What Baffles You?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So I have come across this a few times. I am holding a straw to a persons lips and they drink and drink and drink and pretty soon they are waving their hands for me to stop. Stop what?! You don't have to keep sucking on the straw just because it is in your mouth. I think the universal sign of I'm done please remove the straw should be to stop sucking on it and open your mouth! I have had a few people have to catch their breath and make comments about me giving them too much! What? I don't get it.

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I've had this happen too!! Beyond ridiculous. I look right at them and say, "well, if you've had enough, then stop drinking!"

The way some people complain, you'd think the straw was superglued to their lips!

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Hahaha yes that has happened to me!

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Another baffling question - why do folk 'ooh & aah & oomph' when they sit down or get up when they have aches & pains? It's not like making the noises make them get well.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Why would a completely able bodied person put the call light on for staff to pull them up in bed, instead of just wiggling a little as they would do at home?

Even if the pt is 70 something and sick. I don't get the whole "I'm helpless" thing.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Why would a completely able bodied person put the call light on for staff to pull them up in bed, instead of just wiggling a little as they would do at home?

Even if the pt is 70 something and sick. I don't get the whole "I'm helpless" thing.

There is a difference .... at home they don't have the dang hi-low control. So they're not sitting in a high fowler's position. Gravity just drags them down and it's difficult to push up against gravity. I they were flat, flat in bed I'd question it too.

But for the now, I'd love to take away the hi-low control. But we can't ...

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How about this:

Patient (0 s/s): Did you bring my pain pills with these?

Me: No...you didn't tell me you needed any...

Patient: YOU SHOULD JUST KNOW! I NEED MY PAIN PILLS!

I'm supposed to be psychic apparently.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
How about this:

Patient (0 s/s): Did you bring my pain pills with these?

Me: No...you didn't tell me you needed any...

Patient: YOU SHOULD JUST KNOW! I NEED MY PAIN PILLS!

I'm supposed to be psychic apparently.

Now that psychic telepathic ability is one superskill that would be really something!!!
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Specializes in Hospice.

Here's another one the 52 y/o CABG who is POD 4 won't do his IS or cardiac walks, still has all 3 chest tubes in and asks for IV pain med every 3hours while the 82 y/o CABG who is POD 4 is being discharged next day. Ok, before someone tries to educate me on differences in peoples healing processes I understand about complications and healing because I have done this a very long time. It just seems that the older people try a little bit harder than the younger ones. And to my male nursing comrades please forgive me but, the young males seem to have a harder time than the older ladies in recuperating.:arghh:

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Most of these are just part of a nurse's job to teach and encourage independence. Some nurses refuse to do this, leaving their coworkers to wonder why a 45 year old man is acting like an infant. (More than usual I mean.)

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Specializes in Med Surg.
And to my male nursing comrades please forgive me but, the young males seem to have a harder time than the older ladies in recuperating.:arghh:

No apology needed. Speaking as a middle aged male, I completely agree that younger males can be the WORST.

I learned this during my first job on a nursing home TCU. I learned I was getting a 45 year old man who was recovering from surgery, but fairly independent.

Of course, he was a whining nightmare. Now I see those 25-50 year olds coming and cringe.

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Specializes in Hospice.
Most of these are just part of a nurse's job to teach and encourage independence. Some nurses refuse to do this, leaving their coworkers to wonder why a 45 year old man is acting like an infant. (More than usual I mean.)

I do agree that part of the problem can be a nurse not educating, so I always explain the reasons for IS and give encouragement, still.....

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