What's your weird quirk?

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't know if other people do this - but EVERY single time I have to give a subq/IM shot - i try about 4-5 times (point get, get close, withdraw without touching the skin) before I inject. If I don't do that - I get very anxious and feel like the needle will bounce. I make sure the pt doesnt watch so they don't get freaked out but I can't stop. I can never inject with one fluid motion.

I don't like seeing anything in urinals - even if it's 10 cc - I will empty it.

If no one is in the hallway and I'm transporting a mechanical lift - I will ride on it like a shopping cart :D

I've had blood, pee, and vomit splatter on my unifomr and shoes and I've just shrugged and cleaned it off as best I could with disinfecting wipes then went on with my day without a second thought - but just the thought of hearing someone clearing their phlegm or suctioning mucus makes me want to curl up and lock myself somewhere.

What's yours?

Specializes in Cardiac, PCU, Surg/Onc, LTC, Peds.
I don't like doing nail care. Something about dirty, misshapen or uneven nails just creeps me out. But I don't mind vomit, poo, phlegm, or blood. Go figure.
I love doing nail care, suctioning a trach, cleaning dentures (yay:) or cleaning any body fluid except for the smell of yeasty pannus makes me throw up a little each time in my mouth ?
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I cannot stand PIV dressings with gobs of tape on top. If I can't see the insertion site clearly, it drives me nuts! Tegaderm and maybe two pieces of tape only people! And never over the insertion site! Tape the J-loop all you want as long as you don't cover up that Tegaderm. If the dressing is loose at all, I'll change it. That being said, I'm hesitant to change heavily taped dressings that aren't loose because I'm afraid of inadvertently pulling out the PIV while taking off all that tape. My patients are usually all very hard sticks and we can't afford to lose access.

I have a brain form I made and I have to use it. I feel like I'm missing info if I don't.

I think I'm one of the few people who document IV starts and discontinues in our EMR. I hate it when they don't show up in the EMR. If it's a PICC or CVC and wasn't documented in the EMR, I'm even more annoyed (even though there is nothing I can do about it). We often have tunnelled IJ's and I hate it when people call them SC.

I like to use as much of the IV fluids as possible also. There is no reason to program for 900. I always program for 1000 and there's plenty leftover at the end.

I have a huge aversion to starting NG tubes. I don't mind most other procedures but NG tubes are just not my thing. Once they're started I'm fine.

I'm also a stickler for doing things the right way and I hate shortcuts or lazy nursing.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

I absolutely hate when a patient has multiple IVPBs on the pole none of them are in a y-connector or capped; just blowing in the wind. I immediately SNATCH them all down and trash. Then if I have scheduled IVPBs, I start with fresh tubing for each one and make sure there is a means to keep said tubing sterile. Irks me to no end.

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I hate having to triage a patient who has placed their dirty clothing on the bedside table where I place my test supplies. I often go in prior to their arrival and arrange my things to prevent them from using it. LOL

I cannot stand having drawers or doors left open.

If one of my babies (okay, their not my babies, but they are assigned to me so...) if one of my babies arrive in the nursery with dirty clothing or blankets I clean them up and put clean clothing on them. Likewise, if their crib is messy I will change the linens and put any unnecessary items away.

The crew I work with is very OCD :) I fit in well. lol When we have a new nurse to orient, it drives me crazy if they continuously move from one charting spot to another. It is all I can do to keep quiet if they have charts in more than one area.

Dirty cows (computer on wheels). Enough said!

I have a problem with doing just one surgical scrub if we have more than one c-section. I fight the compulsion to scrub before each case. The only thing that prevents it is knowing that my skin will crack and bleed with too many scrubs. It is like my germ-a-phobia tendencies battle one another here. Scrub vs. intact integument.

I struggle to say that I work a 12 hour shift. I often find myself stating that I work 12.5 hour shifts. The nature of my workplace dictates my availability to my patients at all times. I know it is required by law that I receive my break, but there is always a loophole. grrr

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You're all crazy

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Specializes in CICU.
You're all crazy

Yeah, we know... Well, I know it, anyway. Its nice to have finally found my people... :)

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Specializes in CICU.
I absolutely hate when a patient has multiple IVPBs on the pole none of them are in a y-connector or capped; just blowing in the wind. I immediately SNATCH them all down and trash. Then if I have scheduled IVPBs, I start with fresh tubing for each one and make sure there is a means to keep said tubing sterile. Irks me to no end.

What is with not capping the lines?? I even tape extra caps to the flush bags when I prep tham at night, but sometimes I feel like I am the only one to use them...

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Specializes in ICU.
I absolutely, positively, HAVE to have some sort of coffee or coffee drink prior to starting work, and I must drink it in the car on the way to work. Drinking it before leaving the house just will not do. When I worked only blocks from my house, I drank my drink after I arrived to work but it just wasn't the same. Now I work 30 minutes from home; all is well again. =)

To follow that last paragraph... I must have no less than a 15 minute commute to work, or I just simply am not happy.

Im the same way. I have an hour comute. My vice is getting an americano with soy when I leave. I just love sipping it the whole way. If im running late and dont get to, I feel out of sorts for the first few hours. My drive just isnt the same.

My other "things",

Beeping IV pumps. Who can ignore them, and why??????? Aaaahhhhh it drives me nuts. If the primary nurse is just siting there, I will huff into the room, fix it and tell them, "your pump was beeping, I fixed it" (get a clue)

Lines that arent labeled. If ive got a million lines, I like to label one with a big sticker close to the site so its clear it can be uses in emergency.

Alarming monitors. If your monitor keeps alarming the same thing and you know about, a) do something about it, or b) if your not going to do something, widen your limits. The silence button was made for a reason. I think its rude. There are others that work around you.

When I put blankets or sheets on my patients, I fold them in half so they lie flat and neat. I cant stand when the sheet is in one layer and it rumples up everywhere.

I like changing colostomy appliances. I dont know why. Maybe because everyone else doesnt do it right, if its leaking, they just paste more goop and pray for the best, instead of taking it down, scraping the goop off, prepping the skin and cutting it right the first time. I just really enjoy making an ostomy appliance fit nicely, lol.

I also hate multiple IVPB for no reason. For most things, you can keep it attached to the secondary port and lower it to flush it and put the new bag up. Why do you need 10 different lines to reattach/disconect. It wastes time and and pain in my butt.

Thats it for now, but I know I have a lot of neurotic behaviours.

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I hate running IVPB on a primary line...it's sometimes difficult to prime without wasting these expensive and necessary meds!Most of my co-workers can't stand respiratory secretions....my killer: skin flakes! Nothing makes me want to retch like pulling off a pt's socks or pulling back covers and seeing corn flakes fly around....BLEH!Can't stand tangled lines/call light wires/dynamaps etc.And I can't stand that I just stood at my pt's bedside, asking if they needed anything else, and I leave to have the unit secretary call me less than 2 minutes later....and it's for pain med, ice, trip to potty...really? You didn't know that 2 minutes ago?And I get irritated when pt's think they are supposed to have their meds on the exact second they are due. I have 6 pt's, can't be in 6 rooms at once to give your 2200 meds at 2200....2215 not good enough, I guess. Happened just the other night...still sore I guess :)But, with all that, I have a great poker face and demeanor...they never know I'm irritated. I'm sweet nursery-nurse at the bedside! Love my co-workers, we all let each other vent.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

What a bunch of.................:lol2:

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

my hospital job is in administation now so i don't get too much hands on... but i'm not above helping my nurses if they need it when i float on by... one thing i can't stand is a messy tray table. I have even stopped unsolicited into a patient's room because their tray was full of trash and disarrayed papers and half drank soda cans

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Specializes in OB.

I'm compulsive about being early. If I run in to work at the minute the shift starts I feel out of sorts for the whole first hour, even if not busy.

If I have to perform a painful procedure on a newborn I feel like I must pick them up and give them a cuddle afterwards - don't know if it helps them but it makes me feel better.

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