Never Have I Ever Done That Before

[JerseyTomatoMDCrab]

A few weeks ago, ohiobobcat posted a topic about giving his first epi-pen and I was just wondering: what are some other firsts for the nurses out here? What have you never done before? (in terms of nursing practice. I don't want to hear that you've never skinny-dipped. That's a topic for another day)

Or, what's something you recently were exposed to for the first time in your career? I'm curious to know which experiences some of us have yet to face at work.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Never seen an anaphylactic reaction. The idea always scares me. I had to give an out patient IV iron, which apparently can cause anaphylaxis, boy did I study up, had epinephrine ready etc., of course she did fine.

Haven't even seen mild, nurse why do I have a rash, reactions!

When they come in and ask...in that hot potato voice

"Does my face look swollen to you?"

"Oh ya!!!! here, have a lil Epi and let me call for help!!!!"

Teacher 55 years old, first time reaction to almonds!

[TxDogMom]

Gosh I probably have a list a mile long. I've never worked in an acute care or trauma setting so there are tons of things I haven't been exposed to. The one that jumps to mind immediately is inserting an NG tube. One of my friends has had so many lately she is calling herself the NG Queen.

I've gotten so good at inserting female urinary catheters that my coworkers have proudly named me the "coochie queen." I think it may be a crown of thorns, actually....

[kiszi, RN]

Never in 9 years if nursing have I been able to find a popliteal pulse. Not even my own.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Another never have I ever!!!

I got to initiate phototherapy on a baby whose pre-hospital bilirubin was 20.1; I was so fortunate that I have a co-worker who also works as a LDRP nurse.

The baby's hospital bilirubin was below the standard to be admitted, so he ended up not getting admitted, but now I know hot to do it!

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Just thought of another...never have I ever transcutaneously paced someone.

I have done that a few times, mostly on the ambulance, and it is the worst thing to have to do to someone, so count your blessings! I have also done cardioversion and even though that is more electricity, it's just one shot (usually), where as pacing is continuous.

Careful saying you haven't done it. I said "I haven't paced anyone in a while and I don't like doing it because of the pain it causes" just before this call came in! Bad ju ju!

It is like getting kicked in the chest by a horse 70-80 times a minute, OUCH! I had one guy that had a HR of 30, in a complete heart block, with repeat syncope and hypotension. I put the pads on him to get ready to pace him, and was planning on some versed and Fentanyl prior too since he was wide awake lying supine. I looked at the monitor and he was now in a third degree heart block, but his escape mechanism had moved from his ventricles back to his AV Junction which brought his ventricular rate up to 50. I was like awesome, we don't need to pace right now. So I am more relaxed, getting an IV ready, etc when I hear snoring respirations. I look at the patient, who is now unconscious, look at he monitor and he was now in a ventricular standstill. I was like ****, good thing I already put the pads on, so I started pacing him, of course he woke up because he now had a pulse again. He was like what the f*ck is that, and had a few other choice words to say. I did give him sedation once he woke up again, but he had about 4 minutes of pacing without sedation!!!

Fast forward two years later. This patient owned his own business, and my partner needed some of his services. We walk in and I remembered him and his business because that is where we picked him up. He is like "oh, you guys saved me, but I'd like to kill that bastard that did that to me" (meaning the pacing). I was like oh, sorry, that was me, but your welcome!