Anyone ever said something completely dumb because they were really nervous?

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Once, in an interview (non-nursing job), I was asked that age-old question, "Tell me about some of your strengths and weaknesses". My reply for my weaknesses:: "I'm always late." Needless to say I didn't get the job.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

We were talking about sexual harassment in our sociology class. Instructor said "one type is quid pro quo. What does that mean?"

A student (not me) said "like giving tit for tat."

Instructor: "probably not the best way to phrase that."

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
Once in a job interview I was asked about a specific job experience I had had. I said, "Sorry, you must be thinking of someone else. I haven't done that." Turns out it was on my resume and I did do it. It was the way it was worded that threw me off. I got the job anyway, which was nice./]QUOTE]

I had a similar situation happen to me when I interviewed for my current position. I didn't know all of the psych nursing lingo and terminology.

The interviewer asked me "why didn't your resume say what you're telling me?" Then she asked me to revise by resume to reflect my experience better. I got the job.

I was shocked when the administrator told me, months later, " you're awesome! When you first started you didn't know anything about psych specific meds, but now you are awesome."

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Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

Oh I have a good one.

Last year, one of my coworkers was having a time in a room with a patient. Screaming, thrashing, moaning... lots of pain control issues, etc. She went to lunch and the thrashing continued... so I went into the room to help out.

The mom was at the end of her rope with the situation, the kid could have no more pain meds... so I went around and did the only thing left to do.

I "decreased stimuli"... turned off at the TV, dimmed the lights, etc - all while explaining to mom that sometimes we just need to calm the environment down for these kids with less noise and light.

Turned out her kid was blind. And deaf.

#winning

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During an interview, the nurse manager jokingly asked me if I would be willing to help dust her office before JCAHO visits. For some reason, I felt the need to make this bizarre statement: "I'll do anything that needs doing; I've even scrubbed toilets for money."

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

I tend to ramble on, lose track of my story and add a million pointless details, and then end all of my sentences with "....so...."

I hear myself doing it and it makes me crazy!! I can't believe I'm gainfully employed sometimes!

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**snort** live and learn. Could have just used the tried and true.. " I care too much".

Think my dumbest answer was... blah , blah, blah and I really had no clue about the job description.

Hey.. we are alive and working!

Great thread.

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I posted this before, but anyway.... I was taking care of 40 something year old female patient. I was giving her some liquid medication that tasted awful. I told her to just pretend it was an ice cold margarita. Her husband interjected and said" That's not a good idea, being that she is a recovering alcoholic". Needless to say, I've never made that suggestion again.

:roflmao:

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Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

Visiting a patient in the community. Patient was profoundly deaf. Patient lived on a really busy road and I asked them "do you mind the noise from X street" realized almost immediately what I'd said, luckily the patient had a sense of humour:geek:

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I have told this story a few times . . .

I was a new nurse and my patient had just become PICU status and was in the process of being transferred. The kid was going to be fine- just needed closer watching. Mom was freaking out that he was now ICU status and had called someone on her phone and was sobbing. She was all alone, they were here on a vacation from out of state, and she was very high strung. I had observed earlier that she had set a rosary and a card with a saint's picture on it on her child's pillow. After hearing her sobbing on the phone, I felt she needed someone to support her, so I quietly asked her if she would like me to call a priest. She started sobbing louder and screamed into the phone to whomever she was talking to, "Oh my God! They are calling a priest! It must be really bad!!"

I found myself in the manager's office trying to explain that one later.

OMG, I laughed so hard at this.....I feel ( slightly) bad about how much I laughed! I can relate 100% !

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Pt had a sz in church

I said, "well you sure were filled with the spirit!"

I have seizures, and I would have thought that was hailerous!:)

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
During an interview, the nurse manager jokingly asked me if I would be willing to help dust her office before JCAHO visits. For some reason, I felt the need to make this bizarre statement: "I'll do anything that needs doing; I've even scrubbed toilets for money."

Lol I guess its better than admitting doing "other things" for money! Haha

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I have a bad habit of telling discharged patients "see you later!" That can come across morbid, depending on the situation.

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