share the weirdest reasons patients push the call light for

student4ever · Jun 21, 2005, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by leopold

I had a pt ring the call light over and over again just to make sure it was working.

LOL, sounds like my friend who has OCD... has to make sure everything is working about 10,000 times a day!

MultipurposeRN · Jun 21, 2005, 02:03 PM

I was working in a stepdown unit years ago and had a lady who was blind, but otherwise very stable. She called out constantly to have her covers pulled up, kleenex, water, etc. I made a point to put everthing on her table and tell her exactly where it was, but she would still call every little time she wanted something. She actually would time your steps from the room to the nurse's desk (they were close-by) and then put the light on as soon as you sat down.
The last straw was when I helped her to the bathroom and she wanted me to wipe her when she was done. I handed her tp and said, 'here you go.' She said w/ outrage, " I can't wipe myself, I'm blind!" I told her that I didn't have eyes down there either but could wipe myself just fine.....

Gromit · Jun 21, 2005, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by TreetopAngel_RN

Our guy had pulled out his foley, balloon intact, draped it over his arm and walked out to the nurses station, where they expected him to ask what it was, why did he have it...but his only concern was..."When's breakfast?"

He was shipped back to us quickly.

Thats pretty funny! Oddly enough, I kind of expect you to say he was going to ask 'when's breafast?'

**prmenrs** · Jun 21, 2005, 11:00 PM

Babies don't have call lights, so they just settle for setting off their alarms @ least 2/hour!

texas_lvn · Jun 22, 2005, 04:56 AM

request

It was not a call light, but still a crazy request. I have a res who can ambulate, can sit up s difficulty and can do all ADL's. I went into her room to give HS pass. She request we crush them. Well, they were crused and ready with some jelly. She was laying supine with HOB down. She requested I manually raise HOB because "I just don't feel like sitting up!" WHAT??? I politely explained she need to raise up and take the meds. She complied.

Rosie- · Jun 22, 2005, 06:24 PM

I had a woman demand to see the RN on duty and said it was an emergency. So I walk into the room and ask her what I can do for her.
She says "Pick my nose" OMG

I said maa'm I don't pick my nose I am surely NOT going to pick yours. She said well that's what I am paying you for! You are supposed to do whatever I say. When she did this it made me very angry but believe me we have gotten a lot of laughs out of it since.

Originally Posted by RN06-NP09

You guys always crack me up, so I came up with this question to hear more funny weird stories.
What were some funny,stupied,or weird reasons patients push the call light for? Are you supposed to go to the room right away or how does it work? I will be an RN next year and intersted in knowing more about the actual daily life w/ pt.

TDub · Jun 23, 2005, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by fluffwad

Had an elderly couple, both very demented. One night he got it up and neither one could remember what this was all about. So she smeared stick deodorant all over it to take down the swelling. She rang to ask if we thought this would work.

Perhaps soaking in ice water?

TDub · Jun 23, 2005, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by vickster

Almost forgot, I had a woman phone 911 and tell them she needed the bed pan!

One of our hospice families called on a holiday and insisted I drive 103 miles round trip to bring a bedpan for an actively dying pt. In other words, she'd never use a bedpan again. Sigh.

nrskris10 · Jul 02, 2005, 10:06 PM

thirsty!

Once I answered a call light of a man who was on fluid restriction. I walked in. He asked me to PLEASE get him "a cup of that koolaid from the big jug on the wall".
The big jug being a red sharps container. Poor guy.

~Kristen

christvs · Jul 02, 2005, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by fluffwad

Had a woman who was 101. She rung her bell but then just looked at us. Eventually she said "Am I dead yet?".

Fluffwad, your story is definitely the funniest!!

The poor old woman!

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share the weirdest reasons patients push the call light for

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