I'll start with people who say "I went to nursing school" Okay, but are you a nurse?
I need my meds today. Also I can't pay for them.
Moms who let their kids run wild and scream. I get that stuff hurts, go ahead and cry. No need to run like a wile monkey or screech like you're dying, I assure you that if you were dying you'd have no time to yell like that.
Manipulators who attempt to intimidate by using my name at least twice in each sentence. They are often, but not always, the male significant others of female patients with minor or vague symptomatology.
Ugh, I hate this, too. We once had a patient whose wife, upon meeting a new nurse, would go on and on about how they "know people who are high up there" in the hospital administration while looking at you pointedly.
I honestly don't care who you are or who you know, you're going to get the same level of care as everyone else.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I'll start with people who say "I went to nursing school" Okay, but are you a nurse?
I need my meds today. Also I can't pay for them.
Moms who let their kids run wild and scream. I get that stuff hurts, go ahead and cry. No need to run like a wile monkey or screech like you're dying, I assure you that if you were dying you'd have no time to yell like that.
And let's not get started on the drug-seekers!
I hate the ones who tell me that they're nurses. And when you chat with them, you find out that they're CNAs or unit secretaries or housekeepers. I also hate the ones who tell me that they're nurses and you find out that they went to nursing school years ago, never passed the NCLEX and are currently managing a bar somewhere. I hate them because they think they know so much more than they actually DO know, and you cannot convince them that they're wrong about A or B because they KNOW they're right. It's very difficult to do any sort of teaching to someone who already knows everything!
Trachs are terrible, seriously. All of the secretions! And the smell in their rooms. Like you're camped out inside their lungs.
Post-op Whipples are the worst. Just shoot me. Every complication can and will happen with these patients. It's heartbreaking and very frustrating.
I hate it when you've barely introduced yourself to the patient and family member and they drop some big wig's name "Do you know Mr. So-and-so?" ...I know that he's the CEO of the hospital...let me guess, you're best friends? Give me a break!
I was on a med/surg float shift and was paged to the surgical floor. Apparently one of our GPs had undergone some minor procedure but had yet to pee, and nobody wanted to do the bladder scan on him.
In I go, where I find him sitting in bed with a cup of tea in hand. He assured me, in his most proper English accent, that he would be voiding after finishing his tea and the bladder scan would be unnecessary. LOL.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
1) The middle-aged female who presents with abdominal pain and intractable nausea for which no cause is ever found.
2) Patients admitted for detox. I hate DTs and wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. I also hate the fact that 99.9% of the time, they're going to go through hell and then right back to doing what got them into this condition in the first place.
3) Borderline personality disorder....especially when they have other psychiatric illnesses. I had one of these where I worked a few years ago, and she got on my last nerve. She was manipulative beyond belief, and her mood swings always seemed to conflict with mine (she had bipolar 1 and GAD, as well as BPD). Needless to say, it took everything I had to maintain my professionalism with her. Bleah.
4) Crazy families...'nuff said.
By contrast, the patients I LIKE best are grumpy old men......I love to spend time with them and listen to their stories. It almost always turns out that there's a heart of gold underneath the gruff exterior. :)
30-40-something year old female with vague abdominal pain.
I keep seeing posts similar to this. I'm not a nurse yet and I've only worked in assisted living. Anyone mind explaining what this is about? Just curious.
I don't mind performing wound care, but I hate when patients have a 10-20 little skin tears or abrasions that just equal a ton of documentation that takes forever to get organized and completed.
I know this is mean...but I can't stand when some trached/vented patients try to tell me something that isn't vital to their care. The high pressure alarm goes crazy, I'm not excellent at reading lips, the patient gets mad at me, and I'm in the room for 20 minutes trying to find out what they want. I am a very patient person, but don't roll your eyes at me when I'm standing there staring at your mouth trying to get what you're mouthing when there are many other things that I need to be doing at the same time.
By contrast, the patients I LIKE best are grumpy old men......I love to spend time with them and listen to their stories. It almost always turns out that there's a heart of gold underneath the gruff exterior. :)
Aww, Eternally grateful for nurses like you. That would be the best way to describe my dad when he was in the hospital before he passed and you are right - heart of gold under the gruff exterior. Some nurses took the time and got to see and understand.
Aeterna, BSN, RN
205 Posts
Ugh, I hate this, too. We once had a patient whose wife, upon meeting a new nurse, would go on and on about how they "know people who are high up there" in the hospital administration while looking at you pointedly.
I honestly don't care who you are or who you know, you're going to get the same level of care as everyone else.