'Anything can happen at any time': ICU nurse opens up about work stress and how he deals with it

This World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), AsiaOne looks at how everyday Singaporeans cope with mental health issues in their lives.

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Fatigued. Stressed. Burnout.

If you're a working adult, these words are likely to resonate with you at some point in your career.

Work-related stress seems to be understood as part and parcel of adult life and one is often expected to just deal with it.

However, when work duties takes precedence over sustenance, alarm bells can start ringing.

Registered nurse Staffan Stewart tells AsiaOne how, at times, he'd have to forego meal breaks as work was simply too hectic.

The 30-year-old added: "On paper, we do have break timings. But when you're on the ground, you can't even go for toilet breaks." 

This frenzied picture he painted of the struggles of a healthcare worker has been echoed by others in the industry for years, from dealing with unreasonable patients to being overwhelmed by long queues of patients.

As an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse, Staffan finds himself in high-pressure situations on a regular basis at work.

His challenge is to triumph over them day after day while ensuring he provides his patients with the care they deserve.

Through a nurse's eyes

During a morning shift, Staffan begins work at 7am and usually heads home at around 4pm.

He'll checks in on his patients to see if their conditions have changed and give them medication when required.

In the ICU, one nurse is assigned to two patients. If this sounds like a manageable workload, keep in mind that an ICU does not operate like a regular hospital ward.

Staffan explains that a patient's condition can change very quickly and it's something an ICU nurse has to be aware of.

"Anything can happen at any time," Staffan shares.

While this fast-paced environment keeps him on his toes, it's easy to see how an ICU nurse can tire out in the long run.

Staffan recalls being given back-to-back afternoon and morning shifts over a course of a few days, and the only word he could use to describe that experience is "crazy".

Another issue that ICU nurses have to navigate is being confronted with the fragility of life on a rather consistent basis.

Staffan has seen his fair share of deaths while on the job and it's something that he's still learning to fully comprehend.

Heartbreaking moments

"I do encounter a lot of deaths [as an ICU nurse]," Staffan admits. 

Even now, he clearly remembers the first time he witnessed a patient die in the ICU. 

He was still a nursing student then and from the sidelines, Staffan watched on as the patient went through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

It was a good "30 or 40 minutes" before the doctors decided to call it off and record the patient's time of death.

"Why can't they continue to try longer? He might come back [to life]," he wondered back then.

It wasn't just medical professionals, Staffan has also seen family members deciding that it's best to let go of their loved ones.

He tells AsiaOne how it took him years to fully understand that having a person die in peace and grace can sometimes be the "better" option as opposed to prolong pain and suffering.

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As an ICU nurse, Staffan is often the first in line to update a patient's family members on changes to their condition.

This can be distressing, especially when it comes to breaking the news that a loved one has died.

Finding out about the death of a family member is often a moment of raw emotion, Staffan acknowledges that an ICU nurse must avoid using the "wrong terms" and be "respectful" when interacting with a dead patient's family members. 

And while the brunt of the pain and heartbreak is largely felt by the patient's loved ones, ICU nurses are also affected as human beings too.

A memory that still sticks to Staffan's mind is the death of one particular female patient in 2019.

The healthcare workers alerted her family about the death and they soon arrived at the hospital.

The woman's husband immediately broke into tears at the ICU while their two young children looked on.

Based on their age, they probably didn't understand that their mother had just passed away.

"My whole ward actually broke down when we saw the two kids. It was such a heartbreaking moment," Staffan admitted. 

Dealing with work stress

To keep his mental well-being in check, Staffan makes a conscious effort to not isolate himself from his social circle.

He keeps an active lifestyle and believes that doing so helps "distract" himself from the rigours of the workplace.

When duty calls, Staffan is grateful to have his support system of a tightly-knit group at work with whom he trusts and can confide in.

"Colleagues actually play a big role in your mental well-being," he says.

At the present time, Staffan does not feel the need to seek professional help for his mental health but it is not something he shies away from.

"Once I stop talking to people and I'm shutting myself, maybe that's when I need to start seeking treatment," he openly shares.

Staffan knows of colleagues who struggle with their mental health and opted to seek help through in-house counsellors and private clinics.

Even then, it's tough for healthcare professionals to be open about their mental health struggles.

According to Staffan, there's a tendency for nurses to head straight to the private clinics in fear of potentially being blacklisted by their employer.

He adds: "There are a lot of nurses going through it [mental health struggles] and just need professional help."

ALSO READ: Facility for young people, more doctors: Singapore launches national mental health and well-being strategy

amierul@asiaone.com

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