Bad Habits Nurses Develop

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I don't know about you, but out in the "real world" I've seen a lot of things that would not fly in school! Here are a few:

Pre-popping pills

Not using MARs on med pass

Not washing hands/using sanitizer between patients

CNAs not wearing gloves to clean up BM

Not wearing gloves to do fingersticks

Like I said, these are just a few. Can anyone think of anything else???

believe it or not but even back in the 80's we were taught not to use gloves except for like cleaning up a patient. To this day I am more likely to stick myself with gloves on while starting an iv than to not wear them.

One bad habit the nurse on my unit have developed is every morning we get the newspaper off the breakfast cart and take turns the rest of the day filling in the crossword puzzle and doing the cryptoquick.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.
I do that too, but then I always wonder - where are we supposed to put them? Any suggestions are welcome - our hospitals have linen bags in the hall that are shared between 8-12 pts. During am care or hs care it is not practical to take the bag out of the hall. Let me know what you all think.

you are supposed to get a sm trash bag and open it up and lay it flat first, then aim for it.

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Specializes in ER, telemetry.

Bad habits? How about not caring. Most nurses I work with are very good or outstanding but what about those that should have quite the business a bout 10 years ago. They can't stand the docs, patients are a pain and families are worse. Makes me want to work with them.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
i have never seen a cna not use gloves when attending a patient esp cleaning bm..very few nurses do not wash.santaize hands after being with a patient whether they are going to new pt or not

the rest i have seen

plus giving otc meds not spec ordered by md...ie apap, mom immodium and just not charting it...poor pratice b/c the oncoming nurse is not aware of problems that pt has or that they have already been medicated

I have seen staff NOT wear gloves when changing briefs. Yuck. The only time I don't wear gloves for changing a soiled mess is on my own baby.

I am guilty of sometimes given OTC meds not ordered... But only after asking the pt if they have an allergy or SE related to the meds. AND I KNOW they had the meds ordered last time they were admitted, if it were a short time ago. (Small rural hospital- we get the same pts over and over again.) The docs encourage this on mid-night shift (all but one) so we don't wake them during the night. They tell us to just write the order and they will sign it in the morning, DO NOT wake them for an OTC if it was ordered in the past. However, I ALWAYS pass it on it report if I gave something that wasn't ordered.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I've seen them use gloves and STILL get stuck. Needles DO go right through gloves. For me, it was difficult feeling the veins through gloves on 80-90 yr olds. I always start with them on but have been known to get frustrated and remove them.

There have been studies that show gloves will decrease the amount of blood entering someone when wearing gloves. I know it's hard for us old folks who learned to start IVs without gloves, but wearing gloves is a good idea. I'll find the vein without gloves first and then use them. My one and only needlestick was wearing gloves, so yes gloves don't protect you from getting stuck.

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Specializes in ICU, tele.

I am guilty of the one glove technique when getting difficult IV's or ABg's!

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Specializes in ICU, tele.
pulling caps off tubing and needles with my teeth :uhoh3:

i am guilty of this as well! when my patient is crapping the bed and there are not enough hands, my teeth have to help out a bit!

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One thing I absolutely hate is people who will d/c a foley cath with a pair of scissors. Go to the pyxis and get a syringe!

I am guilty of removing one glove to do certain things when I feel all fingers and thumbs.

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I'm guilty of fudging a bit with gloves during IV starts- I rip off the pointer finger of the glove on my right hand, that way I can keep a goof feel on the vein while still being MOSTLY protected... haven't gotten any blood on the ungloved finger, though...

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Specializes in Clinical Infusion Educator.

By removing one finger from the glove, you put the patient at greater risk for a site infection, as well as expose your skin to body fluids. Once an area is cleansed for placement of a peripheral IV catheter, it should never be retouched, or re-palpated unless you are placing the line under sterile conditions.

Diane

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I know this will make some people upset, but, I hate it when there are certain RNs who think they are totally better than LPNs. Yes, granted you have had more education etc... but it doesn't mean that we LPNs are not nurses! I've seen quite a few RNs who have developed the habit of "It's below me to answer a call light, a TABs alarm, clean up urine...." etc... the list can go on and on... When you treat others as if your job is more important than what theirs is, and that you are "better", well... time for a reality check!

Sorry, this may have not been the right place for this, but it's a bad habit that I've seen way too many times from some RNs... and also some LPNs

:(

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.
Picking up any newspaper, anywhere, to check the obituaries, or the police report. :yeahthat: :yeahthat:

I do that too. Kinda sick huh?;)

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