What's your favorite nursing task?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

There's been a lot of rants and vents about nursing, but let's focus on the odd tasks that make you happy. Maybe you love post-OP patients or CRRT or giving bed baths...what's something that makes you happy?

Personally, I love enteral feedings. I love placing NGs and Dobhoffs. I love Kangaroo pumps, I love crushing meds, and flushing the line with 30 ccs. I love hearing the whoosh when I check placement q 4 h. It's my favorite thing!

Specializes in Community health.
3 hours ago, nursel56 said:

Trach suctioning and ear lavage not exactly fun, but "wow, I can breathe/hear again!" is pretty awesome.

Yeesss ear lavage! I’ve just started doing them. The process is so gross and I always sort of want to gag, but then a huge plug of wax pops out and the patient has a religious experience. Sooo satisfying.

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1) Hanging mutliple units of prbc and platelets without sending the patient into flash pulmonary edema. 2) removing running sutures from an open Whipple- heavenly.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
3 hours ago, nursel56 said:

I've always liked to hold liquid meds at eye level to check for the meniscus.

I liked giving babies the pink oral polio vaccine, because it was the only one that didn't hurt.

Trach suctioning and ear lavage not exactly fun, but "wow, I can breathe/hear again!" is pretty awesome.

Ooh I forgot about ear lavage! Used to do it at the clinic and LOVED getting out unbelievable amounts of wax (as well as various bugs, leaves and once a small bead a 45 year old woman had placed in her year at age 8!) people are so happy and grateful when they can hear again! Thanks for the reminder about this awesome task haha

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

I love to place any type of vascular access..PIVS PICCs and Midlines but still love placing peripherals the most.Most days I can get through by 10 hour shift and never had to poke a patient twice.I love the assessment part of it......I have a process I follow.... I look first and feel for veins without any tourniquet at all.I want to see/ and or feel the veins in their natural state.Then I place a warm pack on the the best 2 to 3 choices (optimally).Then after several mins I look again with the tourniquet at my first choice and the others and then make my selection. I determine what traction is needed to stabilize the vein and then apply it and perform my start.I enjoy the challenge. It is not frustrating at all because I tell myself I will get it.I only rush during urgent situations.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Giving TPA and seeing the patient resolve in front of your eyes. Knowing that they now have a chance at a meaningful recovery. In the ED we don't get to spend an extended amount of time 1:1 with a patient, so having an hour uninterrupted is special.

Seeing it not work, or have adverse effects, is terrible. So you really learn to celebrate and enjoy the victories.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Clocking out.

Seriously, nothing was more satisfying than getting that IV stick in the newborn on first try. I actually enjoyed IV starts most I think. I guess I am weird. I even observe veins on random strangers, thinking if they would be an easy stick or not. Anyone with me?

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Full showers for people who are total care. I had the sweetest teenage redhead with CP I would wake, shower, dress, brush and braid her hair, brush her teeth, put her AFOs on, get her situated in her chair and hang her feed. I remember when I was a student and we gave a 55-year-old man living with complications from stroke a nice, long shower that only students would have time for. His relieved, happy smile was so satisfying.

Trach suctioning gets me too. Watching those sats jump back up to where they are supposed to be almost instantly.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

I love wound care. Simple wounds, complex wounds, negative pressure dressings. I love seeing the progress of wounds and it makes me very happy when I see wounds coming along well

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Drilling for an IO is probably my single favorite task. There's often a satisfying little pop as you sink the needle, kind of like popping bubble wrap.

I also rather enjoy setting up CRRT - at least on the prismaflex system. The machine itself is like something out of 1950s sci-fi.

I also like a few previously mentioned tasks: complicated wound vac dressings, and of course pushing adenosine.

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Specializes in Outpatient Specialty Clinics.

Being the one to place the IV in that hard stick that no one else could, on the first try!

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I remember my patient had a chest tube placed, and one resident was lifting and tilting the tubing to drain blood into the canister. She turned to another doctor and said "I find this oddly satisfying." Me too.

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On 4/28/2019 at 9:43 PM, dream'n said:

Love trach suctioning

ohmygod...... nightmare. I'd rather give an enema

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