grief, death, loss and the process of dying.

This week, Professor I spoke about grief, death, loss and the process of dying.
I can only speak for myself in stating that the amount of loss I’ve witnessed working in one of the “sickest” ICUs in our country has taken a toll on me. I began my journey in ICU at 22 years old and I wish I felt more prepared for the emotional aspect I would experience going into it. To this day, I have PTSD and constant worry about the things I have seen (rare diseases, cancer, trauma) happening to myself or someone I love.
These are real, raw, feelings and it’s easy to verbalize, but it can be much more complicated when you experience it yourself. I consider it my duty not only to prepare you for the critical thinking, and clinical component of caring for a patient, but to mentor you on the emotional struggles that can come with being a nurse. Please note, wherever your journey may take you, I welcome you any time you need to vent, express emotion or dissect your feelings- we have to lean on one another!
If you’ve made it this far, you’re strong enough for the challenge!
I’ve been following the intensivist in the video below for a while now (reminds me of an intensivit I work with). I liked his discussion on how he handles loss. I’d like to hear from you.
What did you think of the video?
How do you think you’ll handle loss?
Are you comfortable with post mortem care? (weird question but start to think about this- I was losing my mind the first time I had to experience this)
What are your concerns surrounding losing a patient?
Well, that’s enough depression for one discussion. I look forward to reading your posts.
Chin

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