I’m a nurse. Ask me anything about nursing

[encourageSome1]

I read somewhere this but I kind of agree.  It's just this statement "it's just a job"

It was made by someone to a group of nurses and then there was the usual protests "it's a calling", "we save lives" etc etc

But after the talk, even nurses were convinced, it's just a job.  Do not destroy your life and dreams because of nursing.

So if I could tell myself 10 years ago, I would say try harder to find a life partner.

I will tell you a true story.  Not the fake story cos it doesn't involve patients but of cos I won't give details.  I started looking for a wife in 2020 cos Covid came and there were border restrictions so I had the time and money to go to viet matchmaking agency to look.  2020 turned to 2021.  I finally got a match but there was no meeting just video call cos of border restrictions.  So i actually asked a friend "I always said can wait for next year to get a wife.  Did I wait one year too long?"

Border restrictions ended but things happened and that match was no longer a match.  So I am still looking.

So yes, I would tell my younger self to look for a life partner earlier and not just say "next year" cos one day, your "next year might be one year too late".

Hey 👋 thanks for sharing a tender hearted piece  from yr heart .. thank u for yr candidness🤗 bro hug

yea most of the time in life ... once we pass this village we 'd miss the temple 🛕 / miss e boat ... at least u hv new hindsight to yr romantic dimension in life ... to me nothing is called wasted or done for naught... I m confident one day it might be God can use yr wisdom for u or for someone else you can make an impact on ...


For my case I weren't sure if I try harder got any use or if I tried earlier / younger ... most likely I might re write history but likelihood of outcome in a way I wouldn't wish upon myself and that scares me in a diff way 🫣😨🫢

[Keeptrucking]

Do you believe in the paranormal?.l hv you had encounters while working? Or weird things.

[Philipkee]

Do you believe in the paranormal?.l hv you had encounters while working? Or weird things.

My colleagues experienced things. Me?  Not really but two incidents stick out

Cubicle is empty but the call bell is ringing.  So sometimes we get a bit scared cos it happens at night and it's very obvious that the cubicle was empty cos it's an isolation room and you can see from outside it's empty.  Freaky

Another time there were late comers coming in for report at the report room and the senior staff nurse saw them run in without shutting the door (there was no spring so you need to manually shut the door).  She scolded the late comers and said will the last person in the room shut the door?  And the door swung shut.  The whole shift saw the door shut (no one there) and we all looked at the senior staff nurse who gulped and said the wind is strong.

Handling dying patients, they often say they see relatives on the other side waving to them and sometimes they will be talking to them.  I don't believe they are hallucinating as in they really see something and of cos I believe in the afterlife

[Keeptrucking]

My colleagues experienced things. Me?  Not really but two incidents stick out

Cubicle is empty but the call bell is ringing.  So sometimes we get a bit scared cos it happens at night and it's very obvious that the cubicle was empty cos it's an isolation room and you can see from outside it's empty.  Freaky

Another time there were late comers coming in for report at the report room and the senior staff nurse saw them run in without shutting the door (there was no spring so you need to manually shut the door).  She scolded the late comers and said will the last person in the room shut the door?  And the door swung shut.  The whole shift saw the door shut (no one there) and we all looked at the senior staff nurse who gulped and said the wind is strong.

Handling dying patients, they often say they see relatives on the other side waving to them and sometimes they will be talking to them.  I don't believe they are hallucinating as in they really see something and of cos I believe in the afterlife

Interesting. A friend passed away relatively young, in his early 40s. Another friend saw him shouting in hokkien at a corner of the ward something like why are you here. Go away. He passed away a few days later.

I suspect they are the black and white hell ghosts.

My friend who knew the deceased well said he seldom speak hokkien.

[encourageSome1]

Interesting. A friend passed away relatively young, in his early 40s. Another friend saw him shouting in hokkien at a corner of the ward something like why are you here. Go away. He passed away a few days later.

I suspect they are the black and white hell ghosts.

My friend who knew the deceased well said he seldom speak hokkien.

Maybe he did saw that someone but sometimes ppl also get confused

One day my pa also got worked up n confused n talked to me full 20-30 min in Hokkien ... I can uds 80% but weirdest thing was he nv talked to me in Hokkien ever , we r a speak mandarin family as my mom is other dialect
They both only talk in dialect when they out with the uncles or aunts and not to us kids

[encourageSome1]

My colleagues experienced things. Me?  Not really but two incidents stick out

Cubicle is empty but the call bell is ringing.  So sometimes we get a bit scared cos it happens at night and it's very obvious that the cubicle was empty cos it's an isolation room and you can see from outside it's empty.  Freaky

Another time there were late comers coming in for report at the report room and the senior staff nurse saw them run in without shutting the door (there was no spring so you need to manually shut the door).  She scolded the late comers and said will the last person in the room shut the door?  And the door swung shut.  The whole shift saw the door shut (no one there) and we all looked at the senior staff nurse who gulped and said the wind is strong.

Handling dying patients, they often say they see relatives on the other side waving to them and sometimes they will be talking to them.  I don't believe they are hallucinating as in they really see something and of cos I believe in the afterlife

Was there some instances where the dying patient(s) tell you their deep buried secret abt their regret or sthg they wish they could hv changed ? What was a most unimaginable one ? (Yea u can ficticize whole story )

Besides all sick n everyth hurts n all is sad, gloomy .. all is mybfd before someone dying .. What are ppl's greatest commonality when one is about to die ?

R there any differences u notice between ppl who hv a faith vs those who don't ?

[Keeptrucking]

Maybe he did saw that someone but sometimes ppl also get confused

One day my pa also got worked up n confused n talked to me full 20-30 min in Hokkien ... I can uds 80% but weirdest thing was he nv talked to me in Hokkien ever , we r a speak mandarin family as my mom is other dialect
They both only talk in dialect when they out with the uncles or aunts and not to us kids

Possible that he was under the influence of meds and groggy. But I hv heard such stories many times. Hard for it always to be just meds and confused I feel.

[Philipkee]

Was there some instances where the dying patient(s) tell you their deep buried secret abt their regret or sthg they wish they could hv changed ? What was a most unimaginable one ? (Yea u can ficticize whole story )

Besides all sick n everyth hurts n all is sad, gloomy .. all is mybfd before someone dying .. What are ppl's greatest commonality when one is about to die ?

R there any differences u notice between ppl who hv a faith vs those who don't ?

Had a foreign patient who was dying and kept screaming "I wanna go home".  He died a few days later.  No family in Singapore that we know of so when he passed, it was very sad cos he kept asking to go home but we didn't know where home was cos he mentioned in was China but no contact number.  Can't remember how he was found in Singapore and brought to hospital.  Was in the wards then.

No real difference in the faiths.  But most I have seen would see people from the other side.  Whether Buddhist, Christian or Muslim.  Never really dealt with Hindu death before so can't comment if they do see people from the other side

[Keeptrucking]

It must be very draining mentally to face death and suffering. Was it tough for you initially? How long did it take you to get over it?

[Philipkee]

It must be very draining mentally to face death and suffering. Was it tough for you initially? How long did it take you to get over it?

Not really hard to get over death.  From student days it was drilled into us not to get emotional over any death cos the next patient still needs us.  It does help that I am a guy.  Females tend to be more emotional.

But there are two kinds of death.

One is patient comes in and dies.  Usually you don't really build a bond with the patient so it's just a job.

The other one is patient comes in well, gets discharged, readmitted, discharged etc each time getting progressive worse.  Cos if it's like cancer, he generally returns to the same ward.  So a bond can be built and when he passes away, there would be a twinge of sadness but that's it.  Have to move on.

But a disclaimer is I have never worked in a pediatric ward beyond student attachment.  I heard death is taken very badly there by the nurses but that's only tiagong

[No guessing game]

Saw many of them in dating apps. Do nurses make good wives? What's your opinion of them?

[default]

btw ur nursing line so many girls why u nv date nurses?

hw old r u btw? i assume mid 30s?

[Philipkee]

Saw many of them in dating apps. Do nurses make good wives? What's your opinion of them?

They make good wives but it might be difficult cos of shift

[Philipkee]

btw ur nursing line so many girls why u nv date nurses?

hw old r u btw? i assume mid 30s?

Mid 40s
I did date a few but not suitable and I spent my 20s and 30s backpacking.  So I did say cryptically to people that everything comes with a trade off

[No guessing game]

They make good wives but it might be difficult cos of shift

Is ok as long as good wife i can accommodate. Not a problem with that