Inquiring Minds Want To Know: Outrageous Orders!

RNforLongTime · May 10, 2002

I once had an order for 30cc Black Velvet q6hrs prn. Pt was an alcoholic. I know the doc wanted to prevent DT's but there are other ways to do that.

micro, RN · May 10, 2002

what troubles me is when pt. has definitively indicated and all legal paperwork is in place......that they are a dnr/dni........but yet everything i mean everything is done.........why...........

also when you know what the patient wants done and not done.....but procedures are done anyway......

sorry for the somber response........but sometimes in nursing this is what we see...............

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · May 10, 2002

Wow Micro...one more post and you go over the 999 mark! Or maybe you already did it and I just don't know it yet! :)

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · May 10, 2002

Colace one tab po stat

Meal tray stat (food available on the floor was unacceptable)

Lasix 80mg stat (crossed out)

NS bolus 500cc stat

Lasix 40mg stat, and KCl 10 mEq stat, DC IV

20 min later

Cancel above orders and call with urine output q4h

TO DrDink/ canoehed RN

4h later

Do not call unless UO

TO Dr Dink/canoehedRN

Incident report:

DrDink's wife called using inappropriate language stating nurses were calling MD too often to clarify orders, that we should ask all questions with one call or figure it out for ourselves because he is hard working and needs his sleep.

3d later

Pt had

MQ Edna · May 10, 2002

Ibuprofen 600mg IV

Gotta love it. At least it gives us a laugh.

lindalee · May 10, 2002

I think my all time favorite was from about 30 years ago. I was working pediatrics at the time and was discharging a toddler who had had a circumcision. The physician had ordered ice to member for 24 years. I laughed until I cried and that is exactly what I told the mother and we both laughed. (this was before the current legal climate and we could enjoy an error and not worry that someone would sue someone else for an error.) Then many years later in the ICU I woke a physician for increasing PAW, pulmonary congestion--pt on vent. Physician said give him breakfast and he will be fine. Well--he repeated it three times so I did decide to write the order, then called another physician to get appropiate orders. Boy was that MD mad in the morning---LOL.

BjOnrs · May 10, 2002

A Physician ,who had been up all night with a emergency surgery, came in after seeing his routine post-op patients and wrote to "ambulate in highway qid". Of course he meant hallway but we all had a good laugh. He, however, didn't see the humour in it when we pointed it out. LOL

mattsmom81 · May 10, 2002

"I don't want to hear from you XX00## nurses again unless the patient quits BREATHING".

Gotta be the MOST outrageous order I've received. I was tempted to write it as an order, instead I wrote it on an incident report....because of course, the patient did just that and did not make it.

willie2001 · May 10, 2002

Accurate I&O. Patient incontinent. Physician refused to write for a Foley.

Ted · May 10, 2002

Give #@$%@ Q #$% hours via @#$@

Bad handwriting!

May not be "outrageous orders" but bad unreadable orders still piss me off.

Most outrageous order. . . has to be the classic

Patient is a DNR/DNI and comfort care, but may give cardiac meds. :stone

Ted

Dr. Kate, BSN, RN · May 10, 2002

3-11 shift in ICU. Patient on a vent, moribund. So naturally the doc writes "ambulate patient around the bed"

Patient died the next morning.

Consequences of not getting the poor soul OOB, none. Everyone "knows" ambulation orders are started on days.