ABSTRACT
In anticipation of writing this chapter, we eagerly surveyed nurse colleagues, former nursing supervisors, and several inspiring nursing school professors. We spoke to nurses newer to the field as well as to nurses who have been in the profession for many years. We were eager to hear their input and ideas about the ways in which health care professionals can become emotionally “hooked” and perhaps even provide care based on their emotional responses-not solely based on patients’ needs. “Yes,” they all agreed. “Our personal reactions to caring for dying children certainly can impact our work …” but, “No … .” Not one experienced nurse could give an example of a time when he or she had had such an experience. In fact, the nurses responded, “that simply does not happen with experienced, professional nurses … perhaps with younger colleagues in their early years.”
