So...What Kind of Nursing Task Do You LIKE?

[VivaLasViejas]

We've got a really good thread going on the kinds of nursing tasks we hate, so I thought I'd throw this one out there to get people talking about the kinds they actually enjoy doing.

For me it was IVs. I stunk at them for the first couple of years after I got out of school because I didn't have much of a chance to start them in the LTCs I worked in. But when I got into acute care, I didn't have a choice but to learn, and within a year I was getting calls from the ICU to come down and start an IV in someone they couldn't get a line in. Frequent flyers would actually request me by name to start their IVs because I could do it quickly and on the first try. I don't know why I had so much luck with the hard sticks, when sometimes I'd miss a big plump one in the hand; there was also the occasional shift where I wasn't "in the zone" and couldn't hit a barn door with a two-by-four. We all have those days. But I sure miss holding a 20-gauge angiocath in my hand and sliding that baby in smoothly and effortlessly.

[hollyann12]

I love IV starts. Didn't always, but at my current job I start up to 20 a day. I just love seeing that flash on pt's with difficult veins and I love when I can make their day by getting it on the first try with little difficulty. The other thing I sometimes love is paperwork. Honestly, it's just so nice to sit down every once and a while.

[Nurse Sasha]

I love OR, calming my patient's fears, getting them properly positioned, foley inserted, prepped and draped. I love being a part of helping to save a trauma patient, what a rewarding feeling!

[TheNGTKingRN]

Pain Management

Patient Education

Dressing Changes

Deep Suction (trach)

Bladder Scans

NGT decompression

[Tex.]

I love pulling anything out, Chest tubes, femoral sheaths, IJs, JPs, etc...

Yes. That.

Except for yesterday, when my patient had a chest tube that had internal and external sutures in place, so that puppy was not budging...called IR to come remove it. Pulmonologist shows up and just yanks that sucker out....OUCH. Yeah. Thanks doc.

^evil man^

[studentnurse9806]

I like giving prn haldol Ativan and Benadryl :)

[Tex.]

I like giving prn haldol Ativan and Benadryl :)

Geodon.

[Tex.]

Anything to with central lines, especially lab draws and dressing changes.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

While I love getting difficult IV's, recently I had the opportunity to spend some time on another unit and was asked to feed a patient. I miss being able to do the simple stuff.

[Annaiya, NP]

My favorite was drawing up code meds during a code. It's not my role anymore, so I always look longingly at the nurses in front of the code cart trying to look up doses, draw everything up and label it quickly.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Geodon.

winner winner chicken dinner

Seriously though, I love stabilizing a patient with a team of good people.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

You all might think I'm weird but I like being the nurse when we have nothing left to do for the patient but keep them comfortable. I like making sure they have the right meds to ease their suffering, putting chapstick on their lips, coming their hair, rubbing their backs when turning them. Just feels like the least I can do at the end of life.

Not weird, one of the greatest honors we have as nurses. I will move heaven and earth if I have an actively dying pt with no family present. When I was on the floor I would smash through the essentials for my other pts. Then delegate out their bells to other nurses and sit with them.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I really, really love taking care of very sick patients. The ones on CRRT, IABP, multiple gtts, vented, paralyzed, cooling blanket....the whole thing. That's why I went into critical care. The walky talkies were always more stressful for me. There's something about being able to concentrate and address every tiny detail that appeals to me. And I really love untangling lines and labeling all the drips. I guess I'm anal retentive.