What do you enjoy the most in nursing?

rose_duspatalin · Jul 19, 2002

It was my childhood dream that comes into reality, that is, to care for the sick---------I love this. But those highly contagious disease of some patients makes me feel that my health too is at risk. This sometimes put me in a low mood when it comes to nursing career. :nurse:

CATHYW · Jul 19, 2002

Like Shygirl, I enjoy direct patient care, and knowing I made a difference in someone's life.

I dislike Code Browns, and lazy, gossipy co-workers.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2002

Hard to put my finger on it. I like the hands on care, seeing positive results from my actions. I usually enjoy the fast pace and emergent situations. The problem solving and process that comes with it.

I dislike PITA parents telling me how to do my job.

futureccrn · Jul 21, 2002

Originally posted by cheerfuldoer
The thing I enjoy most about nursing is tending to my patients, seeing them smile for the first time after being too sick to smile beforehand, seeing them discharged to home in optimum health for them. :)

I enjoy clocking out ON TIME after each shift worked so I can start playing on my time off! :chuckle

The thing I do NOT enjoy about nursing is the cat-scratching, the gossiping, the laziness of certain staff, docs who think they've died and gone to Perfection Land, family members who think nurses are their handmaidens and personal servants while visiting their loved one(s), and the red tape and political ploys played behind nurses backs, but smiling all the while the Bigwigs are in the nurses faces.

Ditto! What Renee said!!!

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jul 21, 2002

I love geriatrics, too. It's such an art to be able to get a demented person to do what you NEED them to do because they WANT to do it because of the way you interacted with them (ok that is a HUGE run-on sentence, but hope you get my point! )

Also, wound care is the coolest. Give me a tunneling decub you could stick your fist in and I'm a happy woman.

adrienurse, LPN · Jul 21, 2002

To Nurse Ratched:

Amen Sister!:chuckle :rotfl: :kiss

fedupnurse · Jul 21, 2002

In addition to all that Renee said (man did you nail it!!) I also like being a reality base for patients families. You asked Renee about difficult Docs. Well let me tell you they are plentiful out there. My biggest problem is when they mislead families when they should be saying "I am sorry there is nothing more we can do" but instead are saying "Let's give it another day, week, whatever." I cannot tell you how many families myself and my colleagues have dealt with over the years that have said "why do the doctors not tell us what is really going on. Why is it sugar coated?"

The other thing I love are the people you meet. And are some of them off the wall! That is what makes you shake your head in disbelief sometimes that there really are people that wacky! 1st cousins that are married to each other, a man who married his roommates visitor so his brother wouldn't get any inheritance from him (guess he never heard of a will!!!). There are a million examples. There is an old saying "You couldn't make this stuff up." Maybe we should all contribute stories and get a book going here!

Oh, by the way, I have been screamed at and cursed at on numerous occassions and have always gotten an apology from the doc after his tirade. Fatigue is no excuse to berate someone for callign about a legit problem. Since I am a big mouth I point this out to them. I have also started using l.rae's comment of "you have a boogar in your nose." My only problem is I have a hard time keeping a straight face. :chuckle

Sleepyeyes · Jul 21, 2002

I like walking into a patient's room and knowing exactly what to do that will help that person, from proper body alignment to asking the doc for the most appropriate pain med for them.

I like making that connection between a patient and a nurse that says I made a constructive difference that day in someone's care.

I don't like nurses who complain and gripe that "nothing ever changes," but then never offer any constructive solutions. I've initiated lots of changes in places that I've worked, at just about every level. I think, if I can do that from an individual level, just think what a group of us brainstorming out some possible solutions can do! :cool:

Love-A-Nurse · Jul 21, 2002

originally posted by nurse ratched
i love geriatrics, too. it's such an art to be able to get a demented person to do what you need them to do because they want to do it because of the way you interacted with them (ok that is a huge run-on sentence, but hope you get my point! )

also, wound care is the coolest. give me a tunneling decub you could stick your fist in and i'm a happy woman.

run-on-sentence or not, i understood it. :)

i enjoy wound care too. i just started back as a floor nurse after a few years of being the treatment nurse.