Static Electricity is Slowing me Down.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

How do I stop from getting shocked? This only happens to me on the floor and not outside the hospital. Every door, every machine, even siderails that I touch always shock me! The shocks from the IV pumps are TERRIBLE. Every one looks at me crazy because I jump from the shock (they of course don't see or feel it) or because I rub my hand cautiously towards the door handle. The IV that shocked me today nearly lit a fire under my butt. Is anyone else getting shocked on a daily basis? 36_11_1.gif

Is it worse for you in Winter? I drag out the fine mist humidifier at home when it gets bad and it seems to help lots in the house...

By the way, do you have probs with watches stopping when you wear them? My grandma did this and she had a "shocking personality" too.

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Specializes in NICU.

Try first touching the back of your hand to the object that you know will give you a shock. Hurts less there than touching with your fingertips.

...and ditto what others have said about the safety issue.

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Specializes in ER, Medicine.

hummm....it happened a few months ago at a gas station in houston, this lady was talking on her phone and got in and out of her car a few times (building up static electricity). she touched the pump her gas tank blew up. apparently, if you just have to talk on your cell phone while at the pump you shouldn't rub up against your car seats. it's those two factors that cause the explosions.

the static phone explosion from gas stations is over well ten years old. being beat to death by either 48 hours or 60 minutes, i remember which of the two it was but know for a fact it was one of the two because i watched the program myself. secondly, by a program called "myth busters" on your local cable network that shot it down in a heart beat as being false. thirdly, yet another program called "urban myths" hosted by i believe at the time was stacy ketch continued shot this one down.
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Specializes in ER, Medicine.

It pretty much happens all the time, but I've really started noticing it more in the winter.

Has my watch stopped? :chuckle Yep! Once. I was checking my patient's radial pulse and my butt brushed up against the IV pump and boy did I get a shock. I noticed my watch started ticking backwards before it started up again. I don't know if the patient felt it but he did say he heard the snapping sound that it makes.

Is it worse for you in Winter? I drag out the fine mist humidifier at home when it gets bad and it seems to help lots in the house...

By the way, do you have probs with watches stopping when you wear them? My grandma did this and she had a "shocking personality" too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
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