Craziest experience in Nursing School...

SingDanceRunLife · Dec 30, 2014

I started college as a nursing major and did 1 clinical semester in an RN program, so this is from then, though I am about to start LPN school next month: I was on clinical and I had been paired with a second year student because my patient had been discharged and it was the second day of clinical that week. We were doing routine vitals and our patient went into respiratory arrest! We had to call RTs and everything, and while waiting for them to come had to perform CPR. My job was the bagging.

nekozuki, LPN · Dec 31, 2014

Even two years after graduating, I can't pick just one. My top three:

3. Taking vitals on a patient who was in for Altered mental status, had two cops in the room with him. No big deal, I moved slowly, used caution, spoke in a low, calm tone and informed him what I was doing. At one point, he reached up and brushed my shoulder, saying, "You had a spider on you. There are spiders all over you." I smile, thank him, and step back. The RN walks next to him a moment later, and this frail old man bum rushes her and throws her into the wall before the officers can intervene. She was on desk duty for two months due to back injuries.

2. My (now retired/semi-fired) nursing instructors were hardcore, no-nonsense old school types. You were not late (ever), you did not miss more than one day per term or were kicked out, and you could never under any circumstances leave during a test. As we took an A&P exam early on in the program, a student asked to use the bathroom. My instructor said no. She asked again with more urgency a minute later. My instructor repeated that she would automatically fail the exam. So, my classmate ****** her pants (while ironically taking a test on the urinary system).

1. 550 lb woman with huge stage 4 ulcer on rt hip. She hadn't had a BM in a week. When she finally blew, I was one of three lucky nursing students assigned to the floor. We had to handle her VERY carefully because the ulcer was so massive. Two students helped her roll on one side and keep her there, and I was tasked with crawling onto the bed (one of those special wide XL beds) to clean her up, since I was judged least likely to vomit given my backround cleaning bathrooms at Taco Bell. Someone had shoved a bedpan under her, but it was overflowing and EVERYWHERE. We went through so many wipes and chucks, good Lord. It took about thirty minutes to get her ship-shape, done carefully and with the utmost respect (she was a sweet woman who was very embarrassed). Once the patient was settled back in bed, it took us ten flushes in the toilet to dispose of the waste, and both my classmates were dry-heaving. Once we finished, I turned to them triumphantly, only to have them stare back at me in silent horror. I KNEW I had something on me.

...And I did. In two places on my all-white uniform.

RatedR22, ASN, LPN · Jan 5, 2015

I started college as a nursing major and did 1 clinical semester in an RN program, so this is from then, though I am about to start LPN school next month: I was on clinical and I had been paired with a second year student because my patient had been discharged and it was the second day of clinical that week. We were doing routine vitals and our patient went into respiratory arrest! We had to call RTs and everything, and while waiting for them to come had to perform CPR. My job was the bagging.

OH that sucks, but definitely an experience.

RatedR22, ASN, LPN · Jan 5, 2015

Even two years after graduating, I can't pick just one. My top three:
3. Taking vitals on a patient who was in for Altered mental status, had two cops in the room with him. No big deal, I moved slowly, used caution, spoke in a low, calm tone and informed him what I was doing. At one point, he reached up and brushed my shoulder, saying, "You had a spider on you. There are spiders all over you." I smile, thank him, and step back. The RN walks next to him a moment later, and this frail old man bum rushes her and throws her into the wall before the officers can intervene. She was on desk duty for two months due to back injuries.
2. My (now retired/semi-fired) nursing instructors were hardcore, no-nonsense old school types. You were not late (ever), you did not miss more than one day per term or were kicked out, and you could never under any circumstances leave during a test. As we took an A&P exam early on in the program, a student asked to use the bathroom. My instructor said no. She asked again with more urgency a minute later. My instructor repeated that she would automatically fail the exam. So, my classmate ****** her pants (while ironically taking a test on the urinary system).
1. 550 lb woman with huge stage 4 ulcer on rt hip. She hadn't had a BM in a week. When she finally blew, I was one of three lucky nursing students assigned to the floor. We had to handle her VERY carefully because the ulcer was so massive. Two students helped her roll on one side and keep her there, and I was tasked with crawling onto the bed (one of those special wide XL beds) to clean her up, since I was judged least likely to vomit given my backround cleaning bathrooms at Taco Bell. Someone had shoved a bedpan under her, but it was overflowing and EVERYWHERE. We went through so many wipes and chucks, good Lord. It took about thirty minutes to get her ship-shape, done carefully and with the utmost respect (she was a sweet woman who was very embarrassed). Once the patient was settled back in bed, it took us ten flushes in the toilet to dispose of the waste, and both my classmates were dry-heaving. Once we finished, I turned to them triumphantly, only to have them stare back at me in silent horror. I KNEW I had something on me.
...And I did. In two places on my all-white uniform.

Wow you sound like you had a lot of fun... Very similar to mine

Nibbles1 · Jan 5, 2015

It was emergency preparedness day at the hospital we were at. Each room had a "pretend" victim. One was a hurricane, another earthquake, and so on. This very frail man comes walking into the ER. He said he was cold. It's June and it's 100 degrees outside. He was sweating and shaking. I asked him how he got here. He said his son. His son was outside parking the car. We had news stations and helicopters since it was obviously a slow news day. I got him to a room. And he coded. I'm a student nurse now freaking out. I yelled at a cna walking by. Told her to get on the intercom and get help. I saw the charge nurse walking by, I screamed "He's having a heart attack." She said, " No, no this man isn't the heart attack victim. He's in the next room. I just took him some coffee." About the time, the cna screams, " we need every f**king body in room 5 now." The charge nurse realizes this is a REAL victim. By the time the son got to us, his dad was going to ICU. Yep, I made the local TV news that night.

RatedR22, ASN, LPN · Jan 5, 2015

It was emergency preparedness day at the hospital we were at. Each room had a "pretend" victim. One was a hurricane, another earthquake, and so on. This very frail man comes walking into the ER. He said he was cold. It's June and it's 100 degrees outside. He was sweating and shaking. I asked him how he got here. He said his son. His son was outside parking the car. We had news stations and helicopters since it was obviously a slow news day. I got him to a room. And he coded. I'm a student nurse now freaking out. I yelled at a cna walking by. Told her to get on the intercom and get help. I saw the charge nurse walking by, I screamed "He's having a heart attack." She said, " No, no this man isn't the heart attack victim. He's in the next room. I just took him some coffee." About the time, the cna screams, " we need every f**king body in room 5 now." The charge nurse realizes this is a REAL victim. By the time the son got to us, his dad was going to ICU. Yep, I made the local TV news that night.

If only you can see my eyes right now. You were awesome in assessing and interpreting the situation though. Wow