Being an er nurse has completely changed the way i see women’s pain.
With everything happening globally right now around women’s rights and healthcare, i think it’s been affecting me more emotionally than i realized.
i’m an er nurse, and one thing that genuinely breaks my heart is how often women come in already apologizing for their pain before anyone even speaks to them.
i’ve seen women come in pale, shaking, vomiting, barely able to stand, and still downplay what they’re feeling because they’re so used to not being taken seriously.
meanwhile, a lot of us in healthcare are so overworked and desensitized that sometimes real suffering gets brushed off way too quickly.
it’s honestly changed the way i talk to female patients. i find myself reminding them to be very specific about how their symptoms are affecting their actual ability to function day-to-day, because i’ve seen that details like that sometimes get taken more seriously than simply saying “i’m in pain.”
recently i got so frustrated and anxious about it that i started making little notes/checklists for my sisters and friends before appointments — mostly reminders to ask questions, advocate for themselves, and not feel embarrassed for speaking up.
i think a lot of women have been conditioned to endure discomfort quietly for so long that we almost second-guess ourselves automatically.
i don’t really know where i’m going with this. i just needed to vent because some shifts stay with you long after you leave the hospital.
please take your pain seriously, even if other people don’t immediately do the same. 🤍