Best Corrections Trauma Story and/or "Man Down" Story

PrisonrNurs · Jan 8, 2008

Among my favorites: Had one inmate upset that his legs were infected. Indeed, they were red, mottled, skin cracked and bleeding. Not an infection though because it ended abruptly at his waistline. After "interrogating" him, he finally admitted that he was not sending his sweat pants to the laundry for cleaning. He was cleaning them in his cell...with floor cleaner.

I had another inmate say he's not taking his suppositories because of the excruciating pain he felt. Turns out he was putting them in...without taking them out of the foil wrap.

Another is the guy who didn't want to pay the $3.00 co-pay to see the nurse for an eye infection. He treated himself...by taking fungal powder, mixing it with water and putting it in his eyes. He was sent to the ER for an evaluation, but since it was self-infliced, he was responsible for the medical costs which were around $975...and he STILL had to pay the co-pay!

I think the most ridiculous and stupid one I've ever seen was the guy who came down to us with second degree burns to 27% of his body. Turns out he was trying to wash his clothes in his cell. He went to the janitor room and filled a (thin) garbage bag with about 10 gallons of scalding hot water. Naturally it exploded all over him.

RecoveringKite · May 28, 2008

I have one. I had a patient in an IMC unit. ETOH withdrawel with no cardiac hx. Of course had not been to a Dr. for 40 yrs. Thank God he was on a monitor.

I was walking down the hall to check on him when my beeper went off and was showing V tach. I walked in the room with a colleague and looked at him...he looked purple. I told the other Nurse to turn on the light and sure enough he was in Vtach and down. I threw the head of his bed down and started CPR. I told the other Nurse to get the ambu bag. She left me and never came back...she ran down the hall to tell the other Nurses I needed help. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!! So I did chest compressions and yelled for help...thank GOD another Nurse came running in with the ambu bag. Anyway...we coded him...shocked him, transferred him to CCU. He coded again several times. I had a pretty good repore with his family (sons) so I called his one son and told him he needed to come now.

I had not heard anything later that evening or the next day...I thought he died since his son never came back to talk with me.

About 2 weeks later I was coming out of the stock closet at the beginning of my shift, when a man came up to me and said "Remember me?" I said vaguely (he was the second son and I did not have much contact with him) He said, "I need to show you something". He took me in the room, and behold,...there was my patient sitting up in bed. As soon as he smiled at me I started crying. That never happened to me before. I couldn't believe it. He said " You're the one that broke my ribs?" I said, probably.

I really thought he had died.

He thanked me and we talked about "this being his second chance." He said he would never touch etoh again. I lost track of him after discharge.

I think of this story often, and it helps. :yeah:

uraqt2 · Jun 3, 2008

Wasn't there for this one but a funny one to repeat: Had a man down called regarding a bee sting. Supposedly the inmate was allergic to bee stings and was having an anaphylactic reaction. Upon arrival inmate was short of breath, pale, and diaphoretic. Upon questioning the inmate he reported he didn't get stung by a bee he was having chest pain. Vitals were not even close to stable and dropping. Finally got him transferred out and he ended up having bypass surgery.

Another one that's worth repeating: An inmate was cutting himself wanting to be transferred to infirmary. Inmate has a history of manipulation and behavioral issues. Custody responded and notified medical to call and initiate life flight. Medical responded to check the inmate expecting the worse; however, upon arrival the inmates cell was noted to be covered with blood along with the inmate, but the inmate was alert and oriented. Upon cleaning the inmate up superficial scratches were noted on his wrists. Upon questioning where all the blood came from the inmate reported that he was milking the blood from his wrists and mixed it with water then threw it all over his cell. And to think custody wanted life flight initiated for this.

VegRN · Jun 4, 2008

Another one that's worth repeating: An inmate was cutting himself wanting to be transferred to infirmary. Inmate has a history of manipulation and behavioral issues. Custody responded and notified medical to call and initiate life flight. Medical responded to check the inmate expecting the worse; however, upon arrival the inmates cell was noted to be covered with blood along with the inmate, but the inmate was alert and oriented. Upon cleaning the inmate up superficial scratches were noted on his wrists. Upon questioning where all the blood came from the inmate reported that he was milking the blood from his wrists and mixed it with water then threw it all over his cell. And to think custody wanted life flight initiated for this.

Hahahhahaha...this is soo funny:yeah::chuckle