Co-workers and managers may see the signs of compassion fatigue long before you do. Are they constantly asking if you are okay? Are you getting tired of them asking all the time?
Stop and ask either a loved one or a trusted co worker for their perception of your level of stress. Do you trust any of your coworkers?
Do they think you could possibly be suffering from compassion fatigue? Maybe thinking your a pirate will help you find your answer.
A Voyage to the South Sea or better known as The Mutiny on Board H.M.S Bounty was a book written by William Bligh is about the pirates of the high seas, traveling the world to collect Breadfruit to bring back to England.
Working on a medical unit. or ICU has the feeling of a pirate ship.
When the physicians appear, they may bark orders, collect information, formulate a plan,
bark orders then leave.
The team is left to swab the poop deck. There is much to be done on a pirate ship to keep
the ship from sinking, capsizing, being taken over by other pirates.
Medical machines like ventilators, IV poles, Cardiac monitors are all part of the navigation system to steer the team to a ----quiet island---- high seas---
Watch out for seagulls and rats on the ship.
Pirates have an edge of everyman for himself, although living on the ship together, will stab a shipmate in the back and steal their gold. Pirates are recruited and brought onto the ship as a Solo individual, single person. the middle of Pirate is RAT the middle of Nurse is URS.
Remember that. URS really doesn't stand for anything useful.The rest of Pirate without the rat is Pie.
If we took out the RAT in each of us while working on the unit, could we also, maybe be left with Pie?
My memories of my first pie is as a little girl watching my mom pull a golden brown pumpkin and Sweet Potato pie out of the oven. Few people will go out of their way to eat pie in the US. not the top favorite desert, according to statistics. But, when your fork cuts into the flaky crust of a pie and scoops up the fruity deliciousness, just for a second, don’t we release our stress and fatigue?
So Hoist the sales, we are going out to high seas! Prevent a Mutiny. Every day is an adventure in Nursing. Be more like Pie and your voyage may be sweeter.
Copyright 2009-2010, Works of AnnChristine Warneka, BSN,RN
AnnChristine works as an author and Life Coach, offering seminars on Compassion Fatigue, Test Anxiety as well as Total Life Ownership. She lives and works in Phoenix, AZ visit her blogg or contact her at www.Nurseguardian.com. email: nurseguardian@gmail.com. Phone: 602-516-6800.
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