Bizarre/funny things patients do

[AOx1]

I had the funniest thing happen. Yesterday, my relatively young (early 30s) patient took two tiny pills separately, flinging back his head violently while taking each one. Yesterday was the first time I've seen someone who is relatively young perform this odd behavior. I have seen many older patients do it, but never someone in their thirties. Of course, he had no reported swallowing issues and no difficulty bolting down huge bites of his cheeseburger without flinging back his head after each bite. When asked, he claimed he has to do it to swallow the pill. The pills were about the size of an Altoid mini by the way!

What makes you laugh that you've seen patients doing?

[motherof3sons]

little old man, holds his hand out to sweet CNA and says "here hold my gum for me" not gum, a nice little poop size of marble. CNA about took it from him before she realized what it was and got a glove, scrubbed LOM's hands......and then proceeded to tell us all at end of shift what had happened.

[danceyrun]

It IS psychological. I can't swallow a bare naked white aspirin or Tylenol pill. Everything must be enteric-coated or capsule. No problem swallowing a big handful at one time (even those horse-pill vitamins), but don't ask me to do a white ASA or Tylenol. As a kid, I did seriously gag on a tyl/ASA - almost aspirated it after gasping for air. So, yes I do crazies with some pills, too.[/quote']

Oh heavens to Betsy me too. And if I have a sinus infection and need sudafed....retching will surely ensue.

[nursefrances, BSN, RN]

I love our lady who yells at the top of her lungs..." put me in bed you SOB`s"

after her meals....its usually after they're lined up in the hallways to be laid back down after meals.

Somedays you gotta laugh to keep from crying!

Once we had a little old lady, she must have worked in the PTO during wartime in her day. She would sing/yell old patriotc songs. To a point it was cute but the other poor patients (who weren't hard of hearing) were not too happy. We would have to keep her busy. When she was bored that is when she would sing the most.

When she would sing "God bless Amerrricaaaa.....my hooooome sweeeeet hoooome" we (in the nurses station) would cover our hearts and sing this part with her. You couldn't help it. It was contagious.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

I love the lady that always says....praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. ;-)

[MECO28, BSN, RN]

We had a pretty cantankerous 96 year old who smiled sweetly at her nurse and asked "Is that mine?" while pointing at a giant tub of Eucerin on her bedside table. When the nurse answered in the affirmative, her response was "Good! Then I can throw it!" and proceeded to chuck it at her dumbfounded nurse.

[chrisrn24]

We had a pretty cantankerous 96 year old who smiled sweetly at her nurse and asked "Is that mine?" while pointing at a giant tub of Eucerin on her bedside table. When the nurse answered in the affirmative her response was "Good! Then I can throw it!" and proceeded to chuck it at her dumbfounded nurse.[/quote']

I would laugh so hard!

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

These are so funny. Reminds me - I had a cute little white-haired dementia patient the other day who asked me for a hammer. "What do you need it for?" I asked. She replied, "To bash your head in!!!"

What the heck? I thought we had been getting along... sundowning strikes again!