What is your Nursing Super Power?

kconrad1712 · Sep 19, 2017

I'm not sure if this counts, but I consider my super power to be NOT slapping the **** out of someone who says, "You're going into nursing. Can you look at this rash on my ____ and tell me what it is?" LOL

SouthpawRN · Sep 19, 2017

I think the nursing and parenting super powers are really listening to that gut feeling that tells you something is wrong even though you can't put your finger on it. I have learned to always listen to my gut feeling over anything else. it's never steered me wrong.

Julius Seizure · Sep 19, 2017

I'm not sure if this counts, but I consider my super power to be NOT slapping the sh*t out of someone who says, "You're going into nursing. Can you look at this rash on my ____ and tell me what it is?" LOL

Keep that super power sharp, you will need it after becoming a nurse too!

WereBadger · Sep 19, 2017

My superpower is in mentoring/ orienting new nurses and precepting nursing students. I genuinely love learning, teaching and being a resource for people who need a colleague to rely on. I'm also a psych nurse, so building rapport and getting to know people 'where they are' is big for me.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 19, 2017

My nursing super power was getting confused, agitated patients to calm down without drugs or restraints. I remember the time when I was even able to make a combative, demented gentleman stop fighting my staff by sitting down next to him and talking to him about "the rules" in a soft voice...he responded by patting my shoulder and even smiling for the first time since being admitted to the LTC. After that he was less agitated, though I sometimes had to remind him that certain behaviors were unacceptable. After that the staff called me the "dementia whisperer". I might add that I have never been hit or kicked by a patient. I had a tele monitor thrown at me and I have been cursed roundly, but never physically attacked.

Elizabeth777, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2017

Mine is calming the cranky chronic/genetic babes. A little snuggling and a lot of butt patting and they're good as gold for the rest of my shift. I've got a soft spot for those babies, so I tend to get them fairly often.

Davey Do · Sep 19, 2017

staff called me the "dementia whisperer".

It's not a superpower, however it is a portion of my charming personality that I am known as "The Don Juan of Dementia" and the "Geriatric Gigolo".

No, I would never cross that sacred boundary of professionalism, even though one lady stated, during an intervention for hygienic measures due bladder and bowel incontinence, "You're just tryin' to get into my Depends"!

allnurses Guide · Sep 20, 2017

Would making incontinent geriatric Patients poop be counted? If so, I'm there with you, adventure_rn!
Ah gee, adventure_rn, answering that question will mean I have to talk positively about myself.
Well... alright, then:
I believe I have a nursing superpower in talking down acting out psychotic Patients. A couple of recent examples:
An acting out ex-con schizophrenic threatened two female staff members, saying he was going to kill them. I had him follow me into the room used for seclusions, and got him to take two po prn meds of Vistaril 25mg and Zyprexa 10mg.
One of the female staff members called for Security to come to the unit. When the Patient saw the two Men in uniform, he went ballistic. I requested that they stay out of sight and they monitored the seclusion room from the nurses station by video.
Within a half an hour, the Patient was able to have a discourse with me, had committed to safety, and apologized to the female Staff.
Another time recently, the Adult Male Unit called a Code Green, as a big 20 something year old Patient was threatening to "F--- everybody up!" I asked the RN on the unit, who had syringes of Haldol and Ativan for a chemical restraint ready, if I could talk with the Patient. In a matter of minutes, the Patient committed to safety and agreed to follow staff's directions. No other intervention was necessary that night.
However, the next day, both chemical and mechanical restraints needed to be used on the Patient.
Yep. Talking down psychotic acting our Patients is my nursing superpower.
Speaking of superpowers, I know a Doctor who said he could perform miracles:

Right there with you Davey - I have this ability to talk down the most aggressive psychotic patient's. It's said at the facility where I work that I can talk birds out of trees.

Hppy

allnurses Guide · Sep 20, 2017

Is it a superpower to somehow always get all the L2K patients on the floor on any given shift? If I don't end up crazy myself one of these days then maybe I should just consider a move to Psych nursing...on second thought if I can get Nursery or NICU then I'll just have crazy families not crazy patients. Last night was the best combo, all 3 L2Ks and all of them plus 2 of my other 3 patients were on Special Contact Precautions for CDIFF.

I'm sorry what does L2K stand for?

Hppy

SilleLu · Sep 20, 2017

Getting complicated discharges done. The patient that has been medically stable for weeks, doctor are willing to write discharge orders, but difficulty getting patient placed somewhere? Gone on my shift. The challenging patient that keeps coming up with new issues so they don't get discharged? Gone. The difficult patient everyone just can't deal with anymore? yup, them too. The patient whose family is out at the nurse's station 10 times before you even get report? Put me on it, I'm the discharge queen!

Edited to add: all appropriate candidates for discharge of course

AvaRose · Sep 20, 2017

I'm sorry what does L2K stand for?
Hppy

Legal 2000. It's the Nevada legal hold designation (due to the fact that the law was passed in 2000). Even more fun is once they are medically cleared the RN has to go with the patient to their tele-psych hearing with the judge to see if they need placement or can go home. So on a day with 3 or more L2Ks I end up turning over the rest of my patients to the charge nurse because I am off the floor in the psych room in the ED for anywhere from 3-5 hours waiting for judges to decide when I can get rid of the crazies.

Akinge · Sep 20, 2017

i can look a doctor in the eye and respectfully refuse to comply with an order. especially if it is not in the best interest of the patient. the older i get, the easier it is