Our jobs are tough. We deal with a lot of non-sense everyday. From screaming patients and family members to crazy patients to irate providers, we take a lot of abuse everyday when we work.
Though all of this the one constant I have is my wife and child. I know, no matter what abuse I take at work, I can come home to my family that is happy to see me everyday.
But unfortunately sometimes I take my work home with me, and then take if out on them. I really don’t mean to, but sometimes it is hard to just leave that screaming drunk at the hospital door that has been spitting at me, cursing at me and calling me names all day. Then I come home, frustrated and angry and snap at them, or don’t show them the appreciation they deserve for just being there for me.
This week I realized what a pillar of strength my wife is for me. She works full time too, so she doesn’t necessarily have dinner on the table for me, the house isn’t always picture perfect and we don’t always get the bed made (these are as much my fault as hers, its all about teamwork)….but what she does do for me is support me. She believes in me. She is there for me when I need her. And when I am not such a perfect husband, she helps me to be one.
So, make sure you family comes first. We are nurses at heart, but your priorities should be outside the hospital doors with those that take care of us. Make sure you say thank you to those that support you and your career.
So, I want to tell my wife…Thank you and I love you!
Cameron, great advice. My wife and I both work in health care-she as a Public Health Nurse-TB/STD specialist-and I, a gynecologist.
We have learned, over the last 29 years, to support and give each other space-during those days of stress that we all have, in this difficult health care environment.
Thanks for sharing.
By Dr Dean on January 17, 2010 at 7:24 am
[...] This heartfelt story by a nurse who is thankful for a wife who supports him, when job stress is too much. [...]
By Dr. Dean's TheMillionaireNurse.com Blog on January 17, 2010 at 7:56 am
Wow!! Great post!! It takes a good man to write a touching post like that!! Kudos to your wife as well!
By megan on January 19, 2010 at 6:14 pm
I too was touched by the letter Rob wrote. I have been in Critical Care for 24 years, my Wife has been my ROCK, She isn’t in the healthcare field, doesn’t understand most of what I speak about, but she is a great listener! I have had some heart breaking shifts, and there she is ready to listen. If I am reading these letters (blogs) correctly, we have something very precious in common. Our Families. I’m not sure I could do this job without my Wife’s, support, and comfort.
I am a traveling RN, Hurt my back last of May, been off work since. Not sure what will happen, not able to work. Now my Wife is working in a grocery Deli on her feet for 8 – 10 hrs. Comes home beat. Cali.workes Comp doesn’t meet our meager needs, we have had to apply and receive “Food Stamps”. Had to ask for assistance to pay our mortgage. What humbling lessons we have learned. And of course my “Male ego” has been bruised a bit. We have never been in a position like this before. For my self this has been a very difficult position, my Wife is now the bread winner, I am a stay home guy. I now have a completely different out look for people, families who need short term assistance. I have learned to be humble hold my head up high and limp on. I have become the chef of our house; I try to have dinner prepared for my Wife when she gets home,
Yes it has been a humbling, embarrassing time, but we have learned a number of lessons. I now have new a compassion for people who need assistance and I would hope to find a way to assist people, families who are in the situation we are in. I will be able to go back to traveling just not sure when, I can only hope to find a way to help.
By Alan Thomas, RN on January 20, 2010 at 2:24 am