The Bee Keeper - A Funny Nursing Story

So, one day my manager gave me the choice... go home or go to the ER and help them out. She assured me that I would just stock shelves and help out the nurses and not actually take care of any patients since I had not taken care of an adult pt since school. I needed the money so I said I was up for it.

I was really excited to see the happenings in a busy ER, after all, it always looks so exciting on TV right?? Would I see gunshot wounds? Multiple traumas? Impaired people? Time would tell.

The nurses were great! And very happy to have some help- adult challenged or not! I stocked some supplies, helped transfer some patients to the floors, they even let me start some IVs and draw some blood. I was having a great day. But where was all the "TV drama action"?

Don't get me wrong, this ER staff was BUSY! And busy saving lives and impacting every patient they came to contact with. I had a great admiration for the work they did. I was just hoping for the "TV drama".

Finally, 3/4 through the shift an ambulance rolled in and on the stretcher was this Bee Keeper- he had the protective gear on and everything. WOW this was what I had been waiting for! Anaphylactic shock maybe?

Just as they were coming in the door, I was asked to go into room 3 for a 4 day old with fever and lethargy. Got the baby all taken care of and impressed the ER nurses with my IV skills! I think I could get used to this!

So, time to take a break with some of my fellow ER "buddies"- they thanked me for my help and asked me what I thought. Being a little overconfident, I told them that I thought maybe I'd like to work ER someday. I also told them of my hopes to see more "excitement". They rolled their eyes. "Oh, by the way", I asked, "what happened to the Bee Keeper?"

"What Bee Keeper?" they asked.

"I saw EMS bring in a Bee Keeper a couple of hours ago." I insisted.

Laughter erupted!! These gals could not breathe they were laughing so hard!

"What?" I said.

"She means the guy in 6!" one blurted out.

Well....... apparently he is no Bee Keeper at all! He is some crazy belligerent dude who spits on people! And the "beekeeper" that protects the staff from being spit on!!

I wanted to crawl under the table! Thank goodness there were only 2 more hours to go because I never heard the end of it the rest of the shift.

For years I'd see these nurses in the cafeteria and they would tell me about the new "Bee Keeper" that just came in!