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As a nurse, you care for patients who feel comfortable telling you their life stories and know way more than you’d like to about their medical histories. You’re physically exhausted as your shift winds down and emotionally exhausted as you drive home and think about your day.
And yet, people have no idea how much stress you’re under and how much you care about them. Here are eight secrets nurses keep from their patients.
They act calm, but inside they’re freaking out
A nurse’s job is to provide the best care possible, especially in emergency situations — and that means staying calm and level-headed. If nurses seem emotionless or particularly curt, it’s probably because they are trying to stay cool and not let emotions take over. On the other hand…
They cry about patients when the shift ends
Nurses worry about their patients constantly, sometimes even losing sleep or struggling to wind down at home when they picture people they’ve cared for suffering. Hospice nurses will postpone vacations if a patient they’ve cared for for months is dying, and pediatric nurses brainstorm ways to make even the tiniest patients smile. Travel nurses often have a hard time leaving those they’ve cared for behind when their assignment is over.
They are usually exhausted but won’t say anything
Working eight-, 10- or 12-hour shifts is exhausting for anyone, but especially for nurses who have several patients to care for and spend most of their time on their feet. Even when they do get adequate rest the day or night before, juggling family life and errands and the stress of long shifts takes its toll. Most nurses dream about days of uninterrupted sleep but rarely get them.
They sometimes give patients the lowest dosage of medication to protect them
Giving patients medicine may seem like one of the fundamental tasks for nurses, and it is — but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one. Nurses keep track of all the medications their patients are taking and have to ensure that they won’t cause reactions or problems if mixed. Because of this, nurses are hesitant to give patients the highest dosage of medicine and will often start with the lowest dosage to protect them from any potential side effects.
They think patients look ridiculous in surgery
Everyone looks ridiculous under the knife, thanks to anesthesia and unflattering hospital gowns, but nurses never tell their patients how silly they look during surgery (even if they’re laughing on the inside).
They pretend they can’t read x-rays and ultrasounds
Nurses can sometimes detect cancer or other potential health issues from x-rays and ultrasounds, but they won’t say anything to their patients until the doctor looks at the results and can speak with them first. If patients ask whether they think something is wrong, they’ll generally avoid the question and defer to the doctor.
They resent it when patients tell them they’re too smart to be a nurse
Nursing is a critical healthcare profession that requires a sharp mind, quick thinking and a lot of energy. Patients who tell their nurses they should have been a doctor only demean the career. If a nurse wanted to go to medical school, he or she would have; he or she chose to become a nurse for a reason.
They love to see healthy patients return to visit
When nurses take care of their patients for several weeks or even several months, the most rewarding part of the job is having them return in full health. They certainly don’t want people to be readmitted with further problems, but they love having former patients stop by to say hello and — the best part — say thank you.
Nurses, did we miss anything? What secrets do you keep from your patients?
