Comments on: How Do You Explain? http://www.codeblog.com/archives/about_this_site/how_do_you_explain.html tales of a nurse (homepage) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:32:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kim http://www.codeblog.com/archives/about_this_site/how_do_you_explain.html/comment-page-1#comment-1648 Kim Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:52:27 +0000 http://s261628773.onlinehome.us/download/wordpress/?p=307#comment-1648 This is so true - and it's one of the reasons I appreciate a 35 minute commute. I need that time to process and assume the mom/wife role or the professional nurse role on my way to work. My kids are grown now but it's still hard to explain to my husband exactly what an ER shift can be like. Kudos to you for doing trauma, it's not something I could do. This is so true – and it’s one of the reasons I appreciate a 35 minute commute. I need that time to process and assume the mom/wife role or the professional nurse role on my way to work. My kids are grown now but it’s still hard to explain to my husband exactly what an ER shift can be like. Kudos to you for doing trauma, it’s not something I could do.

]]> By: LesleyJoy http://www.codeblog.com/archives/about_this_site/how_do_you_explain.html/comment-page-1#comment-1647 LesleyJoy Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:07:23 +0000 http://s261628773.onlinehome.us/download/wordpress/?p=307#comment-1647 As healthcare providers we run the risk of bearing the effects of both acute and cumulative vicarious grief. The only thing I know to do that is effective in addressing and reconciling the pain of it all is to 1. accept it and 2. talk about it with others who care and understand. The emotional distancing I feel after witnessing/participating in the care of a horrific situation is protective. It gives me time to process what I have gone through. If I do not have the time to adequately process the harmful event before I must interact with family or others, I very deliberately set it aside until I CAN safely resolve the issue. One hazard to this 'compartmentalizing' of emotions is the risk of suppressing feelings until the pressure of them causes emotional havoc. Here is to telling the truth to those who care and understand! Joy As healthcare providers we run the risk of bearing the effects of both acute and cumulative vicarious grief. The only thing I know to do that is effective in addressing and reconciling the pain of it all is to 1. accept it and 2. talk about it with others who care and understand.

The emotional distancing I feel after witnessing/participating in the care of a horrific situation is protective. It gives me time to process what I have gone through. If I do not have the time to adequately process the harmful event before I must interact with family or others, I very deliberately set it aside until I CAN safely resolve the issue. One hazard to this ‘compartmentalizing’ of emotions is the risk of suppressing feelings until the pressure of them causes emotional havoc.

Here is to telling the truth to those who care and understand!

Joy

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