Oooh Ick! Has this happened to you?

Nurses Rock Toon

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A relative, usually a senior, has to discuss their BMs with you without regard for the situation or place? Hey, I got news for you! I don't want to hear about how big, how small, how frequent, color, consistency or ANYTHING about your BMs unless I'm your nurse for the shift. Ok....whew! Got that out - what do you all say when people want to discuss something that shouldn't be discussed in public?

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Didn't Dr Oz do a show about this once?

Hasn't Dr. Oz done shows about nearly everything? I love the segments where 'civilians' put on gloves and handle preserved gut-parts.:yes:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Happens all the time. My older neighbors, friends, pretty much every person that knows you are a nurse seems to want free medical advice. Along with very avid descriptions of ailments...I am usually able to stop them before the show and tell starts!

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

When I went back to school at age 30, for non-nursing classes, I was frequently approached by young students saying, "You're a nurse, right?" Why they wouldn't just go to the student healthcare dept., I don't know. After I talked with a diabetic who went on drinking binges every weekend, and was shown a big dimple that had suddenly appeared in the side of a girl's breast, and was shown the huge leg veins on an anorexic girl's legs, etc.,etc.,etc.......I ALWAYS used my "If it were ME" talk about going to the doctor. I managed to maintain a casual off-the-cuff conversational tone so they wouldn't feel lectured; if it came off as a thoughtful consideration of their problem, they usually would follow-up with a doc. I didn't really mind; that they felt comfortable enough with me was kind of nice, in that at least they told SOMEONE instead of worrying and trying to wait it out to see if it might disappear by ignoring it all.

Other folks who just loooove to jabber on and on about their very special and unusual medical conditions, I just use the "Huh.", "For heaven's sake." and "Gee, wow." responses. Then I conveniently 'feel' my cell-phone vibrate, or have to be somewhere for an appointment or run out to the store to pick up something-or-other.

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Specializes in PACU, presurgical testing.

Had someone take their shoes off and show me a gross spot on their foot. Yeah. I do try to be helpful, but it doesn't take me long to refer them to their PCP! My favorite is when people ask my advice... and then ARGUE with me. I want to ask them if they argue with their doctor, and then direct them thereto...

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
My favorite is when people ask my advice... and then ARGUE with me. I want to ask them if they argue with their doctor, and then direct them thereto...

My husband does this all. the. time. :cautious: He is a very smart and educated guy--he's a hedge fund CFO, planning to start work on his PhD soon--but he's the first to say that he hated biology and never took a single credit that wasn't required.

He's also very big on CAM vs. Western medicine, which has its place..but he'll ask me about a condition or what the treatment is, and then argue with me about it.

For example, one of our kids was born w/ a couple of heart defects. Ped cardiologist put him on dig and Lasix when he was 3 weeks old. Husband had to know what the alternatives were. Maybe it's HOW he asked...it wasn't "And there isn't any way around this?" but "What are the long-term consequences? What are the alternatives? How do we solve the root problem and not use chemicals?" Um...hon this IS the alternative. He is in CHF...the drugs are the alternative to open-heart surgery to see if we can buy time for this to resolve on its own. (That issue did!) Oh, and he did NOT ask the cardiologist at the appointment. He grilled me about it at home.

Our oldest was just diagnosed with asthma a few weeks ago. Four months ago she won a Presidential award for physical fitness, and could run a mile in 7 minutes. When she went back to cross-country practice this fall, she was unable to run two laps around the track w/o wheezing. Not normal for her AT ALL. He would ask me what asthma is and what the dr. said, and then insist that it's because she's out of shape from summer. Then proceeded to tell HER that she and I need to find out what the root cause is so that she doesn't have to rely on chemicals. (To which she said, "Okay, so I just shouldn't run? I should sit on the couch so this doesn't happen again?" and rolled her eyes lol...12 yr olds!)

He really is a nice guy lol, and usually EVENTUALLY listens to me. But extreme type A, plus suspicious of Western medicine, plus not knowing patho, plus me being a good EBP-following RN, makes for some frustrating conversations. :facepalm:

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I have a friend who insists on telling me all about her bowel habits. "Oh, poppycat, I haven't pooped in 5 weeks." Really, why aren't you in the hospital for a bowel obstruction? Could it be all the Vicodin, MS Contin, & OxyContin you take every single day. What does your doctor say? "He says it's normal". I'd look for a new doctor.

People have often told me things their doctor said to them and I wondered why people would put up with such idiots for doctors. Then I finally clued in. It was the patient giving me a ridiculous story and I was the idiot for believing their doctor actually said that.

On another note: someone once described a symptom to me that his wife was having and wanted to know what I thought it could be. I said she really should have her doctor check it out. He replied that she had already been to several doctors and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Well, good thing you asked me! I'll be happy to diagnose your wife for you! :banghead:

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