OK, we've weighed in on what we HATE to do at work........now, what do you actually LIKE to do? (Besides make money, of course...)
One of my favorite tasks is, of all things, taking care of post-op patients. I enjoy meeting them, finding out about their surgery, and making them as comfortable as possible, which is often quite a challenge! I also love to see them get better day by day until they're finally ready to go home. They are usually very appreciative of the care they receive, and sometimes I'll run into a former patient in town and they'll say "Oh, I know you, you're that nice nurse who took such good care of me!" Some patients come in for repeated surgeries, and we get to know each other over time....I really enjoy these patients, as opposed to the frequent-flyer medical patients who keep landing in the hospital because of bad lifestyles, addiction, and plain old stupidity (we have one young fellow who comes in roughly every couple of months in hypertensive crisis, who STILL doesn't get it that alcohol and meth are not his friends).
I also really like starting IVs---the more challenging, the better---and precepting students. I've currently got a gaggle of first-year folks who've taken to following me around the floor like little ducks, and I love it! They keep me on my toes, and I find I'm a better nurse when I have to serve as an example. :)
I'm not a nurse, yet, but I've had lots of occassions to contemplate the sort of nurse I hope to become. I think my one real talent for nursing is listening to people, and it's one of my favorite things to do. There are times in my present job (orderly, sort of)when I'm able to take a minute or two to listen to a patient's concerns and get an insight to better help his nurse meet those concerns. I sure hope to make time to do that when I'm the nurse. More and more, listening skills seem to help me in clinicals, as well, especially now that I'm finally starting to develop a knowledge base and a semblance of clinical skills to actually do something about what I hear. (God help me, I seem to be going through another optimistic phase! But maybe this one won't be followed by an abject despair phase. It's a tough life when being bipolar is just a realistic assessment of your circumstances!)
The other thing I do enjoy from time to time is commenting to a co-worker, just loud enough for my NM to overhear, "You know, I kind of like it when they're combative..."
Hmm. Actually, I do kind of like it when they're combative.
I would have to say hands down the patients. I miss direct patient care. I mean being able to sepnd more than 5 minutes with them out of a 12 hr shift. It seems it can't be done anymore unless you want to stay over everyday.
I LOVE taking care of trauma patients when they're fresh into the ICU. There's so much to do with hanging blood and starting drips to doing lab after lab and correcting all the abnormals. All that work gives me such an adrenaline rush. And it's an AMAZING feeling when you finally see these patients wake up and are extubated. I love when our patients come back walking through our unit to visit us after weeks of rehab. It's so encouraging for everyone. :)
I love seeing all these cute pretty little young female nurses, almosy makes me feel young again
I love golf
I love these young new snippy little mds come in and say something. I just love to say are you talking to me that way, come back when your old enuff to shave.
I love making pts laugh. Whether its by accident (falling off the stool when I'm trying to say something profound) or cracking jokes (during pericare after delivery, I tell new moms the unattractive mesh panties are Victoria's Other Secret).
Most find this one strange, but I do like taking care of parents who are expecting fetal demise and are being induced, because I've learned I'm pretty good at the emotional nursing aspect.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I love making pts laugh. Whether its by accident (falling off the stool when I'm trying to say something profound) or cracking jokes (during pericare after delivery, I tell new moms the unattractive mesh panties are Victoria's Other Secret).
Most find this one strange, but I do like taking care of parents who are expecting fetal demise and are being induced, because I've learned I'm pretty good at the emotional nursing aspect.
I enjoy making patients laugh, too! I generally joke around with them and toss off the one-liners when it's appropriate, but sometimes it's the spontaneous stuff that really breaks people up.......like the time I nearly destroyed a patient room in less than five minutes.
I'd gone in to introduce myself to these two ladies, and the first thing I did was trip over one's Foley catheter tubing. Could've been a real disaster, but luckily I didn't tug too hard on the cath when I did it. The next thing was to fetch a custard for the pt. in the other bed, which I promptly dumped right down the side of the bed and onto the floor. Then no sooner did I get THAT mess cleaned up then I opened the cabinet to retrieve another box of gloves, and about 25 little paper cups tumbled off the top shelf and onto my head, shoulders, and the floor! :imbar
In the meantime, these two pts. were literally howling with laughter, and what else could I do but join them? I was glad they saw the humor in the situation, because otherwise I'd have been absolutely mortified. I've never been blessed with a lot of grace, but this display of klutziness was unusual even for me. :chuckle
Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.
Well, now that I have been off of work since Nov 9 ( bad back...not a worker's comp thing.... BUMMER) Anyway.... I always thought that having a nice long break would be nice, but since it's cold & I can't do S*&^, I guess that is why I'm not having fun.... I actually MISS work! I can't believe how bored to tears I am, doing absolutely nothing... not much you can do, when you can't sit, stand, or lie down, comfortably, for any length of time.
I miss patients, I especially miss my little ol' ladies, & bilat TKR's on the rehab unit I used to work on. I miss telling them, " No, you are here for rehab. I'm not going home with you, so you need to try to do it yourself, & I will back you up IF needed." & Man, do I LIKE to see those needy "PIMA" patients go home, without any caregivers, or assistive devices.....It's sooooo cool.
I really love being at work and having a little extra time for the poor old people who haven't had many visitors. I love giving them extra attention and doing the skin care, talking to them, helping them eat.
I also love having a puzzle to solve (WHY is that Na+ level so high? Where is that low urinary output coming from?) and working with the MDs to get it figured out.
I have grown to very much appreciate the time you're off duty because you've already reported off and that pain-in-the-you-know-what, know-everything, pushy family member rings again with some totally meaningless complaint and the phone rings or the beeper sounds for your replacement to respond, not you. I feel sorry for that nurse, but what a delicious treat to know I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT FAMILY MEMBER ANYMORE TODAY!!!!
nursemike, ASN, RN
1 Article; 2,362 Posts
I'm not a nurse, yet, but I've had lots of occassions to contemplate the sort of nurse I hope to become. I think my one real talent for nursing is listening to people, and it's one of my favorite things to do. There are times in my present job (orderly, sort of)when I'm able to take a minute or two to listen to a patient's concerns and get an insight to better help his nurse meet those concerns. I sure hope to make time to do that when I'm the nurse. More and more, listening skills seem to help me in clinicals, as well, especially now that I'm finally starting to develop a knowledge base and a semblance of clinical skills to actually do something about what I hear. (God help me, I seem to be going through another optimistic phase! But maybe this one won't be followed by an abject despair phase. It's a tough life when being bipolar is just a realistic assessment of your circumstances!)
The other thing I do enjoy from time to time is commenting to a co-worker, just loud enough for my NM to overhear, "You know, I kind of like it when they're combative..."
Hmm. Actually, I do kind of like it when they're combative.