Nursing With Ptsd

[Kaii]

I saw my doctor yesterday and she agreed that I was not well enough to return to work. She gave me 6 more weeks off, told me to take more anxiety medication and wants me to see another psychologist as my current one is quite religious and wants me to pray with her and ask "God to take my pain away" while I raise my hands in the air. I am an atheist and this has done nothing for me other than make me feel uncomfortable. So, 6 more weeks off. I am hoping for a good therapist this time to help me work through this.

 

[kers]

Oh, my, Kaii. That current psychologist certainly sounds like a poor fit! I would crack up if my therapist made that suggestion.

I am glad you have a bit more time off work to sort things out and plan your return so that you have better support and preparation.

 

[tude]

Kaii,

Glad to hear you have more time. I can tell you from experience, it is very possible for you to return to work. It's been three years now and I am still able to work in the emergency room. However, you must learn tools/skills to cope with the anxiety and being triggered.

Feel free to pm me, I'd be more than happy to share with you what has worked for me.

Take good care

 

[Tessa]

I am similar. I had 4 weeks off and the Dr gave me another 6. The psychologist who has been ringing me every couple of days is tapering off and I will get back into the pattern of seeing my usual one fortnightly. I hope to return to work early January.
Thinking of you.
Take care

 

[singingyamada]

Nurses are driven by compassion and caring. I am a retired nurse and it was the job that did my head in. I worked in acute mental health and it was dangerous , unforgiving but very fulfilling at the same time. The final straw was when my client killed his best friends father, who happened to be a friends father. One of the things I find with nurses is that we are not very good at taking care of ourselves and we cannot find the healthy line between caring and self care. It seems as if a nurse takes a bit of self care, it is weak or you can't cope. When I think back, I 'over" coped. If you want to return to work then maybe you need to work in an area that is the exact opposite of what triggered your trauma. Somewhere where it will be quiet, controlled and very very clinical, no emotional investment or energy. It was the stuff that was beyond my control that did my head in. Your managers should know about the PTSD because in Australia, the job is not to cause injury or exacerbate an existing injury.

 

[Nighteyes]

I totally agree with Singingyamnda, I am not a nurse but an RRT, which is very stressful when working ER and Trauma bays.
As a nuse though you have a lot of other options for work other then Acute care. You can always work in a medical office, or school, or army, or in diagnostics, or even education. there is many options open to nursing other then front line critical care.
If critical Care is what you love though, then its a matter of making sure you get fased back into the field, and gradually desensatised again to the daily comings and goings. The Medical field is an unforgiving one...
it takes determanation and a strong person to work in it... we know you have that in you :)