Im only 17, but today I bodybagged-bagged my first dead body at work in the nursing home… am I too young?

Im training to be a nurse in a nursing home. Im only young, but i was thrown in the deep end today, when they asked me to put an old woman who had passed away overnight, into a body bag so her body could be taken away. I think this was because I was the youngest, and the easiest to dump the job on. It was very confronting for somebody of my age. Most of my friends are working at mc donalds… My job is so rewarding, but do you think I am old enough to be doing this? I am not emotionally mature enough. I was almost in tears. I am hoping to be a nurse when finish high school.
I live in Australia…maybe laws are different here.
I am not lyeing…

Death is an uncomfortable experience no matter how old you are. But you aren’t a child, and IMO I don’t see why this should be some traumatizing experience for you because you’re 17. Death is the natural conclusion to all of our lives. It is the fear of the dying process, the fear of the unknown of what comes after, and the sadness of the personal loss we feel when someone we know passes away and we feel their absence in our lives. Death, in and of itself, should not be scary.

I commend you for your bravery. The more you are exposed to something that makes you uncomfortable, the more you begin to get comfortable with it. It is avoiding something that intensifies our fear of it. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. There is a first time for everything, and the first time is always the hardest no matter what it is you’re doing or seeing.

As a new labor nurse I remember my first preterm delivery prior to the baby being able to survive. I was scared to death, it was devastatingly sad, and I went home and cried for the rest of the night. But after the initial shock, I found the beauty in the situation. As a nurse, I was there to support my patient and be witness to the most incredible thing – seeing a mother have her living child born, take it’s first breath, and then pass away all within moments. What a special and sacred time that was, despite it’s tragedy. My patient hugged me and cried and thanked me for everything I did and she said “I think my baby waited all night to come so that you would be here for her”. Stuff like that makes it all worth it.

Good luck to you.

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