Suddenly patient – why do we often overestimate the performance of our own body?
Perhaps it is one of the greatest mistakes of our humanity that we overestimate ourselves and our bodies. We believe in the resilience of our organism, trusting in being able to put away pain and adverse circumstances permanently. Our everyday life is shaped by the assumption that everything stays the way it is right now – that nothing can really throw us off track.We are routinely planning our future, saving for old age, thinking about the next dinner and counting on to live long and healthy. But life doesn’t stick to our plans. A single unnoticed moment in traffic, a sudden illness, a failing organ or a global crisis like a pandemic – all of this can fundamentally andchange unexpectedly. These thoughts are not a call to constant fear, but rather a reminder to perceive life more consciously.
The reality in the nursing profession: Between fulfillment and burden
There are numerous reasons that make the nursing profession a unique and fulfilling profession. At the same time, hardly any other field of activity is so challenging, both physically and mentally. Everyday life in the intensive care unit or in other departments confronts nursing staff with existential questions and extreme situations on a daily basis. However, what shapes this profession is theImmediate experience of one’s own vulnerability and transience. Anyone who works in the healthcare sector inevitably develops an awareness that life can come to an end at any time or take a drastic turn – regardless of age, plans or living conditions. No date, no to-do list and no future planning protects against the fragility of existence.
Sudden blows of fate – the fainting in the face of the unpredictable
An example that I remembered in particular was a 32-year-old patient who was delivered to our ward after a fall. Whether it’s an accident, third-party fault or suicide – nobody knew more about it, and the patient could no longer provide any information about it. His traumatic brain injury was so heavy that he had to be ventilated and sedated. Just a few months. He had previously planned the wedding with his fiancé, booked a trip together and looked forward to a life together. Now he was lying motionless in the intensive care unit, his future wiped out. The fiancée regularly visited him, talking about the planned rings, the life that was supposed to be in front of them – but he didn’t wake up anymore. he died. This experience was shocking andSad, and she made it clear how quickly everything can change.
The constant confrontation with suffering and uncertainty
In hospitals and care facilities, the staff witnesses such strokes of fate every day. We experience first-hand how life is breaking, families are torn apart and hope is dwindling. Despite well-founded training, we are at a loss in many situations. There is no instruction on how to deal with the fear, despair or death of a person.Medical knowledge helps when it comes to values, diagnoses or emergency measures – but in exceptional emotional situations, the right answer is often missing. Anyone who works in this area knows this insecurity and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Overwhelm and personal growth
My first case, which pushed me to my limits, happened when I was in my early twenties – freshly registered, full of idealism and zest for action. I had already experienced emergencies and deaths during the training, but nothing had prepared me for dealing with the dying under such emotional circumstances. One patient in the mid-thirties suffered from an advancedmalignant tumor. She already had metastases in the lungs, her shortness of breath was great, her condition critical. She hardly spoke, but was lovingly visited by her husband and two small children. Despite the exceptional situation, there was a remarkable calm and attention to the family visits.
Fainting and the struggle for the right words
One evening their vital values deteriorated. When I visited her, I saw her fear immediately – she was sweating, tears were in her eyes. She said the words “I’m scared” barely audibly. What should I have answered? “Everything will be fine” seemed dishonest to me, I felt helpless and overwhelmed. There are moments when every word appears too much or too little. Ultimately tookI her hand and just said: “I take good care of her. You are not alone.” That was all I could do. But it had an effect: She calmed down, her values normalized and she fell asleep.
The lessons from extreme situations
This experience shaped me. She showed me that in the face of existential fear and grief, there are sometimes no suitable answers. It is enough to be present and give honest attention. A simple sentence, a gesture close can give more comfort than any medical measure. I have preserved this lesson – for situations in which words are missing andhelplessness seems overpowering. Relatives also need such signs of sympathy. It is one of the most important and at the same time most difficult tasks in care: to show humanity, even if you sway inside yourself.
Recognize vulnerability and value livable
Working in the healthcare sector keeps us teaching how deceptive the feeling of security and invulnerability is. Instead of holding on to the illusion, being able to control everything, we should recognize our own vulnerability – not out of fear but to appreciate life more consciously. It takes courage to face this truth, but it is the prerequisite for realEmpathy – in everyday work, in dealing with patients and last but not least in one’s own life.
