Who else knows what a nurse though in a shift? There is only one answer: Another nurse. Depending on what type of environment you
work in, you are likely to experience sadness, stress, demands, pressure, an
array of sickness, and that could all be within your first hour of work! Its pretty safe to say that you would have to
be part robot not to be affected by all you see and do. You cannot erase a work shift, but one thing
you can do is seek support within a nursing support group.
Expectations
at a Support Group
Everyone needs a person to vent to, and to just share
thoughts, concerns, etc. Nurses may be
limited on who they can talk with because some people may not want to hear
anything to do with a hospital, not everyone appreciates descriptive medical
issues. However, in a support group
specifically for nurses, you can open up and share without concern. Of course,HIPAA rules apply, so no names of
course. A support group for nurses is
designed to help eliminate some of the stress, and to see that you walk out the
door knowing you are not alone.
A
Typical Support Group Meeting
-
A nurse shared her weekend, which as she
put it was disastrous. Her own child was
sick, so she felt guilty leaving her, even though she was with Dad. She got to work only to have a doctor
complain to her for not contacting him about his patient’s condition. She tried to explain that she had just
arrived, but of course the doctor was walking away by then. She went on to tell how she ran to check on a
patient that hit the call button, and slipped in the floor that was covered in
proof positive the patient was sick. Her
lunch break was just as eventful when she spilled her soda all over her pants,
and by 7 that night she just wanted to go home and go to bed. Her story got a few laughs from the group,
but everyone understood just how those days are, they could relate
completely.
-
Another nurse shared the story of a patient
that had been really bad off in the beginning, and after 5 months of being
hospitalized, he was discharged and doing well. The family gave the nurses a somewhat celebration dinner to thank them
all for their work and care.
Several other stories were shared, some good, some very
sad, and some just sounding like there was so much stress involved, it was a
miracle to make it through the day. At
the end of the support group, there were hugs and smiles, very different from
the stressful faces that walked into the meeting an hour earlier. There is no doubt that support group meetings
are beneficial for nurses, its nice to know that you have the understanding and
support of your peers.
A support group may be beneficial to you, and sometimes
it helps to offer support to other nurses as well. If there is not a support group in your area,
consider starting one up. Use social
media to determine interest and enlist the help of coworkers to find a meeting
place. Designate a moderator or host,
and decide if it is better to have meeting subjects, or simply open
discussions. Pick a time to meet,
generally once a week or bi-weekly is the optimum. Some hospitals may offer an in-house support
group, which could provide a meeting place, and various meeting times.
Nursing is a demanding job, and there is a lot of responsibility. It is essential to have a form of stress
relief, and gaining and offering support with other nurses is a way to feel
supported yourself, and offer support to others. Many new nurses are overwhelmed their first
few months on the job, and it can be a relief to hear
seasoned nurses offer reassurance. If
you work in a smaller area, and small hospital, consider a lunch or dinner with
coworkers. Even small groups can share feelings and concerns.
Do keep in mind when meeting outside of work that no
names or specifics of any patient should ever be mentioned. Remember HIPAA.
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