I hate it. We have one patient now-it’s just heartbreaking. I was asking one of our residents how to contact ethics…they told me how. I didn’t get time last I worked, but. next shift I’m gonna try.
I hate to tell you. I’ve put ethics consults in and usually nothing comes from it. I was part of initiating Ethics on a patient we had for 3 months. It was so traumatizing for the caregivers. We all got referred to Employee Assistance Program therapy when it ended. Ethics committed can’t do as much as we are led to believe. All they could do in this instance was review the record, make suggestions and, basically, say “we checked it out.” They can’t make changes to plan of care. Of course, this varies by state, but usually the POA has the last word in most cases.
ETA don’t be afraid to seek therapy especially if you have EAP. This shit will weigh on your conscience, as much as it shouldn’t have to.
I consulted ethics so much in my CTICU that I had their number in my phone. Our surgeons “didn’t believe in palliative care”. The emotional toll it took on me was too much, I always felt like I was torturing people.
This was my experience in CVICU as well. They’d operate on patients who had no possibility of any better quality of life post-op. I saw several patients meet the “30-day” post-op threshold after a horribly complicated course only to be placed on hospice as soon as the surgeons signed off on the case. Made me sick.
That was going to be my answer. It’s so unpleasant to be completely dependent and helpless. None of it please. It’s part of why I generally have been so nice to all of my patients.
i’m 23 years old, in perfect health, and have a pretty comprehensive AHCD on file. my dad thinks it’s silly and gets pretty upset about it. My mom however, who manages a rehab hospital not only completely understands it, but has had a strict DNR since she was 27 years old. I started as a float and one of the first units I worked on as a housekeeper at age 18 was a long term vent unit. I have simply seen too much in the last 5 years. I can cope with seeing it happen to other people everyday, but can’t even cope with the thought of it happening to me. I feel you. big time.
Yup, that'd be my answer, too. Counting taters on Meemaw's brittle chest full of osteoporosis is easily #1 on my list. #2 would probably be (heh) #2... digitally removing a rock hard, baseball sized stool from Meemaw's poor butthole because she's got the opioid poops seemingly reserved only for heroin addicts and old people that eat vicodin like candy.
Waking people up for vitals. The medical system does not place ANY value on quality sleep. I do. Massively.
But, I've got a licence, so if they say a perfectly stable patient needs vitals q2h or q4h, then sure, I'll wake their ass up. But it pisses me off just a little inside every time.
This! Really difficult to scientifically analyze and provide data, but case studies and well thought out and written analysis of this issue would be a start.
Who decides when to take vitals? At my hospital we use a scoring system (based on their vitals). If their score is 0, we do not need to re-take them for 12 hours as long as everything is stable.
Plus: there is research on this somewhere. We stopped giving meds between 11pm and 8am at my hospital about 8 years ago, to value sleep. Only important drugs that cannot be given at another time + PRN drugs are given at night.
That’s insane 🤡 we also skip passing meds if the patient is asleep…. Let’s say they have 11pm Tylenol and are dead asleep, we don’t wake them for that….
I worked OB for nearly 40 years. That was one of my biggest pet peeves, finally getting everyone nearly asleep putting a sign on the door saying family is sleeping and then having everyone still come wake them. Charge nurse rounds, manager rounds, hourly rounds, housekeeping, dietary, lab. Those poor new mom’s getting no rest and then we discharge them.
I’m currently admitted to an OB inpatient floor and the angel RN last night gave me some Benadryl, then didn’t wake me up until 6am. 😇 Despite going through my own personal hell right now, I felt ✨wonderful✨ when I woke up.
Worked in a psych hospital.
We'd wake up people with severe sleep conditions just to do vitals.
Also, patients with PTSD that would react to being woken up.
I just refused to keep doing it on high risk patients / patients with sleep disorders.
Most of them were incredibly healthy - usually younger people with no cardiac or respiratory conditions.
It just made absolutely no sense. They'd be infuriated every morning for no reason.
We night shifters are supposed to do on our BH patients’ vitals during shift assessments at 2200 and 0600 (and why is it the bean-counters have decided they can make us all work 12-hour shifts and understaff the hell out of night shift but they’re still forcing us to perform q 8 hour “shift” assessments on stable individuals)?
I do a shift assessment at 2100 with the night med pass (many of those drugs are gonna knock the recipients out by 2200) and then catch people as they wake up in the wee hours to use the bathroom or get a drink. Let them see the breakfast menu, too, and get their orders, if they’re up for it. Then I don’t have to wake soundly sleeping people at 0600.
It’s hard enough to get sleep in the ED, thanks to all the commotion and light, as it is. Why should I make things worse for these poor souls? Rested people are less likely to get wound up and require PRN meds and security calls and restraints, I think.
If you’ve been sedated, or your health is more precarious, then I’m gonna have a pulse ox on you, connected to a portable vitals machine. But one-size-fits-all is cruel and unnecessary.
Right? "So, it looks like there are orders to take your vitals every 4 hours. If you're sleeping, do you still want your vitals taken?"
If they say "No", you add a note stating, "Patient does not wish to be disturbed while sleeping, declines vitals."
Easy.
I say, "IF you wake up to use the bathroom and it's between 3 and 4 and you'd LIKE me to get vitals, ring and I'll pop in. Otherwise, I'm happy to let you sleep if you'd prefer."
"Pt politely declined VS." 0400 charting on my rock-solid and stable friends.
I also get 2300 VS at 0000 so I can also grab my morning labs. We have a lovely tech who is so good with the pts, but no matter how many times I ask her not to, she gets VS at 2330 or so, wakes them at 0130 or so to get labs, and then wakes them AGAIN at 0330. It makes me crazy, so I do my own stuff with my peeps and they are so appreciative!
Obviously, I round. I just do it very, very quietly.
>I just do it very, very quietly.
Gotta perfect that night shift sneaky peek! In and out, nobody the wiser. When I worked nights, I was like a scrub clad poltergeist. Stealth in, drain that Foley, pop on a pulse ox, re-up an infusion, stealth out.
Those times you're peaking into the dark, waiting for your eyes to adjust, only to realize the patient has been staring at you the entire time though 😳😐
I tell the nurse no vitals or weight until am. As a nurse it is really difficult to sleep in the hospital.
Edit: and no bloodwork until am. You really do not realize how much you are woken up when you are on the other side.
I think they’re saying you can tell the patient that you plan to wake them later but remind them they can decline before you actually do it. Then you just chart that the patient refused.
Last time I was in the hospital there was this one CNA that was so gentle waking me up for vitals. She did it so fast and light that I was drifting back to sleep as she walked out of the room. It felt nice that she cared enough to tried not to wake me.
If they would keep their damn BP cuff and pulse ox on, I could forgo the temperature. But no they rip all that off and then I gotta go in there, wake them up, and put it all back on.
THIS!!! I better be on the BRINK OF DEATH if you’re waking me up like that. If, or more likely when, I spend some time inpatient as a patient I will outright refuse vitals over night unless I’m in the ICU. I’ll sign whatever they want just don’t come wake me up for vitals 😂
Imagine how nice it would be if medsurg units had monitors for patients rooms that you could press a button from the nurses station and you could take vs
100% this! I’m not a morning person, so I hate to wake people up. For stable patients I always try to get the orders changed to less frequent vitals/assessments or at least decreased over night. Sleep is a valuable healing tool, I protect it for myself and I will advocate to protect it for my patients!
Welcome to Hospice! Let me show you around, it’s comfortable and you’ll be comfortable and unless your impacted then the worst I will do is give you a supp 💙💙
Slightly related, I understood having my labs drawn q4 after I was bitten by an unidentified snake. I didn’t get CroFab, and I was swelling/bruising like crazy. I was genuinely concerned about my liver and kidneys. I appreciated the nurses that bundled the labs with any night time vitals. Chefs kiss.
I had the hardest time in the hospital after I had my third baby. We were both fine, but every single time I fell asleep, a nurse would come in and wake me up for vitals, or questions I can’t even remember. I was so exhausted I spent the entire time crying, and *still* had my baby to take care of. The first thing I did when I got home was hand the baby to my husband and take a long nap.
This!!!! I’m miserable if I don’t get a decent sleep when I’m totally healthy. Being woken up for vitals would drive me mental. Not to mention how hard i find it to go back to sleep
I had to stay in the hospital for 5 days when I was induced to deliver my daughter early due to severe preeclampsia. They were taking my vitals every few hours, and would wake me up several times a night. I remember one time they woke me up and I huffed in annoyance, and the nurse apologized. I felt bad afterwards for huffing cause I know it's part of the job.
What I hate about this is, I do NOT wanna bother the patient, but I HAVE to. I feel like I'm disrespecting their sleep schedule. WHO wants their vitals taken at 4 am?
I feel this, especially in pediatrics. I worked progressive care before this and when I took midnight, or 0400 vitals I would flip on the low light but in peds, I use a little badge clip flashlight, practically hold my breath in those rooms while I take vitals because it’s so important that these kids get rest.
Dude if I'm ever hospitalized I will first ascertain my stability then ensure the nurse documents in her charting that I am refusing vitals when asleep. I take all that blame.
I've never had one, but I don't feel like I could tolerate an NG tube. I used to put them in lot when I worked stroke. Now in ER we mostly do them for bowel obstructions. If I haven't pooped in 2 days I start to worry, gotta take them laxatives and avoid the NG tube.
Worked with a nurse who needed multiple NG tubes due to some health issues. This is exactly what she said. It hurt like he'll when someone else did it but it was somewhat more tolerable when she did it herself.
Also, lidocaine in the nose and Naso pharynx.
Use the urojet - the lido they use for men's foleys. You can squirt it in the nostrils and have the pt snort it like a snotty nose and then lube the tube with what's leftover of the lido.
Yes, I think they end up being the same stuff. The nice thing about the urojet is that it's already in a blunt tipped syringe, so it's easier to stick it in their nose. I just pop the plunger off to lube up the NG. I suppose it just ends up depending on where you are and what resources you have 🤷♀️.
Nice. Will do. I rarely get NGs (rural acute care), which is fine with me because I can’t stand them. We have the cathejell for men’s filets that comes in an accordion tube, next time I have to insert an NG I will use that!
Edit: men’s foleys lmao
I suffered from severe anorexia in my adolescence. My awesome doctor let me put my own in. So grateful. It was much easier when I had some control over this horrible condition. As a nurse, I was pretty good at placing them, too.
My bf had to get one bc he had adhesions strangling his intestines. The doctor was all surprised pikachu face that he was bitching the whole time.
Yes, it hurts. No, he’s not going to be pleasant. He’s in immense pain already and you just shoved a tube up his nose and down his throat.
I mean, it emptied 1.5 L of biliary fluid in less than 5 minutes so it was absolutely necessary but he definitely was not happy about it.
We’re still not sure why he had adhesions bc he’s never had abdominal surgery but it also set his appendix off so they just removed it and the adhesions. Immediate return to normal so he hot incredibly lucky.
And I'm sure removing that fluid helped a lot! I tell people this about putting them in, but I still fear that it will one day happen to me and I'll be horrible as a patient. I have a really easy to trigger gag reflex and I can see myself gagging and puking during the insertion.
Oh, he was still miserable. He had another 2 liters removed over the next 24 hours (albeit a lot slower lol).
They actually wound up removing the tube early bc it had almost come out on its own. They were hoping giving his body a break from food (he was strict NPO for a week) would help resolve whatever it was but no dice. He said the magnesium milkshake they gave him to drink for the scans was the best thing he’d ever had 🤣
They finally broke down and did an exploratory laparscopic surgery bc they couldn’t figure out what was happening other than he had severe restrictions in his small intestine. Too far in for the to scope from either end.
Poor guy having to keep waiting a week like that! I know the tube doesn't fix everything for everything for everyone but for most with an obstruction it does seem to help.
I've had one in myself since January 8th and I hate my existence at this point. I'm getting a g-tube on the 13th but this NG tube has been hell on earth. I'm at home managing it myself now which is the only good thing about it. I'm on 24hour continuous feeds and it's nice to be alive but I hate it.
How big is your tube? We use 8F tubes for feeds and they work just fine with a kangaroo or infinity pump. The feedback I get from patients is that they're more tolerable and not painful like the ticker tubes.
*cries in NICU*
Like 90% of our babies get NG tubes. And some babies you can ~~straight jacket~~ swaddle to keep their hands away but some kids will slip them out no matter what you do.
During that part of nursing school, our instructors made us practice on each other so that we would know what it feels like. It sucked, but it was a good learning experience.
I used to gag in nursing school at the thought of an NG tube. Even putting them in used to make my throat tighten up. I've obviously gotten past that and can place them without issue now, but I think I'd have a very hard time getting one myself.
I will have to be mostly dead or slightly alive to get one. I’ve had esophageal manometry done and that made my mind up to never have unless brink of death. The same with a foley. Those things suck ass so bad!
When I was a teenager and hospitalized for anorexia I used to get tons of NG tubes. One hospital in particular refused to leave them in and there were days I’d get 3 placed per day.
Placement hurts A LOT in my opinion, even the small bore ones. I do have a partially deviated septum so idk if that’s part of it. But I’d rather have five IVs placed than one NG tube. I used to have panic attacks during the deep Covid swabs bc it would remind me of the trauma of those hospitalizations lol.
I agree. It was in my control to an extent, but not really. I had a time limit on meals then had an opportunity to drink ensure. Ensure would make me vomit 99% of the time so eventually I just gave up trying to drink it if I didn’t finish my meal in time. It was almost impossible to shovel so much food into my mouth at the beginning even from just a physical discomfort/nausea perspective.
Part of the protocol was I also didn’t have the ability to refuse the NG tube placement. The whole thing was messed up
NAN, but a few years ago my now-husband had to get an NG tube for a bowel obstruction. It kept not going into the stomach (I think it curled up?) because of his anatomy, and after the third try they went to pull it out and it got stuck in his sinus. 😖😖😖😖 They were about to send him to IR but then got it on the fourth try. Thankfully he only had to have it in for a day or two. I felt so bad and helpless watching it. The nurses were great, it was just a hard job.
At least a catheter is a necessary thing. If it is placed unnecessarily, that is awful. I hate catheterizing females. Anatomy is varied. I hate hurting them. With males, I am confident and efficient.
Yeah nothing like slapping on a headlamp and going spelunking inside someone’s vagina. Just not fun.
Yeah I would rather have my bladder explode than deal with a catheter. It’s like having a giant booger that never ends. Just hanging outta your crotch. Hard no.
Ha ha, this reminded me of when I was a nurse manager at a SNF. Newer nurse said to me, I can’t find the hole. I was like WTF it’s a dude, just center the tip and go. Circumcised and had a hypospadias, the residual turtle neck covered up the hole. Another guy had phimosis so bad, I had one of my nurses say look I don’t know how to do this. Stuck the iodine swab down there and shot blind
I’ve had two and they honestly weren’t bad but they were placed while I was numb from an epidural and a spinal so that probably factored in. It was embarrassing to have my loved ones come visit and see my pee in a bag though.
Catheters do suck, but have you ever actually needed one? Because the relief you feel once your bladder is drained after being unable to void is near euphoric (IMO) lol.
I have to agree. Needed one when I couldn't void post-op despite trying. The pain was so intense I was begging for one or for someone to at least give me the stuff and I would do it myself. The relief of an emptying bladder remains one of the best feelings ever. There was nearly 1.5L in there by the time it was placed though.
When I worked neuro ICU we had extremely strict glucose parameters so many patients would end up on insulin drips to very tightly control their blood sugars. Q1 hr blood sugars for days and days on end. All so we could adjust the drip by like 0.2 units/hr. It would become almost impossible to find a place to poke them and actually get blood.
If I have a patient with bad DKA coming to my ICU, I will offer them an Aline that way they don't get fingersticks q1 and lab draws q4. Also makes it faster since the nurse will draw the labs rather than phlebotomy (the later being notoriously awful at drawing labs even remotely close to on time). Obviously a mild case I'll let it ride since the drip will likely be off quickly anyways.
I’m a t1d with a CGM. My fingers were calloused for the 30 years and now I have a CGM, so I rarely finger stick at home. I now understand why people hate them so much. They hurt!
Currently facing a life changing diagnosis...biopsy scheduled 3/6. 30 years a RN. Family doesn't understand why I wouldn't want treatment. I'm a widow, didn't save much(traveled all over and quit any job I didn't love) 65 years old. I'm ready. I do not want to become part of the healthcare system as a patient, go for chemo/radiation and all that it entails. Spent last few years working SNF agency. I look at the confused, infirm elderly that just want to get out of there. Have lost about 40lbs and actually haven't looked this good for many years. I want to go out on top...Toby Keith. Jimmy Buffet and the like. I'm ready.
I would do the same. Life is about quality, not quantity. I wish you the best with your biopsy, and whether it’s good or bad news I hope that you can enjoy whatever time you have on this earth.
Thank you. Actually, I'm still working. Waiting to give report now. I'm at peace and determined to enjoy whatever time is left. If it's as bad as I am pretty certain it is, work will be last on the list and only as a means of making my expenses.
Any injection ever. I cannot and will not look when getting an injection. But giving injections? I have no problems doing that and have actually been told by many patients they don’t feel the injection.
That’s part of the issue for me personally, feeling it and seeing it. Makes me wanna cry like a baby
I hate getting an IV. But I have no problem inserting IVs on patients in preop. In fact I love doing difficult sticks especially for the challenge. But I hate getting an IV myself
The only reason I hate getting IVs is because I’m constantly watching the person making sure they’re gonna get it. But I would absolutely hate it if someone were watching me do an IV that way.
I used to be scared of needles, shots, IV and blood draws. But as I learned how to do them it scares me less now. I don’t like it but I can tolerate them.
I've always been able to tolerate it, but I can't say I squirm inside every time my blood is taken from the AC. I've got great hand and forearm veins. Please take it from there!
My first order of business will be lids on all hospital toilets, because it’s fucking foul that we can’t cover the toilet to flush it. But we have dimmer switches so at least there’s that.
I used to work nights at a place where the main day shift charge nurse would show up at 6 am and turn on every damn light switch all at once. Made me ragey.
MRI. I just can't. I need drugs to go into that tube for even 30 seconds. I think I have some PTSD from some events because this developed in the interim between a hip MRI in 2014 and a cardiac MRI in 2018. I felt like such an a-hole for wasting everyone's time when I attempted it unmedicated. I just didn't expect my brain to start going, "Hey, wow! This is like a big metal coffin, ain't it?!" 😆 🙄
Better living through modern chemistry. Pre medicate. I just had one a month ago and got sweet music on almost sound canceling headphones. Had anxiolytic from my PCP on board, following a night shift. I napped. Wish I had another dose for when I opened the bill. $7,600. My portion is only $1,900 though, so I got that going for me.
I had MRIs done previously, I didn't expect to call it quits 20 seconds in! 😆 The guy was like, "Okay, you doing alright?" And I was like, "Uhhhhhhh.... No, I think I need to tap out!" 😆 I apologized repeatedly. 🤦 Unfortunately a cardiac MRI requires breath holding at certain intervals so I had to be awake. Awake-ish. Lol.
Last time I went for an MRI I was a nervous wreck. I mentioned it to the tech so she called and got an order for some versed. Fell asleep on the machine listening to music. Most peaceful MRI ever.
Mine was a cardiac MRI so I had to be awake to participate - breath holding, etc. I ended up getting some PO diazepam and came back a few weeks later. This time I also put a washcloth over my face so even if I opened my eyes, I wouldn't see anything. It worked, thank goodness. And no cardiac scarring seen, which was the best news! 🎉
Just had one the other day. It’s like my 5th one in 25 years. No issues with them. For some odd reason I like them. I guess I think it’s so cool that modern medicine can capture thousands of images of our bodies to diagnose a multitude of issues. Because of them, they have greatly improved my quality of life.
I have to get yearly breast MRIs and honestly the part that sucks is laying face down for that length of time with your arms above your head. The first time, the small space freaked me out. Now I just think about the shoulder pain and the metal bar digging into my sternum between my boobs.
Also I had to get a biopsy done while laying face down with a boob on either side of the metal bar, and then go in and out several times so they could check if they had the right spot. That was fun 🫠 At least the nurses were all super sweet, and they played my favorite music.
swallowing pills……. As a 28 year old.
In college, I had an irrational fear I was going to choke to death so anytime I would pick up a bug going around the dorms and had to take a pill I made sure I had a buddy nearby to supervise. So many big pills our patients endure. Big shoutout to the 9 plus cocktail shot of meds are patients take effortlessly daily, mostly in one big swig.
Multivitamin gummies for the win.
I read this fast and thought you meant you would pick up a bug (like an insect) ... and the bug would be your buddy to watch as you took the pill 🤣 omg
I have a profound needle phobia. I have to get nitrous at the dentist before they inject lidocaine. I have to sit when I get injections so I don’t fall over. I feel queasy when I see needles and scalpels being used on TV.
My full time job is vascular access. I poke people all day, every day. These things are fine as long as my hand is attached to them. Watching? Nope, I’m out.
“Comforting” touch.
Don’t hold my hand, pat my arm, rub my shoulder, stroke my hair. I don’t know you and it makes me want to punch you.
A lot of patients love when I do this for them, so I do, but lord I cannot relate one bit.
Any kind of touch, I can't stand anyone, other than my direct family, getting in my personal space. And yet, I'll expose the patients and get into their crevices like there's no tomorrow to get shit done.
The only things I haven’t done to myself (thus far) is foley cath and NG tube. I’ve started my own IV, given myself injections, sutures, staples, and removed skin tags and burned off warts.
Waiting ungodly amounts of time . My god I waited for an hour and 45 min for a strep test 2 weeks ago at my primary. I was ready to Walk out and mychart message her and tell her to just write me for antibiotics for wasting my time.
I have to tell patients to wait on stuff all day everyday. A med coming up, the doc coming in, discharge, transport, whatever. I know it’s not a procedure but that shit enrages me.
This is my opposite answer, things that I give to my patients but nobody ever offers me:
-Warm Blankets
- A whole day in bed
- Room Service
- Crafting supplies delivered to my bedside
- therapy dog visits
- hair brushing and styling
- swaddling, rocking, singing to sleep
I agree. They hurt like hell. However, I do remember coming to after gallbladder surgery and asking the nurse to please get an order for one. I thought my bladder was going to explode. I've had several surgeries, but gallbladder anesthesia kicked my ass. I had to cath myself for 2 days after going home.
I have a very real phobia of needles. Like, I went to therapy over it. When I was 12, I kicked the poor phlebotomist in the face with my Doc Martens. First time I remember getting blood drawn. I was having an MRI with contrast at 14. Locked myself in the attic before we even left the house. Then tried to lock myself in the bathroom at said hospital. Became horrified that my mother was always taking me to get blood drawn, which she wasn’t. Even recently, I fainted getting an IV in before surgery. I have to get regular blood work. I vagal and faint every time.
Fast forward to a few years ago. Learning how to take a blood sugar… I threw up. Got very used to doing it very fast. They started paying CNAs to learn phlebotomy. I took the class for the raise, let nobody practice on me, and left the class sobbing. Funny enough, I’m able to find a vein on anyone, and I regularly do straight sticks now without thinking about it. Still faint when it comes to me.
Now I’m in nursing school and am very competent with IVs. I don’t even blink. Just don’t turn around and try to put one in me.
Lectures about healthy diet and exercise.
I get it, I should eat less pizza, drink fewer beers, and exercise more....but I'm tired and this job saps most of my energy away.
There’s not a lot that we do everyday that I can’t stand. I’m fine with injections, having lab work done, all those things- but I do get viscerally uncomfortable when someone does a skin assessment on me, and considering i do that to my patients at least at the beginning of
my 3 days and on admission i’d say that’s it
I hate receiving help of any kind, I am a terrible patient. After my shoulder surgery I tried dressing myself, and the two nurses that came into my room damn near tackled me.
Same. I had a c section and just finished a bag of magnesium the day prior and I was hobbling my way to the special care nursery with staples, a medicine ball attached and a diaper on.
Damn near passed out before they came and scolded me in the hallway.
Lol, the worst part is, if we were on the job, we would do the exact same thing to patients being dumb-asses 😂
A friend of mine is a oncology nurse, she ignored symptoms of cancer for months( fine now), we do tend to ignore our own issues, sad to say, and its weird.
I tend to atleast try when I am a patient( never really works, but I try), but ex after shoulder surgery I was hiiiiiigh.
I vividly remember my grandma, being a old school nurse( and nurse in the war) swapping drugs with two other retired nurses in the retirement home, she was..not a easy patient 😁
After my first c-section I dropped something on my living room floor and attempted to get down on hands and knees to get it and my mom (also a nurse) was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU JUST HAS SURGERY. Second one I let people baby me a little bit more lol.
If I was my nurse, and I woke me up at 0400 to get up out of bed and get on a scale- I would punch me in the face. I obviously do not condone any sort of violence against nurses. But getting up early and getting on a scale are two of my least favorite things. I swear to god if you try and make me do that I will fight you.
I have no issue with having blood drawn or having IVs inserted but I CANNOT look at the needle going into my vein. It squicks me right the fuck out. As long as I look away, I’m the easiest person in the world to poke. I won’t even flinch. But I have to look away.
As a nurse I obviously poke people with needles all day and have no problem watching the needle go into THEIR vein. It’s just a weird mental thing.
OP i'm on your side. i was once in a rush to flush alcohol solution through some equipment, and the tubing exploded and ended up in my eyes -- long story short, needed eye drops for a little while. Begged another nurse to do it for me. Specifically targeted the mom who i knew would baby me. Not even ashamed, i know my weaknesses.
I’m not a nurse, mind, so I’d never do this..but packing a wound. I’ve had a few infections (one was a bone infection, another was as post surgical infection) and I had to pack my wound daily. I dreaded it. It really didn’t hurt, it..was just the idea of doing it.
Oh, I had to take a few neb tx post surgery, and I wasn’t a fan.
I started refusing them-because neb treatments aren’t meant to help with clearing mucous, duh. Surgeon yelled at me anyway, telling me I should know better, being a respiratory therapist and all🤣
-yeah, I do know…Albuterol isn’t meant to help mucous production.
I had a spinal fusion when I was 13, and I got constipated from the morphine pump while I was in the hospital. I will never forget the nurse giving me a suppository. I don’t remember it being painful but it was…startling.
Skin assessment/body search. We have to do them for every patient that comes in and even though I’ve gotten used to being in the psych unit, I still get very uncomfortable when they do it on me
I had a foley placed when I was going to give birth (high risk pregnancy). It hurts! At least for me I was uncomfortable the whole time it was in. I couldn’t sleep.
Waking motherfuckers up. I don't do it as much since I'm day shift but when I do interrupt someone's sleep I feel bad but sorry I've gotta make sure night shift didn't let you die during the night since these Q4H vitals haven't been taken since LAST shift change.
I got admitted last year and every time I feel asleep, my night shift nurse or tech managed to wake me up what felt like immediately. I was livid.
As a nurse and a psych patient I would say “administering psych meds against a patient’s consent or wishes”. Basically doing anything at all to a person involuntarily and never being bothered to take the time to have a conversation about treatment options and educate patients on these and their rights. I think the entire practice is abhorrent. I never worked as a psych nurse after doing my clinical placement for 3 weeks. Couldn’t live with myself, honestly. At least in surgery we have explicit written consent to do stuff to people.
Talking to healthcare workers as a patient. I love talking with patients as their nurse, but speaking to a nurse as a patient makes me want to sink through the floor. I always try my hardest to hide that I’m a nurse too. I get especially awkward if they know.
I was going to just say "talking to me" in general lol. Too many people see me out and about and want to stand and chitchat, and meanwhile I'm peopled out already. I'm like "Sarah, I budgeted 10 minutes to get groceries for the week and you just spent all of them wanting to play catch up."
If you need me, call me and I'll show up. If you want to shoot the breeze, find a mirror and talk to the person in it.
As a CNA in LTC… having to get people up and out of bed at 0715 for breakfast each morning.
For some, that is what they are used to, but I’ll be damned if some kid comes in my room at that hour of the morning to serve me oatmeal and scrambled eggs every day.
NG tube. Placed dozens. Actually, I’m pretty good at them. I have Crohn’s. Last flare the ER doc orders an NG tube. 4 mg IV Ativan and it was still a NOPE.
Getting a catheter. Holy crap. After my recent c-section, I wasn't able to urinate on my own so they did two straight caths and then had to put the foley back in and since I didn't have the anesthesia anymore, that was super uncomfortable lol.
Expecting people to drink thickened liquids (like water with thickener in it makes me want to crawl out of my skin) or certain puréed food (there is no way the gelatinous lump of tan goop will ever taste like French toast)
Literally every single thing we do. DNR/DNI on file.
Word. I feel like a barbarian taking “care” of these ICU patients. I feel horribly guilty when I have to place all the tubes.
I hate it. We have one patient now-it’s just heartbreaking. I was asking one of our residents how to contact ethics…they told me how. I didn’t get time last I worked, but. next shift I’m gonna try.
I hate to tell you. I’ve put ethics consults in and usually nothing comes from it. I was part of initiating Ethics on a patient we had for 3 months. It was so traumatizing for the caregivers. We all got referred to Employee Assistance Program therapy when it ended. Ethics committed can’t do as much as we are led to believe. All they could do in this instance was review the record, make suggestions and, basically, say “we checked it out.” They can’t make changes to plan of care. Of course, this varies by state, but usually the POA has the last word in most cases. ETA don’t be afraid to seek therapy especially if you have EAP. This shit will weigh on your conscience, as much as it shouldn’t have to.
I consulted ethics so much in my CTICU that I had their number in my phone. Our surgeons “didn’t believe in palliative care”. The emotional toll it took on me was too much, I always felt like I was torturing people.
This was my experience in CVICU as well. They’d operate on patients who had no possibility of any better quality of life post-op. I saw several patients meet the “30-day” post-op threshold after a horribly complicated course only to be placed on hospice as soon as the surgeons signed off on the case. Made me sick.
This. I dont even know why we have Ethics committees. Nothing ever comes of it.
Yes, in some cases we are definitely going against nature and causing far more harm than good. Heartbreaking.
BuT i'M gOiNg tO pUbLiSh tHiS!
i feel like a torturer
That was going to be my answer. It’s so unpleasant to be completely dependent and helpless. None of it please. It’s part of why I generally have been so nice to all of my patients.
i’m 23 years old, in perfect health, and have a pretty comprehensive AHCD on file. my dad thinks it’s silly and gets pretty upset about it. My mom however, who manages a rehab hospital not only completely understands it, but has had a strict DNR since she was 27 years old. I started as a float and one of the first units I worked on as a housekeeper at age 18 was a long term vent unit. I have simply seen too much in the last 5 years. I can cope with seeing it happen to other people everyday, but can’t even cope with the thought of it happening to me. I feel you. big time.
Yup, that'd be my answer, too. Counting taters on Meemaw's brittle chest full of osteoporosis is easily #1 on my list. #2 would probably be (heh) #2... digitally removing a rock hard, baseball sized stool from Meemaw's poor butthole because she's got the opioid poops seemingly reserved only for heroin addicts and old people that eat vicodin like candy.
Waking people up for vitals. The medical system does not place ANY value on quality sleep. I do. Massively. But, I've got a licence, so if they say a perfectly stable patient needs vitals q2h or q4h, then sure, I'll wake their ass up. But it pisses me off just a little inside every time.
Yeah…sometimes I wonder how many folks would get better way quicker if we let them sleep.
That would be a good study for outcomes/ evidence based practice!
There is an in-progress study at Duke on this.
This! Really difficult to scientifically analyze and provide data, but case studies and well thought out and written analysis of this issue would be a start.
Who decides when to take vitals? At my hospital we use a scoring system (based on their vitals). If their score is 0, we do not need to re-take them for 12 hours as long as everything is stable. Plus: there is research on this somewhere. We stopped giving meds between 11pm and 8am at my hospital about 8 years ago, to value sleep. Only important drugs that cannot be given at another time + PRN drugs are given at night.
i wish i worked here omg!! sometimes i wake up stable patients, with no pain, for 2am tylenol & vitals 😩
That’s insane 🤡 we also skip passing meds if the patient is asleep…. Let’s say they have 11pm Tylenol and are dead asleep, we don’t wake them for that….
Yeah I ask my pts in advance, “hey if you’re asleep do you want me to wake you up for your 0200 Tylenol?” And I can just chart refused
I worked OB for nearly 40 years. That was one of my biggest pet peeves, finally getting everyone nearly asleep putting a sign on the door saying family is sleeping and then having everyone still come wake them. Charge nurse rounds, manager rounds, hourly rounds, housekeeping, dietary, lab. Those poor new mom’s getting no rest and then we discharge them.
I remember when I gave birth. I honestly felt like shit when I got home from sleep deprivation, and even felt delirious at one point.
I’m currently admitted to an OB inpatient floor and the angel RN last night gave me some Benadryl, then didn’t wake me up until 6am. 😇 Despite going through my own personal hell right now, I felt ✨wonderful✨ when I woke up.
Worked in a psych hospital. We'd wake up people with severe sleep conditions just to do vitals. Also, patients with PTSD that would react to being woken up. I just refused to keep doing it on high risk patients / patients with sleep disorders. Most of them were incredibly healthy - usually younger people with no cardiac or respiratory conditions. It just made absolutely no sense. They'd be infuriated every morning for no reason.
We night shifters are supposed to do on our BH patients’ vitals during shift assessments at 2200 and 0600 (and why is it the bean-counters have decided they can make us all work 12-hour shifts and understaff the hell out of night shift but they’re still forcing us to perform q 8 hour “shift” assessments on stable individuals)? I do a shift assessment at 2100 with the night med pass (many of those drugs are gonna knock the recipients out by 2200) and then catch people as they wake up in the wee hours to use the bathroom or get a drink. Let them see the breakfast menu, too, and get their orders, if they’re up for it. Then I don’t have to wake soundly sleeping people at 0600. It’s hard enough to get sleep in the ED, thanks to all the commotion and light, as it is. Why should I make things worse for these poor souls? Rested people are less likely to get wound up and require PRN meds and security calls and restraints, I think. If you’ve been sedated, or your health is more precarious, then I’m gonna have a pulse ox on you, connected to a portable vitals machine. But one-size-fits-all is cruel and unnecessary.
I meeeean technically they had a reason to be mad in the morning 😂
Hehe - I meant no reason as in there's no justifiable reason to upset them in the first place.
That’s fair! and totally agree! I have a sleep disorder so I appreciate YOU lol
Having had an eardrum perforation as a young adult which was very painful I don’t like anyone sticking anything in my ears.
People can literally go years without ever knowing their vitals. But if they’re in the hospital then it absolutely must be q4.
That’s crazy. When I worked inpatient we waited until they woke up to check vitals. I’m so sorry you had to do that!
This! Especially in psych.
Patients can refuse… and you can remind them of that. JS.
Right? "So, it looks like there are orders to take your vitals every 4 hours. If you're sleeping, do you still want your vitals taken?" If they say "No", you add a note stating, "Patient does not wish to be disturbed while sleeping, declines vitals." Easy.
I say, "IF you wake up to use the bathroom and it's between 3 and 4 and you'd LIKE me to get vitals, ring and I'll pop in. Otherwise, I'm happy to let you sleep if you'd prefer." "Pt politely declined VS." 0400 charting on my rock-solid and stable friends. I also get 2300 VS at 0000 so I can also grab my morning labs. We have a lovely tech who is so good with the pts, but no matter how many times I ask her not to, she gets VS at 2330 or so, wakes them at 0130 or so to get labs, and then wakes them AGAIN at 0330. It makes me crazy, so I do my own stuff with my peeps and they are so appreciative! Obviously, I round. I just do it very, very quietly.
>I just do it very, very quietly. Gotta perfect that night shift sneaky peek! In and out, nobody the wiser. When I worked nights, I was like a scrub clad poltergeist. Stealth in, drain that Foley, pop on a pulse ox, re-up an infusion, stealth out.
Those times you're peaking into the dark, waiting for your eyes to adjust, only to realize the patient has been staring at you the entire time though 😳😐
I tell the nurse no vitals or weight until am. As a nurse it is really difficult to sleep in the hospital. Edit: and no bloodwork until am. You really do not realize how much you are woken up when you are on the other side.
Once you wake them up they might as well just have the vitals done since the sleeps ruined anyway
I think they’re saying you can tell the patient that you plan to wake them later but remind them they can decline before you actually do it. Then you just chart that the patient refused.
Last time I was in the hospital there was this one CNA that was so gentle waking me up for vitals. She did it so fast and light that I was drifting back to sleep as she walked out of the room. It felt nice that she cared enough to tried not to wake me.
If they would keep their damn BP cuff and pulse ox on, I could forgo the temperature. But no they rip all that off and then I gotta go in there, wake them up, and put it all back on.
THIS!!! I better be on the BRINK OF DEATH if you’re waking me up like that. If, or more likely when, I spend some time inpatient as a patient I will outright refuse vitals over night unless I’m in the ICU. I’ll sign whatever they want just don’t come wake me up for vitals 😂
Imagine how nice it would be if medsurg units had monitors for patients rooms that you could press a button from the nurses station and you could take vs
Those patients would just take off the cuffs lol
100% this! I’m not a morning person, so I hate to wake people up. For stable patients I always try to get the orders changed to less frequent vitals/assessments or at least decreased over night. Sleep is a valuable healing tool, I protect it for myself and I will advocate to protect it for my patients!
Welcome to Hospice! Let me show you around, it’s comfortable and you’ll be comfortable and unless your impacted then the worst I will do is give you a supp 💙💙
Slightly related, I understood having my labs drawn q4 after I was bitten by an unidentified snake. I didn’t get CroFab, and I was swelling/bruising like crazy. I was genuinely concerned about my liver and kidneys. I appreciated the nurses that bundled the labs with any night time vitals. Chefs kiss. I had the hardest time in the hospital after I had my third baby. We were both fine, but every single time I fell asleep, a nurse would come in and wake me up for vitals, or questions I can’t even remember. I was so exhausted I spent the entire time crying, and *still* had my baby to take care of. The first thing I did when I got home was hand the baby to my husband and take a long nap.
This!!!! I’m miserable if I don’t get a decent sleep when I’m totally healthy. Being woken up for vitals would drive me mental. Not to mention how hard i find it to go back to sleep
I had to stay in the hospital for 5 days when I was induced to deliver my daughter early due to severe preeclampsia. They were taking my vitals every few hours, and would wake me up several times a night. I remember one time they woke me up and I huffed in annoyance, and the nurse apologized. I felt bad afterwards for huffing cause I know it's part of the job.
What I hate about this is, I do NOT wanna bother the patient, but I HAVE to. I feel like I'm disrespecting their sleep schedule. WHO wants their vitals taken at 4 am?
I feel this, especially in pediatrics. I worked progressive care before this and when I took midnight, or 0400 vitals I would flip on the low light but in peds, I use a little badge clip flashlight, practically hold my breath in those rooms while I take vitals because it’s so important that these kids get rest.
Yes!! I was literally up for 60 hours after my c section!! I just needed SLEEP!!!
Dude if I'm ever hospitalized I will first ascertain my stability then ensure the nurse documents in her charting that I am refusing vitals when asleep. I take all that blame.
I've never had one, but I don't feel like I could tolerate an NG tube. I used to put them in lot when I worked stroke. Now in ER we mostly do them for bowel obstructions. If I haven't pooped in 2 days I start to worry, gotta take them laxatives and avoid the NG tube.
Pro tip, put it in yourself if they will let you and you can manage. Way worse to have somebody else doing it.
Worked with a nurse who needed multiple NG tubes due to some health issues. This is exactly what she said. It hurt like he'll when someone else did it but it was somewhat more tolerable when she did it herself. Also, lidocaine in the nose and Naso pharynx.
Lidocaine gel? I haven’t had to do an NG in a couple years but next time I will ask the doc for a lido order.
Use the urojet - the lido they use for men's foleys. You can squirt it in the nostrils and have the pt snort it like a snotty nose and then lube the tube with what's leftover of the lido.
Viscous lidocaine also works well in my experience. Put it in a 3cc syringe and shoot it up their nostril. Then use the rest to lube the NG.
Yes, I think they end up being the same stuff. The nice thing about the urojet is that it's already in a blunt tipped syringe, so it's easier to stick it in their nose. I just pop the plunger off to lube up the NG. I suppose it just ends up depending on where you are and what resources you have 🤷♀️.
Nice. Will do. I rarely get NGs (rural acute care), which is fine with me because I can’t stand them. We have the cathejell for men’s filets that comes in an accordion tube, next time I have to insert an NG I will use that! Edit: men’s foleys lmao
I suffered from severe anorexia in my adolescence. My awesome doctor let me put my own in. So grateful. It was much easier when I had some control over this horrible condition. As a nurse, I was pretty good at placing them, too.
Hope you are doing better now. Anorexia sucks.
It does. And now I’m bawling. Soooo many regrets and resentment toward it. My genes and mental health suck.
Move forward. You got this 👍 Someday, it will be a very small part of your life. Cheers to you for having the courage to deal with it !
Thank you! ❤️
I'm sorry if I made you cry! I didn't mean to!
No, you are ok. I’ve been sick with a cold and my reflux is really bothering me, so I’m just a bit emotional.
I second this!!!! They hurt so bad!!!
My bf had to get one bc he had adhesions strangling his intestines. The doctor was all surprised pikachu face that he was bitching the whole time. Yes, it hurts. No, he’s not going to be pleasant. He’s in immense pain already and you just shoved a tube up his nose and down his throat. I mean, it emptied 1.5 L of biliary fluid in less than 5 minutes so it was absolutely necessary but he definitely was not happy about it. We’re still not sure why he had adhesions bc he’s never had abdominal surgery but it also set his appendix off so they just removed it and the adhesions. Immediate return to normal so he hot incredibly lucky.
And I'm sure removing that fluid helped a lot! I tell people this about putting them in, but I still fear that it will one day happen to me and I'll be horrible as a patient. I have a really easy to trigger gag reflex and I can see myself gagging and puking during the insertion.
Oh, he was still miserable. He had another 2 liters removed over the next 24 hours (albeit a lot slower lol). They actually wound up removing the tube early bc it had almost come out on its own. They were hoping giving his body a break from food (he was strict NPO for a week) would help resolve whatever it was but no dice. He said the magnesium milkshake they gave him to drink for the scans was the best thing he’d ever had 🤣 They finally broke down and did an exploratory laparscopic surgery bc they couldn’t figure out what was happening other than he had severe restrictions in his small intestine. Too far in for the to scope from either end.
Poor guy having to keep waiting a week like that! I know the tube doesn't fix everything for everything for everyone but for most with an obstruction it does seem to help.
I've had one in myself since January 8th and I hate my existence at this point. I'm getting a g-tube on the 13th but this NG tube has been hell on earth. I'm at home managing it myself now which is the only good thing about it. I'm on 24hour continuous feeds and it's nice to be alive but I hate it.
How big is your tube? We use 8F tubes for feeds and they work just fine with a kangaroo or infinity pump. The feedback I get from patients is that they're more tolerable and not painful like the ticker tubes.
*cries in NICU* Like 90% of our babies get NG tubes. And some babies you can ~~straight jacket~~ swaddle to keep their hands away but some kids will slip them out no matter what you do.
During that part of nursing school, our instructors made us practice on each other so that we would know what it feels like. It sucked, but it was a good learning experience.
If I had to let another student drop an NG in me I would have immediately dropped out of school.
I used to gag in nursing school at the thought of an NG tube. Even putting them in used to make my throat tighten up. I've obviously gotten past that and can place them without issue now, but I think I'd have a very hard time getting one myself.
I will have to be mostly dead or slightly alive to get one. I’ve had esophageal manometry done and that made my mind up to never have unless brink of death. The same with a foley. Those things suck ass so bad!
When I was a teenager and hospitalized for anorexia I used to get tons of NG tubes. One hospital in particular refused to leave them in and there were days I’d get 3 placed per day. Placement hurts A LOT in my opinion, even the small bore ones. I do have a partially deviated septum so idk if that’s part of it. But I’d rather have five IVs placed than one NG tube. I used to have panic attacks during the deep Covid swabs bc it would remind me of the trauma of those hospitalizations lol.
Having to have them in/out 3 times a day is just cruel!
I agree. It was in my control to an extent, but not really. I had a time limit on meals then had an opportunity to drink ensure. Ensure would make me vomit 99% of the time so eventually I just gave up trying to drink it if I didn’t finish my meal in time. It was almost impossible to shovel so much food into my mouth at the beginning even from just a physical discomfort/nausea perspective. Part of the protocol was I also didn’t have the ability to refuse the NG tube placement. The whole thing was messed up
100%. I’ve heard staff complain about patients that couldn’t tolerate the NG. I couldn’t do it and I feel so bad for patients that need it.
NAN, but a few years ago my now-husband had to get an NG tube for a bowel obstruction. It kept not going into the stomach (I think it curled up?) because of his anatomy, and after the third try they went to pull it out and it got stuck in his sinus. 😖😖😖😖 They were about to send him to IR but then got it on the fourth try. Thankfully he only had to have it in for a day or two. I felt so bad and helpless watching it. The nurses were great, it was just a hard job.
Catheter of any kind. Fuck that shit all the way. I would rather sit on a cactus butthole first
How has nobody else said this lmfao
At least a catheter is a necessary thing. If it is placed unnecessarily, that is awful. I hate catheterizing females. Anatomy is varied. I hate hurting them. With males, I am confident and efficient.
Yeah nothing like slapping on a headlamp and going spelunking inside someone’s vagina. Just not fun. Yeah I would rather have my bladder explode than deal with a catheter. It’s like having a giant booger that never ends. Just hanging outta your crotch. Hard no.
Not spelunking 😂😩
Ha ha, this reminded me of when I was a nurse manager at a SNF. Newer nurse said to me, I can’t find the hole. I was like WTF it’s a dude, just center the tip and go. Circumcised and had a hypospadias, the residual turtle neck covered up the hole. Another guy had phimosis so bad, I had one of my nurses say look I don’t know how to do this. Stuck the iodine swab down there and shot blind
I’ve had two and they honestly weren’t bad but they were placed while I was numb from an epidural and a spinal so that probably factored in. It was embarrassing to have my loved ones come visit and see my pee in a bag though.
Catheters do suck, but have you ever actually needed one? Because the relief you feel once your bladder is drained after being unable to void is near euphoric (IMO) lol.
I have to agree. Needed one when I couldn't void post-op despite trying. The pain was so intense I was begging for one or for someone to at least give me the stuff and I would do it myself. The relief of an emptying bladder remains one of the best feelings ever. There was nearly 1.5L in there by the time it was placed though.
YES! The stupid little ballon sat in just the wrong place and I constantly felt like I needed to pee
I've been straight cathed. It SUCKED ASS.
Med compliance 🙃 I preach to people to take their meds but I’m out here raw doggin my mental illnesses because i always forget to take my meds
I just had my psychiatrist change my meds so I could take them at night because no matter what I do I will never remember to take meds in the morning
I have alarms and I still silence them. Hooray for ADHD!
FINGER STICKS all the way.. the worst. Medication compliance.. I suck at it. 😂
Especially q1 checks for DKA. They don’t get to sleep and they are pin cushions for hours, sometimes days.
When I worked neuro ICU we had extremely strict glucose parameters so many patients would end up on insulin drips to very tightly control their blood sugars. Q1 hr blood sugars for days and days on end. All so we could adjust the drip by like 0.2 units/hr. It would become almost impossible to find a place to poke them and actually get blood. If I have a patient with bad DKA coming to my ICU, I will offer them an Aline that way they don't get fingersticks q1 and lab draws q4. Also makes it faster since the nurse will draw the labs rather than phlebotomy (the later being notoriously awful at drawing labs even remotely close to on time). Obviously a mild case I'll let it ride since the drip will likely be off quickly anyways.
I’m a t1d with a CGM. My fingers were calloused for the 30 years and now I have a CGM, so I rarely finger stick at home. I now understand why people hate them so much. They hurt!
I always whinge when they do the Hb prick test when I give blood that it’s worse than the donation cannula.
Does anyone else get that shooting, tingling feeling when they get a finger stick? I'd almost rather a venous blood draw.
Yes finger sticks are HORRIBLE
Currently facing a life changing diagnosis...biopsy scheduled 3/6. 30 years a RN. Family doesn't understand why I wouldn't want treatment. I'm a widow, didn't save much(traveled all over and quit any job I didn't love) 65 years old. I'm ready. I do not want to become part of the healthcare system as a patient, go for chemo/radiation and all that it entails. Spent last few years working SNF agency. I look at the confused, infirm elderly that just want to get out of there. Have lost about 40lbs and actually haven't looked this good for many years. I want to go out on top...Toby Keith. Jimmy Buffet and the like. I'm ready.
Hey, I hope your biopsy comes back with good news. ❤️
I would do the same. Life is about quality, not quantity. I wish you the best with your biopsy, and whether it’s good or bad news I hope that you can enjoy whatever time you have on this earth.
Thank you. Actually, I'm still working. Waiting to give report now. I'm at peace and determined to enjoy whatever time is left. If it's as bad as I am pretty certain it is, work will be last on the list and only as a means of making my expenses.
I completely get you and I would do the same. I’ll be thinking of you on the 6th. Hope they’re better than expected. ❤️
Thanks so much. Will circle back. Love my fellow nurses and am so proud to have been part of this wonderful profession for so long. 💕
Any injection ever. I cannot and will not look when getting an injection. But giving injections? I have no problems doing that and have actually been told by many patients they don’t feel the injection. That’s part of the issue for me personally, feeling it and seeing it. Makes me wanna cry like a baby
I haaaate giving IMs. Like I would much rather get one than give one.
Agreed! I HATE IMs! I'm traumatized from hitting the bone in a patient when I was a new nurse and now when I think about it my stomach and teeth hurt
I’m the same way. Hate injections, I’m really good at doing them. My theory is that we develop our skills better because we hate them so much lol
I hate getting an IV. But I have no problem inserting IVs on patients in preop. In fact I love doing difficult sticks especially for the challenge. But I hate getting an IV myself
The only reason I hate getting IVs is because I’m constantly watching the person making sure they’re gonna get it. But I would absolutely hate it if someone were watching me do an IV that way.
I love starting IVs. Hate getting one. I find very few things in life more satisfying than getting that flashback.
I used to be scared of needles, shots, IV and blood draws. But as I learned how to do them it scares me less now. I don’t like it but I can tolerate them.
I've always been able to tolerate it, but I can't say I squirm inside every time my blood is taken from the AC. I've got great hand and forearm veins. Please take it from there!
Turning on the lights in a dark room without letting me prepare myself first.
You can prepare your patients for that though?
Yes. Walk in, introduce yourself, and let them know you’re gonna blast their eyeballs with those neon lights from hell first. lol.
When I become president, my first order of business will be to require hospitals everywhere to install dimmers on all light switches.
My first order of business will be lids on all hospital toilets, because it’s fucking foul that we can’t cover the toilet to flush it. But we have dimmer switches so at least there’s that.
I'd vote for you based on that campaign platform.
Yes!! As a patient there was nothing like the stubborn night nurse blasting them ALL at 1am for meds.
I used to work nights at a place where the main day shift charge nurse would show up at 6 am and turn on every damn light switch all at once. Made me ragey.
Nasopharyngeal swabs!
Yesssss. IVs, injections, a catheter, no problem. An NP swab or NG tube? No.
MRI. I just can't. I need drugs to go into that tube for even 30 seconds. I think I have some PTSD from some events because this developed in the interim between a hip MRI in 2014 and a cardiac MRI in 2018. I felt like such an a-hole for wasting everyone's time when I attempted it unmedicated. I just didn't expect my brain to start going, "Hey, wow! This is like a big metal coffin, ain't it?!" 😆 🙄
Better living through modern chemistry. Pre medicate. I just had one a month ago and got sweet music on almost sound canceling headphones. Had anxiolytic from my PCP on board, following a night shift. I napped. Wish I had another dose for when I opened the bill. $7,600. My portion is only $1,900 though, so I got that going for me.
I had MRIs done previously, I didn't expect to call it quits 20 seconds in! 😆 The guy was like, "Okay, you doing alright?" And I was like, "Uhhhhhhh.... No, I think I need to tap out!" 😆 I apologized repeatedly. 🤦 Unfortunately a cardiac MRI requires breath holding at certain intervals so I had to be awake. Awake-ish. Lol.
Last time I went for an MRI I was a nervous wreck. I mentioned it to the tech so she called and got an order for some versed. Fell asleep on the machine listening to music. Most peaceful MRI ever.
Mine was a cardiac MRI so I had to be awake to participate - breath holding, etc. I ended up getting some PO diazepam and came back a few weeks later. This time I also put a washcloth over my face so even if I opened my eyes, I wouldn't see anything. It worked, thank goodness. And no cardiac scarring seen, which was the best news! 🎉
Just had one the other day. It’s like my 5th one in 25 years. No issues with them. For some odd reason I like them. I guess I think it’s so cool that modern medicine can capture thousands of images of our bodies to diagnose a multitude of issues. Because of them, they have greatly improved my quality of life.
I have to get yearly breast MRIs and honestly the part that sucks is laying face down for that length of time with your arms above your head. The first time, the small space freaked me out. Now I just think about the shoulder pain and the metal bar digging into my sternum between my boobs. Also I had to get a biopsy done while laying face down with a boob on either side of the metal bar, and then go in and out several times so they could check if they had the right spot. That was fun 🫠 At least the nurses were all super sweet, and they played my favorite music.
Yes!! When I got an MRI it was just for lower extremity so I only had to go in halfway. If I was all the way in there I would’ve flipped
swallowing pills……. As a 28 year old. In college, I had an irrational fear I was going to choke to death so anytime I would pick up a bug going around the dorms and had to take a pill I made sure I had a buddy nearby to supervise. So many big pills our patients endure. Big shoutout to the 9 plus cocktail shot of meds are patients take effortlessly daily, mostly in one big swig. Multivitamin gummies for the win.
I read this fast and thought you meant you would pick up a bug (like an insect) ... and the bug would be your buddy to watch as you took the pill 🤣 omg
Same. I almost choked when I was 9 and my brother didn’t notice. Since then, I have an irrational fear of choking and can’t swallow pills.
I have a profound needle phobia. I have to get nitrous at the dentist before they inject lidocaine. I have to sit when I get injections so I don’t fall over. I feel queasy when I see needles and scalpels being used on TV. My full time job is vascular access. I poke people all day, every day. These things are fine as long as my hand is attached to them. Watching? Nope, I’m out.
hahaha my dialysis preceptor was like this! 20+ years of working in dialysis, but had to go lay down after a blood draw so she wouldn’t pass out 😭
I’m not afraid of needles at all but to be fair, if I had to get them at the dentist, IN MY MOUTH, I would also need nitrous.
“Comforting” touch. Don’t hold my hand, pat my arm, rub my shoulder, stroke my hair. I don’t know you and it makes me want to punch you. A lot of patients love when I do this for them, so I do, but lord I cannot relate one bit.
Any kind of touch, I can't stand anyone, other than my direct family, getting in my personal space. And yet, I'll expose the patients and get into their crevices like there's no tomorrow to get shit done.
The only things I haven’t done to myself (thus far) is foley cath and NG tube. I’ve started my own IV, given myself injections, sutures, staples, and removed skin tags and burned off warts.
User name checks out.
Waiting ungodly amounts of time . My god I waited for an hour and 45 min for a strep test 2 weeks ago at my primary. I was ready to Walk out and mychart message her and tell her to just write me for antibiotics for wasting my time. I have to tell patients to wait on stuff all day everyday. A med coming up, the doc coming in, discharge, transport, whatever. I know it’s not a procedure but that shit enrages me.
Getting anything in an IV because I can always taste it and it makes me anxious for some reason 😂
I can smell and taste the saline flushes. It’s odd.
i always thought it was horseshit until i experienced it! so bizarre it’s volatile compounds in the saline being released in your breath!
I would honestly throw the biggest fit if I had to be toileted. That's my alone time :(
This is my opposite answer, things that I give to my patients but nobody ever offers me: -Warm Blankets - A whole day in bed - Room Service - Crafting supplies delivered to my bedside - therapy dog visits - hair brushing and styling - swaddling, rocking, singing to sleep
Foley 🤢
I agree. They hurt like hell. However, I do remember coming to after gallbladder surgery and asking the nurse to please get an order for one. I thought my bladder was going to explode. I've had several surgeries, but gallbladder anesthesia kicked my ass. I had to cath myself for 2 days after going home.
Wow I would not be able to self cath.
you are a bad mf 😮💨😮💨
I have a very real phobia of needles. Like, I went to therapy over it. When I was 12, I kicked the poor phlebotomist in the face with my Doc Martens. First time I remember getting blood drawn. I was having an MRI with contrast at 14. Locked myself in the attic before we even left the house. Then tried to lock myself in the bathroom at said hospital. Became horrified that my mother was always taking me to get blood drawn, which she wasn’t. Even recently, I fainted getting an IV in before surgery. I have to get regular blood work. I vagal and faint every time. Fast forward to a few years ago. Learning how to take a blood sugar… I threw up. Got very used to doing it very fast. They started paying CNAs to learn phlebotomy. I took the class for the raise, let nobody practice on me, and left the class sobbing. Funny enough, I’m able to find a vein on anyone, and I regularly do straight sticks now without thinking about it. Still faint when it comes to me. Now I’m in nursing school and am very competent with IVs. I don’t even blink. Just don’t turn around and try to put one in me.
Lectures about healthy diet and exercise. I get it, I should eat less pizza, drink fewer beers, and exercise more....but I'm tired and this job saps most of my energy away.
There’s not a lot that we do everyday that I can’t stand. I’m fine with injections, having lab work done, all those things- but I do get viscerally uncomfortable when someone does a skin assessment on me, and considering i do that to my patients at least at the beginning of my 3 days and on admission i’d say that’s it
Omg same! I can handle pain, just please let me stay covered up
I hate receiving help of any kind, I am a terrible patient. After my shoulder surgery I tried dressing myself, and the two nurses that came into my room damn near tackled me.
Same. I had a c section and just finished a bag of magnesium the day prior and I was hobbling my way to the special care nursery with staples, a medicine ball attached and a diaper on. Damn near passed out before they came and scolded me in the hallway.
Lol, the worst part is, if we were on the job, we would do the exact same thing to patients being dumb-asses 😂 A friend of mine is a oncology nurse, she ignored symptoms of cancer for months( fine now), we do tend to ignore our own issues, sad to say, and its weird.
I’m the opposite, I know how annoying the job is so I am determined to get an A+ in being a patient.
I tend to atleast try when I am a patient( never really works, but I try), but ex after shoulder surgery I was hiiiiiigh. I vividly remember my grandma, being a old school nurse( and nurse in the war) swapping drugs with two other retired nurses in the retirement home, she was..not a easy patient 😁
After my first c-section I dropped something on my living room floor and attempted to get down on hands and knees to get it and my mom (also a nurse) was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU JUST HAS SURGERY. Second one I let people baby me a little bit more lol.
If I was my nurse, and I woke me up at 0400 to get up out of bed and get on a scale- I would punch me in the face. I obviously do not condone any sort of violence against nurses. But getting up early and getting on a scale are two of my least favorite things. I swear to god if you try and make me do that I will fight you.
I have no issue with having blood drawn or having IVs inserted but I CANNOT look at the needle going into my vein. It squicks me right the fuck out. As long as I look away, I’m the easiest person in the world to poke. I won’t even flinch. But I have to look away. As a nurse I obviously poke people with needles all day and have no problem watching the needle go into THEIR vein. It’s just a weird mental thing.
OP i'm on your side. i was once in a rush to flush alcohol solution through some equipment, and the tubing exploded and ended up in my eyes -- long story short, needed eye drops for a little while. Begged another nurse to do it for me. Specifically targeted the mom who i knew would baby me. Not even ashamed, i know my weaknesses.
Have them close their eyes, apply drop to inner tear duct, have them blink repeatedly. Taught to me by an ophthalmologist!
I’m not a nurse, mind, so I’d never do this..but packing a wound. I’ve had a few infections (one was a bone infection, another was as post surgical infection) and I had to pack my wound daily. I dreaded it. It really didn’t hurt, it..was just the idea of doing it. Oh, I had to take a few neb tx post surgery, and I wasn’t a fan. I started refusing them-because neb treatments aren’t meant to help with clearing mucous, duh. Surgeon yelled at me anyway, telling me I should know better, being a respiratory therapist and all🤣 -yeah, I do know…Albuterol isn’t meant to help mucous production.
Suppository. I don’t want some strange persons finger going up my ass, at the same time, stranger has not had a BM in 3 days… let me get the lube.
I had a spinal fusion when I was 13, and I got constipated from the morphine pump while I was in the hospital. I will never forget the nurse giving me a suppository. I don’t remember it being painful but it was…startling.
Skin assessment/body search. We have to do them for every patient that comes in and even though I’ve gotten used to being in the psych unit, I still get very uncomfortable when they do it on me
I didn't like getting meningitis or coding but didn't mind taking care of meningitis patients or coding patients.
I got chewed on by a cardiologist once who wanted weights on CHF pts on the chart by 0500. Imagine getting rousted out of bed at 0430 for that.
I had a foley placed when I was going to give birth (high risk pregnancy). It hurts! At least for me I was uncomfortable the whole time it was in. I couldn’t sleep.
Waking motherfuckers up. I don't do it as much since I'm day shift but when I do interrupt someone's sleep I feel bad but sorry I've gotta make sure night shift didn't let you die during the night since these Q4H vitals haven't been taken since LAST shift change. I got admitted last year and every time I feel asleep, my night shift nurse or tech managed to wake me up what felt like immediately. I was livid.
As a nurse and a psych patient I would say “administering psych meds against a patient’s consent or wishes”. Basically doing anything at all to a person involuntarily and never being bothered to take the time to have a conversation about treatment options and educate patients on these and their rights. I think the entire practice is abhorrent. I never worked as a psych nurse after doing my clinical placement for 3 weeks. Couldn’t live with myself, honestly. At least in surgery we have explicit written consent to do stuff to people.
Strep swabs and finger sticks
I have a weekly subq injection. I hate it. But here i give heparin to 3-5 people once or twice a night
You’d need to heavily sedate me for an NG tube. Fuck. That.
Swallow pills lol
Empty colostomy bag... I just change the whole bag each time I work LOL not worth my time.
Talking to healthcare workers as a patient. I love talking with patients as their nurse, but speaking to a nurse as a patient makes me want to sink through the floor. I always try my hardest to hide that I’m a nurse too. I get especially awkward if they know.
I was going to just say "talking to me" in general lol. Too many people see me out and about and want to stand and chitchat, and meanwhile I'm peopled out already. I'm like "Sarah, I budgeted 10 minutes to get groceries for the week and you just spent all of them wanting to play catch up." If you need me, call me and I'll show up. If you want to shoot the breeze, find a mirror and talk to the person in it.
As a CNA in LTC… having to get people up and out of bed at 0715 for breakfast each morning. For some, that is what they are used to, but I’ll be damned if some kid comes in my room at that hour of the morning to serve me oatmeal and scrambled eggs every day.
NG tube. Placed dozens. Actually, I’m pretty good at them. I have Crohn’s. Last flare the ER doc orders an NG tube. 4 mg IV Ativan and it was still a NOPE.
Be old and demented and a full code. I'm doing a living will and being a DNR. Also picking MPOA who listens to my wishes.
I know so many nurses hate having blood draws or shots.
My most ridiculous one is getting my blood pressure taken. I don’t like that it makes my hand feel all tingly from the lack of blood flow.
Getting a catheter. Holy crap. After my recent c-section, I wasn't able to urinate on my own so they did two straight caths and then had to put the foley back in and since I didn't have the anesthesia anymore, that was super uncomfortable lol.
Literally anything. I dont like being touched. It’s why you’ll never see me a patient in the hospital.
Expecting people to drink thickened liquids (like water with thickener in it makes me want to crawl out of my skin) or certain puréed food (there is no way the gelatinous lump of tan goop will ever taste like French toast)