Boundaries at work

Today has been one of those days... One of those days when each of my patients requires a little more of me than I have to give. Last week, one of my patient's passed away. Though I am no stranger to loss, this was particularly hard for me. I had treated this lady one day prior to her passing. One day she is working with me to improve her transfers in and out of bed and the next, she is gone.

Today, I had two patients breakdown in tears, one confess he had suicidal idealizations and the another admit to binging due to depression. At the end of the day, I know my limitations. I am there to listen. To redirect when possible, add prospective where I am able and most importantly validate their concerns. I am not superwomen, nor do my patients want me to be that for them. I am confident in my pre-established boundaries and know if I want to do my job well, these boundaries must remain.

But what happens when the compassionate, type A problem-solving side of me wants to fix all their problems? What happens when my MO for all my life has been to assist people with working through various problems (and in the mean time created unhealthy codependency patterns/relationships)? What happens when the face I am listening to is pleading for mercy from life's circumstances?

That was today. And now it is tonight. I was true to myself and my boundaries today, but I left work feeling like I wish I could have done more.  That being said, I also know if I would have tried to fix these individuals, I would perpetually be chasing my own tail. But I know I can be a shoulder to cry on and have two ears to listen. And that is what I did today today