Which nursing skills do you dread?

Nurses General Nursing

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What nursing skills do you absolutely hate doing? Even if it is super easy and not time consuming? Which orders do you read and just think to yourself, aw man! I hate doing that!! I'm just curious!

I hate doing dressing changes. (I think b/c we get a lot of gangrene wounds... and they stink!)

I also loathe hanging blood! I don't know why... it isn't difficult

And of course enemas and disimpactions aren't too fun either!

I also hate giving eye and ear drops. I don't know why...

I also hate having to collect stool samples... ewwww the idea of scooping up the poop into the little cup... gross :lol2:

Anything to do with sputum or feet LOL. Collecting a sputum spec or putting on TEDs makes me physically ill. I nearly passed out once watching a podiatrist cutting this patient's toenails... you know, thick, crusty, yellow, curly toenails. AAAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!!!!

Funny thing is though, trach care doesn't bother me at all. (I've learned to move fast)

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Specializes in Medical-Oncology.

What's so bad about hanging blood?

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Specializes in Tele, Infectious Disease, OHN.

One thing that makes me really gag is oral care if they have full plates. I used to work a floor where the nurse before me would put the dentured in a glass of water eithout washing them off. When I would bring the patients' breakfast I brushed them with tooth paste. Foe some ereason I stick my hands into the most amazing nasty things people can have, but teeth...gag. i would seriously pray and try to distract myself so I would not puke.

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Specializes in acute care.

I always read about how horrible the c-diff smell is...Is it really THAT bad? Now you guys have peaked my curiousity. I'm going to call my nurse friend and have her describe the smell to me. :lol2:

:barf01:

you forgot to mention..with a smell sooo bad it would bring most people to their knees gagging!! I hate C. Diff! Its a smell you will never ever forget.

:barf02:

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Specializes in SNF.

Smelling Osteomalitis in a decub that has to be packed.......I've got a strong stomach and handle most of it all pretty well, but this one floors me!

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Specializes in Med/surg,Tele,PACU,ER,ICU,LTAC,HH,Neuro.

Dis-impacting is definitely one I think you all avoid. When I worked agency, I got an assignment on a skilled unit where most where on tube feedings. I had to dis-impact almost every patient. It was an ALL NIGHT chore. Each patient I assessed was distended with NO BMs charted. It was a 12 hour disaster. One patient had to go to ICU to be put on a vent....well okay,,, that pt's problem wasn't constipation , but gaw how can a floor with mainly total care patients not assess BMs. Surely you don't all hate dis-impacting so much YOU HIRE AN AGENCY NURSE TO DUMP THE JOB ON? :sniff:

podiatrist cutting this patient's toenails... you know, thick, crusty, yellow, curly toenails. AAAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!!!!

:roll

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Specializes in Paediatrics - Neuroscience/Cardiac.

i hate line changes! just getting sterile and stuff sucks.

i also hate doing heel pricks.

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Sign me up for hating ambulating patients-the biggest drawback when floating to cardiothoracic step-down. I do not like getting people up to a chair if I am not confident they can do all the work.( I am 108lbs and not that strong)

I never liked feeding patients. It could take forever. Call lights start going off and things get behind while doing this essential but very boring task.

I do not like "road trips" to MRI with ICU patients.

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Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

I hate having anything to do with vomit, especially with our older pt. population. Baby vomit isn't a big deal, but some of our peds patients are teens and occasionally adults...and that vomit is just disgusting.

C diff is another, though I've learned to put lotion under my nose (and inside the mask I wear) to ward off the evil smells.

I don't enjoy taking monitored patients down to Xray...monitors weigh about 35 pounds..and all the associated wiring...ugh.

IVs/blood draws on patients who's limbs are contracted. Difficult on a good day, downright impossible sometimes.

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I HATE starting IVs, especially on A&O patients who are screaming (before you even touch them) IS IT GOING TO HURT?????

I hate placing foleys in little old contracted ladies.

I LOVE doing ostomy pouch changes, skin care, etc. I guess I better, cause now I am a wound/ostomy nurse at our facility. It also helps that I have sinus problems, so my sniffer doesn't work so well!

Oldiebutgoodie

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One patient had to go to ICU to be put on a vent....well okay,,, that pt's problem wasn't constipation
Way back when, we had a patient actually die as a result of constipation. He went into respiratory distress and ended up on the vent because he was so impacted he'd developed a 'megacolon' and his lungs simply couldn't expand. I remember being shown the xrays. Quite impressive.
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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

I dread:

Saying "Is there anything else I can get you because [say it with me...] I HAVE THE TIME!!!!"

Having an patient hand you "something". (Doesn't matter what it is. But multiply the ick factor when it's dentures that haven't seen a toothbrush or efferdent since the mid 1970's)

Discharge teaching on a late teen/early 20's young lady who is leaving the ER after a 1g IM injection of rocephin, and having to explain that "Yes, it was the intercourse that gave you the STD. No, the ambulance that you took here can't take you home..."

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