Which nursing skills do you dread?

Nurses General Nursing

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What nursing skills do you absolutely hate doing? Even if it is super easy and not time consuming? Which orders do you read and just think to yourself, aw man! I hate doing that!! I'm just curious!

I hate doing dressing changes. (I think b/c we get a lot of gangrene wounds... and they stink!)

I also loathe hanging blood! I don't know why... it isn't difficult

And of course enemas and disimpactions aren't too fun either!

I also hate giving eye and ear drops. I don't know why...

I also hate having to collect stool samples... ewwww the idea of scooping up the poop into the little cup... gross :lol2:

Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.
C Diff sucks all of the oxygen out of the air. As you continue to breathe, you can taste it..It makes skunks seem like silly playthings.

:rotfl::rotfl: Now isn't that the truth!!

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Specializes in med-surg/or/ambulatory/geriatric psyc.

I LOVE doing ostomy pouch changes, skin care, etc. I guess I better, cause now I am a wound/ostomy nurse at our facility. It also helps that I have sinus problems, so my sniffer doesn't work so well!

Oldiebutgoodie

Ostomy care does not bother me either and some day I want to specialize in it due to having a colostomy myself. But I have to agree with those who do not like brushing dentures and suctioning trachs........those two tasks make it to where I struggle to not gag while I am performing them. :bugeyes:

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I hate trying to explain to a 4 year old what "dead" means and why his little brother will never come home again.

I hate looking a parent in the eyes and saying, "Yes, your baby is brain dead. No, there is *no* chance that we are mistaken. Would you like him to be an organ donor?"

I hate sitting outside a patient's room and discussing "the harvest" of a 21 month old's organs with the transplant coordinator.

I hate clipping locks of hair and taking final foot/hand prints of a child immediately prior to him being wheeled away for organ retrieval.

(side note: I had a very bad week at work this week.)

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Specializes in Too many to list.
I hate trying to explain to a 4 year old what "dead" means and why his little brother will never come home again.

I hate looking a parent in the eyes and saying, "Yes, your baby is brain dead. No, there is *no* chance that we are mistaken. Would you like him to be an organ donor?"

I hate sitting outside a patient's room and discussing "the harvest" of a 21 month old's organs with the transplant coordinator.

I hate clipping locks of hair and taking final foot/hand prints of a child immediately prior to him being wheeled away for organ retrieval.

(side note: I had a very bad week at work this week.)

Just reading this makes me cry. Bless you, Susan. I could never do what

you do. It makes everything else seem easy.

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Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
Just reading this makes me cry. Bless you, Susan. I could never do what

you do. It makes everything else seem easy.

I second that. Thank you for your compassion.

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Bless you, Susan

Thank you.

Thank you for your compassion.

And thank you. :)

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I hate trying to explain to a 4 year old what "dead" means and why his little brother will never come home again.

I hate looking a parent in the eyes and saying, "Yes, your baby is brain dead. No, there is *no* chance that we are mistaken. Would you like him to be an organ donor?"

I hate sitting outside a patient's room and discussing "the harvest" of a 21 month old's organs with the transplant coordinator.

I hate clipping locks of hair and taking final foot/hand prints of a child immediately prior to him being wheeled away for organ retrieval.

(side note: I had a very bad week at work this week.)

i still say, high colostomies in a hot room, is a close second.:chair:

seriously susan, thanks for keeping it in perspective.:icon_hug:

leslie

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Specializes in LPN, Hospice.

I can imagine how difficult is your job, I work for Hospice, and I have difficult moments too, I want to mention a beautiful lady and great person she was a nurse from the Baptist Hospital Miami Florida, I took care of here during her last days, and I spent wonderful time with her, she passed away the las Set 28, for lung cancer, CHRISTINE JEREZ, she will be always in my heart.......AND BLESS YOU SUSAN

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Specializes in Emergency, Nursing Management, Auditing.

i dread:

-enemas

-IV starts on elderly pts or young children

-inserting NG tubes... blech

-butt wiping/placing pts on bedpans, etc.

-orthostatics... for some reason i HATE doing this! and EKG's! LOL

2 things that are very simple but i just absolutely can't stand doing

-undressing pts with contractures... eep

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Someone asked already but no one answered, what is so bad about hanging blood?

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I really hate checking residuals from an NG/OG tube, especially if I have to take it out of the syringe to measure more than 60 mls.

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The calls in the middle of the night to family "please come in..Mom/Dad has taken a turn for the worse" and then letting them know that they have died.

Disimpactions

Enemas till clear

Drawing blood/ starting IVs on the elderly

Ted hose

feeding patients

wound care on nasty/ unavoidable wounds

assisting anyone who is vomiting...even my kids (I will join right in)

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