What is your Nursing Kryptonite?

You know, your weakness ... your one "thing" that makes your stomach flip over when you see a patient with it/them/whatever. I had my first "maggot" patient recently (maggots living where they shouldn't be, you understand), and it really grossed many of my coworkers out. I was relieved to find that the maggots didn't bother me ... apparently my only Achilles heel thus far is nasty dentures, LOL -- EWWWWW.

When I was a tech, I had a nurse offer me $5 to suction a patient because sputum makes her queasy.

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.

GAH, YES, I can't handle respiratory secretions. Ugh. Also, assisting with circs. NO LIKE.

Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.

I hate hate hate eye injuries/surgeries, participating in extensive eye exams, and giving eye drops. My very first experience giving eye drops as a nurse was to a baby with a very needy mom who literally leaned on my shoulders and held on to my forearm as I gave her baby the drops. At least she was happy with my administration of the med :sarcastic:. I already hated giving drops so that experience really sealed the deal for me!

Specializes in Special Procedures.
I hate hate hate eye injuries/surgeries, participating in extensive eye exams, and giving eye drops. My very first experience giving eye drops as a nurse was to a baby with a very needy mom who literally leaned on my shoulders and held on to my forearm as I gave her baby the drops. At least she was happy with my administration of the med :sarcastic:. I already hated giving drops so that experience really sealed the deal for me!

See, now I've heard of being squeamish with trach/Oral secretions from just about every other nurse I've had this conversation with. I have heard colostomies too, unsurprisingly lol, but never have I heard of Ocular tasks. Pretty unexpected

Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.
See, now I've heard of being squeamish with trach/Oral secretions from just about every other nurse I've had this conversation with. I have heard colostomies too, unsurprisingly lol, but never have I heard of Ocular tasks. Pretty unexpected

I don't mind trachs or colostomies at all! As for the eye thing, my mother thinks it's because I kept scratching my corneas as a baby when I pulled toys down on myself. I think I might just be a weirdo. :sarcastic:

I don't mind trachs or colostomies at all! As for the eye thing, my mother thinks it's because I kept scratching my corneas as a baby when I pulled toys down on myself. I think I might just be a weirdo. :sarcastic:

Eyes are Windows to the soul and why do we want to do gtts, or lazer, or slice into someone's soul. :nailbiting:

Specializes in Hospice.
Trachs. And suctioning anything. That noise!! I can usually do ok unless something thick clogs it up, then I'm gagging! When I worked in the hospital, I would trade putting in Foleys (strangely, one of my favorite things to do) for someone else to go suction my patient!

Ahhahaha me too! Mucus. Makes. Me. Gag.

Which is probably why, after I have an asthma attack and start hurging up mucus plugs, I usually also puke.

Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.
Eyes are Windows to the soul and why do we want to do gtts, or lazer, or slice into someone's soul. :nailbiting:

You speak the truth!

The beginning to Un Chien Andalou almost made me jump out of my skin. :dead:

Specializes in Med-Surg ICU.

For some reason, I cannot handle ear wax. Ugh. So gross.

Sharp wound debridement. Literally everything else I've encountered I can handle, but when the wound clinician is just going at it with a curette, especially over a bony prominence and it's bleeding and I'm just picturing in my head the bone underneath and I just feel woozy and have to look away. Of all things!

I have no problem with colostomies. There is one lady in particular with a very prolapsed stoma that I love to visit because she is just a delight, and also when I'm handling her stoma I can feel the peristalsis! Amazing!

My nursing Kryptonite is Red.

Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Dirty, scaly, crusty feet, with those yellow toenails wrapped over the ends. You know the ones. You try so carefully to remove the stiff, gray socks and the snow storm of dry skin explodes in your face. The spaces between the toes are filled with petrified globs of of dead skin, probably cemented together with urine. And the smell!

I think I just threw up in my mouth, a little bit.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Pediatrics.

Hair.

Shaved beard pieces, loose pubes when performing incontinent care, hair on ladies' legs who haven't shaved in awhile, stray head hair, gives me the creeps!!

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