In the mind of the elderly

Nurses Humor

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:eek: :eek: This is a story told to me by another nurse in the LTC setting. There was an elderly woman who was in need of a stool softner who was not wanting to take it. As the nurse tried to persuade the woman to take it, the woman continued to say she didn't need it. Finally the woman asked the nurse how she knew that she needed it and the nurse replied, "because the paper says you do." The woman was beside herself thinking, in her mind, that the nurse was referring to the daily newspaper and that everyone in town now knew that SHE HADN'T HAD A BM IN 3 DAYS. The nurse, of course, was referring to the BM chart "paper".

The horror that went through the elderly lady's mind. We have to watch how we word what we say. :) :) :) :) :) :D

Michelle

Wow the lady is 103 bless her I like the comment that she made. The oldest lady I looked after was 95 and she was very funny at times as well. It is comments like that lady made that to me it makes your job worth while and not dull and boring. And you know why you love working with the Elderly.

I also work in a nursing home for 23 years, as a nurse aide, then as LPN, now as an RN. I love these old people. They can be so funny. Our DON had a birthday, he sang "For she's a bowl of good jello" to the tune of For he's a jolly good fellow.:p He hears everything, but does not always get the words right, so he can be one laugh after another, when he gets the attention, he is quick with the jokes. You don't get this working in a grocery store or library. I wouldn't work anywhere else.

The Med/Surg floor where I work is almost like long term care...we have patients who stay forever...

I was emptying a foley at the end of a 3-11 shift, crouched down at the side of the bed with a flashlight so as to not wake the patient. Imagine if you will, the sound of urine tinkling into a plastic container. The patient woke up, rolled over and said to me as I crouched beside the bed "My dear, you don't have to do that there. You can go into the bathroom to pee." :D

A friend of mine who worked in LTC told me this story about a lovely lady with quite advanced dementia. She could usually say several words or sentences only, and rarely anything that made much sense, but one day she said very clearly:"Do you know what the worst thing about having sex in the butcher's fridge is? Your bottom sticks to the wall!"

ROTFL :D

Kiwi, just got to this thread. LOL, LOL! Poor Harry!;)

The other day at work, I was talking to one of my nurses (I'm a nurse manager) about a resident's bowels. I asked, does he have regular bowel movements? She said "yes, he eats chocolate all day, today I had to clean up a huge mess." I sympathized with her and went to a meeting. Later in the day I had a voice mail from her asking to see me. I went back down to the floor and asked, "What's up?" She replied, "Mr. Brown came walking back onto the unit in only his t-shirt, you could see his member." I replied "I guess you got all of your shits and giggles for the day then?":D

Originally posted by OntRPN

:D WE have a resident who is 103 sharp mind and does most everthing for herself (i work in a retirement home) The other morning I went in to give her insulin and after we were done she looked at me hummed an said "you know something I think I am getting old" got love her just starting to feel it at 103.

I chuckled for the rest of the day now I know why I love my job

Thank you. Today of all days, i needed to know someone else loves geriatrics.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone. Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Thank you. Today of all days, i needed to know someone else loves geriatrics.

Glad it made you feel better. I feel lucky I lovemy job and my residents it is like having a hundred grandparents my 103 lady is a hoot but their is some I would like to kick in the butt they are so grumpy but they make me laugh too, they are so grumpy they are funny. When I started nursing 10 years ago I hated geriatirics, now I wouldn't trade it for the world.

:D

Had an elderly gentleman in the ER with gross hematuria. He was passing lots of large clots.

He was ordered continuos bladder irrigation.

I was inserting a 24f 3 way cath and he began yelling very loudly,

OHHHH baby, OHHHH baby, hurry up get in in honey, OHHHH baby get it in. Is it in yet honey, OHHHH baby I can't stand it. Oh yeah honey that feels better, thank you honey.

Needless to say when I walked out of that room all of my co-workers were standing there ready to explode.

:D :D

O-mi-gosh, Kaycee! I'll bet they were about to roll! I'm grinning so hard that my face is cramping, and I wasn't even there! LOL!

One time in ER a male nurse and I had an elderly (unconscious) gentleman with urinary retention. The male nurse tried, but couldn't get the cath past the prostate. I was able to pass through, but in spite of the fact that the bladder was distended, got no urine return. We both looked at each other like, where could it be, and why isn't it coming out? I began to crealde the bladder, and nothing happened. After a minute or two, the male nurse's eyes got huge, and he pointed to the tubing. A thick white substance was making its' way into the tubing, which was followed shortly by very concentrated urine. Once we had the gentleman's cath secured and bedding straightened, my co-worker could barely wait to get out of the room to tell the rest of the docs and nurses that if they ever needed a cath, to let me do it-it looked like fun!:rolleyes:

Specializes in ER, Hospice, CCU, PCU.

I once worked with the cutest 80 year old man with dementia. "Charlie" was a college professor who in his younger years frequented nudest camps and beaches. We had a terrible time trying to keep clothes on "Charlie". The side effect was that we had a group of Little Old Ladies who used to follow him around giggling like school girls.

It does make me wonder however. Lets see..I've worked nights most my life and I sleep during the day, and yes I sleep nude. Wonder how much fun I'll be in the declining years???

debbyed, I do the same, and I've wondered the same...:confused: :rolleyes: :D

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