Nursing Superstitions?

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What are your nursing superstitions? Here are a few of mine...

- I become paranoid if, during report, someone explicitly states a pt is a "full code" (we don't normally note code status unless a pt is a DNR) OR if there is a leaf magnet in one of our wall bedside chart storage thingies (leaf magnet placed on a pt's door = pt died)

- A doctor turns to me and says, "Keep an eye on him/her" or "Call me if ANYTHING changes"

- I will NEVER say, "Man it's a pretty good/calm/quiet/boring/etc. day today!" until I am clocked out and have left the hospital!

- I work days, not nights, so it's always the day AFTER a full moon that = chaos for me

Don't change the calendar date before midnight or you will have a crazy night

Once you prepare a bed for an admission and they don't come, don't close the bed or shut off the lights...you'll admit.

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Specializes in ER.
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3) NEVER say the first and last name of your frequent fliers that drive you nuts. If you speak their whole name out loud, you WILL be hearing from them, usually in a crisis. We always try to use initials...and if someone ever slips and says the whole name, they are responsible for dealing with them when they call/come in etc.

This is far more true than it needs to be. We have a fairly HUGE population of frequent fliers and not only will saying their names out loud guarantee a visit that night from them but I'm convinced they have some sort of phone tree that they use when a certain doctor is on duty (one that is a bit more liberal with pain meds).

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

I have a very long-serving colleague who always opens the window nearest to a patient who is expected to pass away "To let the soul fly free" This seems to be an old tradition of my particular ward as it traces back to a Ward Sister who retired in the 1970's who is still remembered by the ward's older staff members.

Another very widespread superstition is that when one of us calls the porters to take a deceased patient to the mortuary we always say "You have a patient for Rose Cottage". The porters all understand this "code" and superstition has it that not to say "Rose Cottage" will result in another death on the ward within the week.

Years ago, on another ward I worked on the Sister in charge became very agitated if she saw white flowers on the ward (these days flowers are banned for infection control reasons) and would always remove them as she insisted that white flowers foretold a death.

Odd stuff I know:)

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Specializes in critical care, home health.

I had a superstitious charge nurse who would tie a knot in each corner of the sheet to keep the patient from dying. I'd go along with this only because she'd become hysterical if the knots weren't tied.

On our unit, the windows actually opened, but only a few inches. If a patient was dying and we did not want that patient to die, everyone had to check the windows in their rooms to be sure they were closed and locked. On the other hand, if the patient was "ready" to die, we'd open the windows. The spirit can't leave unless the window is open, don't you know. :uhoh3:

There were also a few memorable times when we'd shine our penlights and urge our patients to "go to the light".

It's all silliness. C'mon, people.

On the other hand, it is absolutely true that when a patient starts talking to previously-deceased family members, the end is near.

I think these superstitions give nurses a sense of control in situations that are out of their control. We know the science, we know the math, but when dealing with actual people there are variables you cannot control. And nurses cannot stand to not be in control.

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Specializes in OB, ER, ICU, Supervision, SANE.

Everytime I recert in CPR or ACLS, I have a code my next shift. Never fails

Full moon is true on every unit I've worked on.

When I worked ER I would ask for a code - true to word, if you ask you shall receive - my coworkers would get mad...but I thrived on it!

Holidays bring out the drunks. Always the night after.

If an elderly person said they were going to die that night, take note. More often than not they did.

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

Never EVER mention the name of a particularly difficult or unpleasant patient who has been discharged.

If you do as sure as the Pope is a Catholic as soon as you say "I wonder how Mr Grumpy is doing" the phone will ring and you will be told that Mr Grumpy is on his way back to your ward :)

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care (CEN, CCRN).
iNurseUK said:
Never EVER mention the name of a particularly difficult or unpleasant patient who has been discharged.

If you do as sure as the Pope is a Catholic as soon as you say "I wonder how Mr Grumpy is doing" the phone will ring and you will be told that Mr Grumpy is on his way back to your ward ?

Emergency corollary: the less you talk about frequent fliers, the less they show up. On the other hand, saying "Hey, we haven't seen Stan the Wino lately..." will guarantee that Mr. S. Wino will present to triage within 24 hours. ;)

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Agree with talking about patients who were previously patients and having them show up again. That sucks! They are usually the ones with the overzealous family members....its not even really the patient that is so bad.

Also agree with the patients who think they are dying, about to die. I think its important to take this seriously even though maybe 5 percent of them have had too much pain medication. they are usually right. maybe not about the exact time, but eventually, and soon.

The full/ new moon is definitely true. And it is really the only true superstition that I have experienced time and again.

As a side note, I have been testing out the q- word at work, and haven't really had anything horrible happen when saying it.

I'm more afraid of shift change. That's when all the crazy stuff seems to happen.

Last time I was at work, I was told I had a terminal wean starting right at shift change before I even walked into the nurses station!

But.....

I will never say I'm bored.

Never bored.

EVER!

There's always something to do.

And if you cant find something to do, someone will find something (horribly) unpleasant for you to do.

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A lot of the nurses on my unit believe that one of the rooms is bad luck and that if a patient gets assigned there it is more likely they will die.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.
diawc said:

I think basically in nursing, its a "ask and you shall receive" profession ?

My clinical instructor operates on that principle... If she ever hears you say "I wouldn't want to take care of that patient" guess who she will assign to you... Same if you admit to being weak in a certain area.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

Got a patient with a birth plan? Get the C Section permit ready.

No "q" "s" "b" words...

Full moon...

Bring a book= no lunch break to read it...

Bring Pizza and somebody's coding (ICU Days) or it's a Crash Section (nowadays)

Stopping the clocks and opening the windows when someone dies.

Never say the high freq patient's name, or guess who will show up tomorrow.

Put the CSection papers in the front of the chart and you'll have a trouble free vag delivery.

We call these things nurse voodoo.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

When I worked in the cath lab and we could pull meds (in the pre-Pyxis days). Always got the NTG and dopamine out on the counter along with tubing anytime we got the call for an emergency patient. Called it warding off the evil spirits.

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