Bad Habits Nurses Develop

I am currently in paramedic school and will be starting nursing this fall. I have gotten into the habbit of checking the obits everymoring when I come in to work at my regurlar job.

Why is this such a bad habbit? So far it doesn't seem to be bad...what is the result...[/QUOT

if you are listed in obits you don't have to go to work

THANKS!!!

:uhoh21: I would not want to eat with those hands after touching BM!! OH NO!! that probably means they aren't washing up after their OWN bathroom visits either; they aren't scared of the bacteria!!!!!! EDUCATION PLEASE.......

INSERVICE PLEASE.... OFFICIAL REPREMAND (reprimand?...) PLEASE.....

And some people wonder why there food tast like $h**. :rotfl:

That reminds me of a joke....did you hear about the body they found in the ER parking lot? They knew it was a nurse because they had a full bladder and an empty stomach!

I've heard this one too..with the addition that the azz was chewed off.

drinking WAY too much coffee

not taking any breaks/lunch

not peeing for 12 hours

yes, using teeth to remove caps

been known to bark at another nurse when we're both working on a patient, i.e., "you're going too slow"; my rationale; the position the hospice pt is in is very uncomfortable so i try to do things as quickly as possible.

and finally, don't use 100% sterile technique in cathing someone. once the sterile gloves are on, then yes- but prepping, i usually give good peri care then use the betadine.

Trying to chart 18 sets of vital signs, I&O's, etc. on all your patients at the end of the shift - from memory. Come on, you cannot convince me that a person without a photographic memory can recall all that stuff correctly!

Who charts from memory?

steph :)

Ever been so busy you don't chart until the very end of the shift? It's easier to chart as you go, but on rare occasions it's happened to me. Trying reconstruct what has happened an entire shift from memory is mind boggling. But of course, I have my notes with me, so it's not entirely from memory. I don't see how anyone can chart vitals from memory.

Checkin to see if there is a full moon.

I DO THIS EVERY WEEKEND BEFORE I WORK NOW (I WORK BAYLOR SHIFT). I KNOW THAT IT IS GOING TO BE FAR WORSE WHEN THERE IS A FULL MOON!!! I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS SUPERSTITUOUS....NO WAY, IT IS TRUE, THINGS ARE CRAZIER! I CHECK TOO!

[ I KNOW THAT IT IS GOING TO BE FAR WORSE WHEN THERE IS A FULL MOON!!!

I always try to request off on full moon nights. I work straight nights in a busy SICU, and nothing is worse than a bad night on the unit with a full moon laughing at you outside your window. :chuckle

I love your suggestion !!!!! It really is easy to start a vibe weather it is comparing test grades, who got the best assignment, excluding someone b/c they wash different or whatever. It really does get started in school. So i want to contribute an applause for the RN who was so good to me on my clinical rotation who taught me w/o intimadating me.

She taught me alot about meds, one thing I will always remember that she said...."I am a scaredy cat nurse when i give meds b/c once you put them down a pt it is too late to double check"

Bad habits are hard to break but good habits are hard to break too :wink2: : )

MattsMom, you're right! We spend a lot of energy beating ourselves and others up over what we see as bad habits - never mind that there is usually more than one way to accomplish a good outcome (although the no gloves thing is a bit unsettling) . How about if we start a new thread for great habits that nurses develop so that we can share some good news and support ourselves and each other? No offence meant to the nurse who started this thread.