s a tough world out there. We’ve all been dealing with the chaos from COVID-19. Wherever you live, you have to deal with overcrowding, poverty, pollution problems caused by people, and machines that weren’t made for living in a city environment. Life can be difficult, but it will always get better. Some pressures and responsibilities […]
Dealing With Difficult Families
You know it’s bad when the first thing the nurse says in report is that the patient is fine but the family…. Let’s talk about difficult families.