Pet Peeves

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What is your pet peeve? With everything a nurse has to deal with in a day, the one thing that gets on my nerves is someone who takes the garbage bag out of the can but doesn't replace the liner. It makes me psycho. How bizarre is that?

Specializes in IMCU/Telemetry.

When you page a Dr 2-3 times. You wait for 4-5 hours, and they call just when you go to the bathroom. They have then hung up when you get to the phone.

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Orientation on days or evenings when you are hired for straight nights. I recently started a new position within the organization. I have been straight nights for many years and continuing on the same in my new position. Problem : I kept documenting my military time as if I were on nocs. 1300=0100. I had to redo lots of charts when I realized it.

I wasn't orientated on days for my present position. BIG MISTAKE as far as I'm concerned.

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Specializes in ER.

Bedside commodes being placed in the dirty utility room and left - full of pee - gives off a nice smell after 8-12 hours!!

Patients who think it would be funny to go into the public restroom (where we keep the bedside commodes when not in use) and for sh*ts and giggles, take a sh*t in the bedside commode which happens to be sitting right next to the toilet. Then not tell anybody about it until the entire bathroom smells like something died, but laugh and bragg about it at the top of their lungs to all 5000 of their friends/family who thinks a trip to the emergency room equals a trip to six flags.

Mayo stands being left in patient rooms, not in their proper place, so when I need one because the doc says "oh, while I'm here, can you set up an LP tray, and we'll do a spinal tap real quick?" I have to run around looking in rooms until I find a stand to set the tray up and one for the Pt. to lean on...

Laundry bags overflowing because the nurses are all busy, I'm busy, ER is slammed and the other PCT is sitting on her azz in the lounge hoping no one will realize she's not doing anything.

No knot tied in the laundry bag, so that the minute you drop sheets in it, it falls right through - how long does it take to tie a knot anyways???? really... if that's too difficult, what the heck are you doing working in the ER???

Housekeepers who are SUPPOSED to clean monitors/cables NOT cleaning monitors/cables and having to scrub off dried crusty blood myself or leaving full bloody suction canisters in a pristine, sparkling room - the suction canisters are completely sealed, nothing can "escape" and are fully disposable. I don't care if you don't know where to get another one, at least throw away the used one!!!

Suture trays/cath trays/any type of sterile tray set up, not needed, and just "wrapped back up." You really think I'm going to use a sterile tray that I did not set up myself??? You've gotta be kidding me - how do I know the other PCTs truly kept it sterile? How do I know they didn't accidentally break sterility while wrapping it back up?? DUH!!!

Doctors who leave needles on their suture trays so I am always at risk for being poked when cleaning up.

Doctors who irrigate a wound ALL OVER THE ROOM!

Doctors who can't hit a biohazard trash can if it was the broadside of the barn... I have much more to do in a night than pick up bloody 4x4s all night.

Doctors who do a pelvic exam on any female who happens to mention that her belly hurts - even when she's pointing to the epigastric region.

LPNs who think that just because you're not quite finished with school for your RN means that you know nothing and they know everything. I know I'm not an RN yet - you don't have to tell me 20 times a day, or tell me I don't know anything because I'm not a nurse when I SAW you pull a med under the wrong patient's number. I DO know how the DIEBOLD works ya know!! I simply asked why the doctor was giving a 19 year old guy w/ a toothache lasix! Don't jump me and scream that I know nothing because you're a "REAL NURSE" and I'm just a student.

Patients/family members who throw EVERYTHING in a biohazard trash bag - when it's in a teeny tiny wastebasket sitting next to the GIANT regular trashcan.

Wow, maybe I've gone on a little too long... lots of pet peeves. I just don't know why people can't get things done efficiently - especially when they spend most of their time sitting on their azzes. Laziness and sloppiness get to me really bad.

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Gum crackers make me nuts both in and out of the workplace.

renerian

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
announces over PA that "Mrs. so and so, requires assistance!".

Sorry, that is a HUGE privacy violation that someone should have been reprimanded for.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
LPNs who think that just because you're not quite finished with school for your RN means that you know nothing and they know everything. I know I'm not an RN yet - you don't have to tell me 20 times a day, or tell me I don't know anything because I'm not a nurse when I SAW you pull a med under the wrong patient's number. I DO know how the DIEBOLD works ya know!! I simply asked why the doctor was giving a 19 year old guy w/ a toothache lasix! Don't jump me and scream that I know nothing because you're a "REAL NURSE" and I'm just a student.

That behavior is not excclusive to LPNs.

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EMPTY IVF at the beginning of your shift. :angryfire Especially when it's a med that you have to get from pharmacy and not on the cart, ex. Amiodarone. ("It'll be up on the next run" says pharmacy, when you bottle is BONE DRY!!!!!! :angryfire )

I really hate that!!!!!

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My pet peeve is how certain people look down at me for being a CNA and working in LTC. They said that all I do is wipe peoples' asses and empty bedpans and it's a gross job. They don't look at it as being a caregiver and caring for people who can't care for themselves anymore. Somebody has to do it. I like my job and except for my few snotty friends, I'm appreciated by a lot of people mosty my residents and their families.

I'm thinking about nursing school and I'm taking the PCT program (Patient Care Technician) at the community college and the clinical will be at the hospital. I'm very excited, I needed at least 3 months experience as an aide in LTC. But I'm proud to be an aide. It's an honest and noble profession; the first step in the nursing field. :D

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

And i don't understand why people have to be so degrading to others like that.

My reply (with a sugar-coated smile) to people that make those remarks: "I'm so glad that you took time out of your busy, fulfilling life to share a degrading, negative opinion that was never asked for."

If someone's going to make degrading remarks about being an aide, then that person doesn't deserve a nice response (if any response).

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I'm not a nurse yet, but I've seen/heard all of the afore mentioned when I worked as a nursing assistant.

My pet peeves:

1) Being asked...What do you mean you were busy? Everyone sleeps at night.

I don't think so!!! :madface:

2) I was blessed with nurses who would help when I needed them, but don't ask the other assistant to help, she's busy with the one light she answered all night, while I ran my a** off with the other 30 odd pts.

3) When they leave the floor during a crisis, or at any time for that matter & don't tell you they are leaving. Yes, this happened to me.

4) Being told their pts. were just checked, she goes to lunch (or where ever) & having to go behind her because you know they weren't.

I could go on & on but that's it for now.

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Hello. I agree. Night shift may be easier than day or evening, but it's not the easiest. I work during the evenings, but sometimes do a double and stay on night shift. There is one aide per hall at night and not everybody sleeps. The bed alarms go off and people who are more alert ring for the bathroom or painpills. It's hard when you're doing rounds and 3 call lights go off and a bed alarm and the nurse hardly helps you out. Plus you have to get one patient up and washed. At least on days and evenings, you have more staff to help you out. I had to bug the nurse or the aide on the next wing for a boost or help with a deadweight, uncooperative resident. :madface:

I agree Marie. Someday they'll be in a nursing home or hospital and they'll appreciate CNAs more. But I get so mad when a great proffession gets looked down at.

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My biggest pet peeve, and this might be pety, is when i go to chart on a resident and the previous nurse only left 1 line on the nurses notes. :angryfire I mean really, it takes all of 2 seconds to flip the sheet over in the chart, or 10 sec to start a new one! Or the one who will chart on the new fold up sheet without taken the second to fold it down correctly. My cenas laugh at me because I'll be in the charting room mumbling to myself about this. Oh well, I have it on good authority (by a new grad) that I am very childish about wanting my work enviornment my way :bow:

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