text: Being a nurse at a hospice is an incredibly meaningful thing. You have an opportunity to care for senior citizens who are already at the twilight of their lives. They may also share stories about the olden days, which is very different from the things you’re used to at the moment.
  Nevertheless, there’s no denying that it can be depressing to stay as a hospice nurse at times. Some of the residents are either too old or too sick to do anything for themselves, after all. They will eat, sleep, and pee in the same place if you don’t come to clean them up or change the beddings. Others have a violent streak too, in the sense that you need to watch your back – and front – whenever you come near them. Not to mention, people often meet their end there, so you might see a corpse being hauled out regularly.
  In case you’re starting to look at the world through a pair of broken glasses, you should know that you still have hope to turn things around. Here are a few ways to be optimistic when you’re a hospice nurse.
  The reason is that getting cooped up in your house only gives you time to brood and think of the sad incidents at work. For instance, you might remember a resident whose busy kids can merely send money to the hospice but not visit their dying parents there. You might also think of how the deceased elders possibly felt on their death bed.
  By leaving your home to be around more people, you will likely be able to follow the latest trends and gossips. That is more welcome than letting stress consume your once-healthy disposition, you know.
  Your optimism may also receive a boost when you start hanging out with folks who always look at the bright side of life. They don’t necessarily have to be worry-free. What only matters is that they know how to avoid giving up on anything. Optimistic individuals are survivors, after all. “Having strong, positive social support is one of the most important factors in predicting the physical health and well-being in people of all ages,” explains Dr. Shilagh Mirgain, Ph.D. “It can help us cope effectively with stress and even help strengthen our immune system and lower our risk of disease.”