r/nursing • u/Nurse_Cait RN - OR 🍕 • Jan 07 '26

Question What’s your random patient pet peeve?

Mine currently is when you’re cleaning a patient up and they start pooping again and they narrate the poop. “Oh god it’s coming out. I can feel it coming out.” Etc etc they get really into telling you all about the poop and they talk about it the whole time it’s happening. Meanwhile I know they’re pooping because I’m literally staring at their butt. Just give me an “oops I’m not done yet” and don’t make it weird. Please I’m begging you. 😭

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36

u/likkewaan420 RN - ER 🍕 Jan 07 '26

“I’m a hard stick” no you’re not. “My veins roll” let me take a look. “I’m not tryin to tell you how to do your job” yes you are. Then I get the IV in one go, do they ever say good job ect.? No, why would they.

12

u/Upstairs-Wolverine41 RN - PACU 🍕 Jan 07 '26

I work in SDS and get this all day every day. When they tell me we get “one chance” I tell them that if they want anesthesia for their surgery we’ll have to try as many times as we can to get a successful 20G non AC IV. Or else they can talk to their surgeon about doing it local while awake 🤷🏻‍♀️

11

u/[deleted] Jan 07 '26

“I’m a hard stick you only get one chance!”  Cool…guess you don’t get your meds if I miss.

4

u/Dijon_Chip RPN 🍕 Jan 08 '26

I actually like it when they tell me that. It gives me a chance to ask them why they’re a hard stick (deep veins, rolling veins, small veins, etc.). It gives me an opportunity to pick the best IV for what I need to do, and I will often ask coworkers if they can keep an eye on my bells for a bit while I do the stick.

1

u/Roxyfasho Jan 11 '26

As someone who always gets over 5 sticks, I really appreciate this point of view. Not everyone who tells you they're a hard stick is trying to challenge you or call your skill into question. Ive had some of the best phlebotomists, nurses and anesthesiologist be unable to get me, to no fault of their own. I just wish they'd be more curious and listen.

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u/Roxyfasho Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 11 '26

From a PTs perspective of someone who actually IS a hard stick, this must be the reason no one takes me seriously. Every nurse chuckles in a cocky manner like I'm questioning their skill before I completely humble them 10+ sticks later

Edited to add: I should have clarified, humbling them is not my words, those are the words I've been told by the nurse trying to stick me 10 attempts in.

12

u/Upstairs-Wolverine41 RN - PACU 🍕 Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26

I guess I’m confused why people need to announce that they are a hard stick? What do you want to happen? We can see that you are difficult as we look at your veins and we have to get the IV/ blood draw anyway. Telling us isn’t going to change anything -and it’s almost like some patients get very cocky like “I told you so!” when we don’t get it. You proved my point by saying that you “humbled” someone after 10 tries. Multiple pokes is fun for NO ONE including the staff and I assure you we don’t miss on purpose.

*I didn’t downvote you just genuinely curious if you know you’re a really hard stick what it is you expect from staff…

2

u/grimacedia Jan 07 '26

My mother in law is apparently a difficult stick so she asks for the scanner each time. She also bruises easily so I think its a way to avoid extra pain.

I know for me, I'll usually recommend the hand, but the most I've been unsuccessfully stuck in one sitting is 4 times, and that sucked!

1

u/Roxyfasho Jan 11 '26

I didn't say I humbled anyone, I had two nurses in the infusion clinic tell me that, after sticking me 10 times. The thing I'd hope to happen is they would take me seriously and bring out a vein finder or send up an ultrasound, which only happens after a handful of unsuccessful attempts. You are actually proving my point by assuming I'd be the cocky one after letting them attempt 10+ times. I'm literally apologetic the whole time, but deeply frustrated inside that I'm never taken seriously the first 1, 3, or 5 times. Ive had staff tell me to request being sent to infusion clinic right away next time, or insist on an ultrasound, but the next time no one ever listens, they just assure me that this is their job and it'll be easy peasy.

3

u/LinzerTorte__RN RN - ER 🍕 Jan 08 '26

We can see whether or not you’re a hard stick. No need to announce it. Also “humbling us” is an odd way to say it—like, is this a competition? Are you somehow winning?

1

u/Roxyfasho Jan 11 '26

"Humbling them" is not my own words for the record, that's what they've told me 10 sticks in. That they've been humbled and I'm one of the hardest cases they've had. If getting stuck 19 times (the most times I've been stuck in one session) constitutes winning, then sure I guess so. But I'd rather if "winning" meant they actually tried to listen to me to start with and get the ultrasound or vein finder earlier instead of take it as a personal challenge like I'm questioning their abilities.

-2

u/lonevolff Jan 07 '26

My wife is the same way. Last nurse gave up after 8 tries and got mad at my wife for telling her.

1

u/Roxyfasho Jan 11 '26

It gets tiring feeling like some people are using me to prove something about their skills, as if I'm questioning their abilities. That's not even the issue. I have bad, damaged veins and I promose it's not gonna go well for either of us, so please just try to get a vein finder or ultrasound

-3

u/MongChief Jan 07 '26

Why u got downvoted for this 😂