Your Most AWKWARD Nursing Moment

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  • by Mully
    Specializes in SICU.

You are reading page 2 of Your Most AWKWARD Nursing Moment

sewin2music

22 Posts

Okay, so I grew up practically Amish with extreme conservative values. I had several awkward moments when I started out as a CNA in a long term facility. One day the nurse of the unit said we needed to put a condom catheter on one of the patients. He must have seen my perplexed look. The nurse asked "Have you ever put a condom on?" to which I replied "What's a condom?" Haha, you should have seen his face as he exclaimed "Are you serious?"

tojal1989

47 Posts

During my 3 week career as a nurse I've had one hilarious moment. My preceptor and I walk into the room of an old patient who has a trach.

We could hear he was a congested. First thing he asks the nurse (female) is if she could "deep throat" him. She steps out to the hall right next to her and starts laughing out loud. I couldn't stop smiling and say, yes we can "deep suction" you. Dont think he knew what was going on. haha.

Dixielee, BSN, RN

1,222 Posts

Specializes in ER.

I had a patient many years ago who had a progressive neurological condition that had advanced so far she could not even turn her head, but was alert and oriented. Her mother was with her constantly and even had to turn her head for her because she has no purposeful movement at all. I was starting her IV and instinctively said, "Don't move". She immediately said sarcastically, "if I could move, I wouldn't be here!" I felt like a total idiot, and remember her clearly to this day. :eek:

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I have to repeat in my head over and over to say "take some deep breaths". The ONE time I screw up it was on a 20 something female pt to take some deep breasts. I dont think she heard me but I just hung my head in shame. Not to mention coming out of the room and having the other nurses ask if their breasts sounded ok. I wont live that one down for awhile.

LouisVRN, RN

672 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg.

Probably one of the funniest and awkward moments I've had was in caring for a very conservative religious LOL. She made it clear her faith and modesty were of upmost importance to her and her little old husband going to stay the night with her on her first night post op s/p hip repair. well as often happens to LOL post-op at night, she became increasingly confused, what we were not prepared for was her little old husband to get completely confused as well. At one point the husband became belligerent and bordering on combative with the male respiratory therapist demanding that the man get out of his house, the male lab tech didn't get any warmer of a reception. As if controlling the little old husband wasn't bad enough the LOL turned into a cursing nightmare screaming and yelling all sorts of profanities at the top of her lungs. At one point my preceptee who is also rather conservative and I went in to turn her and she grabs we are telling her to reach for the side rail to assist in her turn, well needless to say instead of grabbing the side rail she full on grabs my co-workers breast full palm on and refused to let go. My co-worker just gave me a mortified look while I was trying not to laugh.

Specializes in Complex care, tele.
You'd think I'd learn, but I've done the following over and over.

"Is this your mother?"

"No, I'm his wife."

I don't know what make me feel worse, the look of anger or the look of hurt on the woman's face.

There is absolutely no way to backpedal away from that situation. EVERYTHING just makes it worse.

My story is very similar....I too made the epically terrible assumption that the patient was the mother of the man walking in the door to pick up his discharged significant other.

Problem is, I have since found out that he is very good friends with my landlord, and rents garage space from him to store his Harley Davidson. I now see them about twice a week when they go out for bike rides on nice days. :eek:

TALK ABOUT AWKWARD!

NoviceRN10

901 Posts

I had a seemingly mentally delayed patient who was in for a penile prosthetic replacement ask me if I wanted to play with his big tennis balls :eek:. His girlfriend was in the room too and she just looked on as if that was a totally appropriate thing to ask your nurse :mad:. I couldn't get out of that room fast enough!

Jenni811, RN

1,032 Posts

Specializes in Intermediate care.

I am a young nurse. Im only 23 years old, and i look like im about 16 years old. Almost every patient or family member says something about it. "I have to ask. how old are you? because i know how long it takes to get through nursing school and you don't even look old enough to be through high school."

I just smile "Yea, i get that alot. but i asure you, i have my bachelors and i am older than you may think i am."

when it gets really awkward is when you KNOW patients or family are thinking it, but don't say it. I would rather they just come out and say it or ask.

sa[RN]ah

43 Posts

Specializes in Neuro/Trauma, 66H.

I have one from just a few days ago actually..

this past saturday, i went into a pt's room to get her cleaned up for the day. well, shes a little bit of a larger woman, has issues with weakness, and has some incontinence trouble so she was using breifs. we get her all cleaned up in bed and im having her roll side to side and back to the other side trying to get the brief all situated.. finally i gave up on the rolling idea and asked her "can you lift you bottom up so i can adjust your brief?", because i wasn't sure how much strength she had. Out from left field comes her response.. "well yeah, my husband and i still have sex you know! i may be a good christian woman but i'm no prude." awwwkward. At that point, all i could say was "ok, lift your bottom for me"

DiplomaNurseRN

58 Posts

Specializes in Pushing a rock ....

Inserting a pre-op foley into my Nursing Supervisor who I had been assigned as her nurse. Humming 'Getting to Know you', she caught it and we both were laughing so hard I compromised the proceedure and had to build a new set-up.

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN

1,116 Posts

Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

Ummm, I'll just say it, it's hilarious

i was walking down the hall , in the Operating Room, and ever so slowly, my scrub pants fell directly off, down to my ankles, my ass exposed to everyone in that hallway... docs , nurses, techs, housekeeping, X-ray techs ... a variety of everyone, actually. Yup. Mortified !!

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