Stupid things said by your non-nurse significant other

someone i know almost had swine flu


didnt know her at the time but i am assuming bad cold

Worst thing ever:

"Have a quiet night, dear."

We had back to back codes.

I was doing my RN externship this summer working nights (7p-7a). My boyfriend asks me one day...

BF: Honey, are you depressed?
Me: Noooo....why?
BF: Well because you sleep all day & people who are depressed sleep all day.
Me: Babe, I worked 3 12-hour shifts back to back....I'm TIRED.

They don't get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

oh gosh, boiled peanuts! I live in Illinois. On our first time driving to Florida we went through Alabama and boiled peanuts were everywhere. On our way back through Alabama we stopped and got some fresh out of the huge pot and were they delicious. I still to this day think about how good those peanuts were. We don't have them here in good old Southern Illinois I love the south and can't wait to go back and visit again.

And, for the record, I didn't smack my great aunt in the head when she said this....

"You must be bored on night shift."

*Coughing, sputtering* "What makes you think THAT?" *Visions of q30 minute admissions, codes with minimal backup, no pharmacy to ask a question, sundowners jumping out of bed and running down the hall naked, yelling "MOMMMMMMAAAA...."*

"Well, they sleep all night long, right?"

Yeah, I love the people who think patients sleep overnight. Even if they wanted to, half the time they get woken for meds, obs, turns, assessments, blood (hung and/or collected), drain or catheter measurements, x-rays there was no time for during the day, or by neighbours who are confused, newly admitted or being woken for meds, obs...

My favourite stupid thing was being roused from sleep at 2PM by my brother, who had brought a friend around to my apartment for some reason now lost in the mists of time and sleep deprivation. When I asked (politely, all things considered) why the $%&# he was there he said he knew I would be home, because I was on nights!

Surprisingly, it only took me waking him once at 2AM for him to get the point!

Ohhhh and . . .

"That thing about the full moon . . .and everyone going crazy . . . is just a myth."

YEAH . . . RIGHT!!!!!!!

By various orientees, from students to new grads to transfer ins:

"oh, saying the Q----- word doesn't really make things worse

or friends: "have a Q--- night!'

stop! just stop!

I like to retell the story of my mother's hospital stay when she was in labor with me. Here it is: My mom was 17 when she had me (35 years ago) and had never been in a hospital. She was terrified about being in the hospital as it was all so new to her. She said she was woken many times in the night to the term "Dr. such and such- ICU " which she took to mean " I see you" She had the covers pulled up to her neck round the clock as she thought someone was watching her every move!

At home growing up, we never had "diarrhea", but we had "the skitters" I never knew until high school there was anything but.