What do you HATE to do at work?

Da Monk · Nov 11, 2004

Going To It!

8irl8 · Nov 12, 2004

No, not at all.......that's my other most-disliked chore! I can handle anything, from the grossest infected wounds to ostomies, but dentures make me wanna hurl! EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!

folks give me poop,or blood or guts anyday but i just cant handle vomit! Do you get used to it or is it going to be something that will haunt me for the rest of my life? I am a student by the way so any tips would be appreciated? i think its the whole retching part that makes me wanna barf! :crying2:

mshultz · Nov 13, 2004

Inserting NG tubes.
If I had an entire lifetime to come up with the most cruel thing to do to someone, I couldn't come up with a better device. My entire family knows that if one is ever ordered for me, they are to shoot me first.

I was on the receiving end of an NG tube after I arrived in the ED (I had lost about 4 units of blood from a GI bleed). While this was the most unpleasant part of my hospital stay, I decided it was worth it when the nausea lessened as the partially digested blood was removed. Unfortunately, they would not reconnect it when I was transferred to the Critical Care Unit, and I ended up vomiting as soon as I sat up to see my parents.

It was the psychological aspects that made it so bad for me. I had lost so much blood that I had been unable to even sit on the toilet at home, so when they had me sit with my legs hanging over the bed, I was wondering if I would vomit or pass out, and hoping someone would be able to catch me if this happened before I fell onto the floor. Trying to force the NG tube down my nose was painful enough to make me yell, afraid that I would get a nosebleed. They got the NG tube inserted with no further problems. This brought home to me that I was in over my head medically, and that the hospital could do anything they wanted to do to me, no matter how unpleasant.

After I was transferred to the Critical Care Unit, one of the doctors commented to me about how tense I was in the ED. I still wonder how he expected me to react under those circumstances.

allnurses Guide · Nov 13, 2004

NG tubes. Giving 20 pills to a person who can't take more than one at a time. Computer charting my meds. Give me paper anytime!!!

steph

merricat · Nov 13, 2004

folks give me poop,or blood or guts anyday but i just cant handle vomit! Do you get used to it or is it going to be something that will haunt me for the rest of my life? I am a student by the way so any tips would be appreciated? i think its the whole retching part that makes me wanna barf!

i can usually clean up vomit, but what gets to me is when the person is only vomiting because they are eating or drinking crap we told them not to eat or drink, and now we have to go in and fix what is technically their fault. but i digress. (sigh). well, i don't know if you work in LTC or hosp or what. carrying wipes, as lame as it sounds, helps, because then no hoppering, it all goes in the trash. put them in your pocket in case none in room. the last thing you wanna hafta do is get washcloths and get them all wet, yadadada. if you work in a plcae that does not carry wipes, different brands make portable containers of them. i like the huggies plastic reusable container. it is hard and you can clean it with bleach, small enough to fit in scrub pocket. you can refill with cheapo wal-mart wipes (which are as good or better than anything else). at least this way you can clean up fast. i am sure you have heard of vicks in the nose. i will not say it helps all that much but it is better than nothing. your co-workers, IMHO, should help you clean up the vomit if they notice or you ask, although if you just send the aide in there by herself you will piss her off (i have seen this happen). i usually try to hide one container of spray deodorizer on the floor to use, literally hide it since we are not supposed to have it. of course, if the person is allergic, this could be bad. we get it from housekeeping-- the kind from the store does not seem to work as well. sorry-- not brilliant advice but there it is. and hopefully nobody has allergic reaction to the spray deodorizer. (never happened to me-- most people appreciate it-- but it occurred to me as i was writing this it could happen and then i would be in heap of trouble).

8irl8 · Nov 16, 2004

cheers thanks very much! wipes sound like a good idea;) found some deoderiser for stoma bags by the nurses station they said i could use it for really bad smells! much appreciated!:)

mattsmom81 · Nov 16, 2004

What do I hate at work? Scripting. Constant changes in paperwork, endless, repetitive documentation, charting and buggy EMAR systems. Nonresponsive management. Unrealistic expectations. Entitled Visitors. Open visiting.Not necessarily in that order. :chuckle

Funny but the tasks others mentioned (suctioning, GIB's) etc don't get to me...they come with the territory and I just do 'em. The above list is what has done me in = burnout. :stone

1nspir3d · Nov 16, 2004

Lactulose poop (gags)

Administering enemas & cleaning the mess up later....

Suctioning

Inserting catheters

...I'll think of more soon

gloria kay · Nov 16, 2004

suctioning traches makes my gag reflex go into overdrive...have done the same man shiftly for 2.5 years and STILL have a time with that job!!!...any suggestions???

lunakat · Nov 17, 2004

CHARTING! Also am not very fond of trying to decipher Dr. handwriting :stone

RNforLongTime · Nov 17, 2004

I LOATHE Trach care, dressing changes and dealing with colostomies/ileostomies! Blech!

TracyB,RN, RN · Nov 17, 2004

Going..... but once I get there, I can't stand inserting NG's... gives me the willies. So does vomit. I will trade vomit & NG's for poop & trachs, ANY DAY.