What thrills you/what terrifies you?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm not a nurse yet, hopefully will be attending next fall, but I'm interested to hear (from people in all specialties), what ONE thing gives you that thrill? What can you just not get enough of?

Conversely, what one thing causes your stomach to drop to the floor in dread/terror?

It could be a specific procedure/skill or a more overarching situation.

Whether you are a new nurse or have been on the job for years/decades, I'd love to hear from you! Thanks!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

What thrills me every.single.time it happens is coming in to see a fair & balanced assignment, with no call-ins and no charge nurse from hell.

What makes my stomach drop to the floor with dread every.single.day is the drive into work, anticipating said assignment and trying to gauge the possibility that it will happen.

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roser13, I didn't anticipate that kind of reply, but I can definitely see where you're coming from!

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Thrilling: codes

Terrifying: codes

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
roser13, I didn't anticipate that kind of reply, but I can definitely see where you're coming from!

Lol! I knew that wasn't exactly what you were looking for but believe me, it's reality.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

What gives me a thrill (more like a sign of relief): My ICU patient is upstairs in ICU where she belongs...now on to the charting.

What makes my stomach drop to floor in terror: I have 3 sick patients and...."I'm so sorry Lev but we need to send you the cardiac arrest/really sick consult that just rolled in"

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Thrill: catching something early that may allow a pt have a better outcome

Terrifying: codes.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.

Thrilling: intubations! I love a good RSI!

Terrifying: bedside surgery (though mostly it's just annoying trying to work around the surgeons, anesthesia, and all the equipment they bring!)

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.

Terrifying: Oncological emergencies, codes, and telling a family that their loved one has died, when they weren't expecting it. Finding out the night shift hospitalist is the one who doesn't have 2 neurons to rub together and knowing I am going to have to tell her what to order and when to transfer.

Thrilling: Codes, catching an Onc emergency before it becomes an even more serious issue. Coming into work and finding out we are fully staffed, with 2 techs and 6 nurses (Night shift, 30 beds) and even more thrilling finding out the hospitalist on call isn't the idiot who can't find two neurons to fire in her brain.

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Thrilling: pay day

Terrifying: starting a shift knowing that I will have less down time than anticipated

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Chest compressions, GSW's, maxed out vasopressors, and bad traumas all send me sky high.

I love a crashing patient more than anything. Total junkie and slightly skewed.

Especially love the teamwork during it all.

Nothing at work terrifies me.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

Thrilling and terrifying at the same time: ECMO

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