Worst day at work, ever.

[foppa21 0]

Last Thursday was one of the tougher days I've had to deal with in recent memory. Upon getting to ICU where I work at about 0640 for report, I found out that one of the night shift nurses had been missing since 1am. She left to pick up food for everyone and had never come back. Security tapes showed her truck had never left the parking garage. A hospital wide search had been going on for several hours. A few minutes after seven a code was called in the waiting room across the hall and was quickly canceled. The body of the nurse had been found, locked in the bathroom. She had started an IV on herself and ran an entire bottle of potent sedative in wide open.

One of the worst parts of the day was having to work through the whole shift and try to provide safe and effective care while trying to process all the emotions and thoughts that came with the death of our coworker. I've never cried at work before, but I did in spades on Thursday and it took me quite a while to compose myself.

Has anyone else ever gone through anything like this at work? Collectively as a nursing staff on our unit and individually we're all working through all the emotions and everything that's come with this tragedy, but it's just a hard process. Her family joined us for a memorial service we did a couple days ago and in talking with them we got a few answers that made the picture a little clearer, but it's still hard to totally understand.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

I'm sorry for your loss, foppa. My condolences to her family.

[kovalchuk71 212]

My Condolences as well.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

thats rough, man. Cant sugar coat something like that in any way. I cant say I know what to tell you either, it's an unfortunate situation.

I'd imagine it's goign to be tough for you at work, and I imagine that very few of us on here if any others (thankfully) will have an experience where a co-worker commits suicide at work. You're in a unique situation, and it's going to be tough to control your emotions, but you do have the right idea. Your patients have to come first. If it takes you a few minutes longer to make your rounds, so be it. I wouldnt worry about that, a few minutes to outlet your emotions will benefit everyone, as opposed to you holding them all in and not thinking straight. Do what you gotta do, you know? I'm sure there will be greif counselors and the like, perhaps visiting them might help. Or if you're the religious type the hospital chapel.

Really, i think deep down you know what will help you the most.

good luck.

[nickerjones 8]

thats rough man .... sadly people who choose to take their own lives never think of how it will affect everyone around them. Its really quite selfish and sad when someone decides that there is nothing they can do to fix their situation and they need to turn to taking their own life to fix a problem. I am sorry you are having to go through this , just weather the storm, with time comes healing

[booyaagrandma 4]

Condolences to you , your co workers family and all the other staff.I'm sorry you and your co workers had to witness that tragedy.

[JR97 2]

Condolences. Peace be with you, your colleagues, and her family.

We've had a few deaths here at the office. It's never easy to keep functioning "professionally" when everything is turmoil on the inside. Crying is good and imho, the healthiest way to deal with loss as long as the loss is dealt with so the healing can begin. Macho has no place in grieving.