As seen on TV

[JBMmom]

Recently I had a patient tell me that if CPR was necessary, we would not have to break his wife's ribs because just the night before he watched House, and they just shocked a patient and then she was fine. (would have been funny if it weren't so sad)

What are your favorite medical TV inaccuracies?

I love the CPR with bending elbows, and how patients come out of surgery, still under because of anesthesia, but they're on room air, or maybe a nasal cannula.

[ventmommy]

I just watched "Shot" last night. Ironically it starred Noah Wyle (Dr. Carter on ER) as the main character and shooting victim. The message of the movie was phenomenal but every single bit of medical stuff was so horribly wrong from beginning to end.

[Kallie3006, ADN]

I read somewhere (possibly here??) That the inaccuracies are in the shows (even with medical consults) due to liability issues. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

[MelEpiRN]

Basically all injections. It's always with some giant IM needle, either directly into somebody's neck (what?) or into the IV tubing. Soooo dramatic looking. Nope, y'all know we went needleless like 20 years ago, right?

I also watched some show where one storyline had a pregnant surrogate who needed an emergent hemicrani due to blood in her brain. The parents of the fetus refused to allow the procedure (claiming they legally had all rights to her body until the baby was born) because there was a risk the baby could die. Conveniently left out the concept of if you need an emergent hemicrani it's to save your life and if she didn't get it the baby would definitely die. Also those parents were a-holes that didn't care about their surrogate.

[BeckyESRN]

NCIS:NO- Dwayne coded (after being in a coma and on RA) and they did CPR with the head of his bed up, compressions were about 5 at a time and very slow, they never intubated or even bagged him, gave no ACLS meds, shocked asystole into NSR, then he left AMA a few minutes later.

[djh123]

I've never watched medical shows much, except for Nurse Jackie, but when my ex watched "House" in its early days, I always cracked up at the team of 4-6 doctors spending a ton of time on ONE patient. Riiiiiiiiiiggghhht. Might happen occasionally at the Mayo Clinic, but otherwise, I doubt it.

On the other hand, as John Fogerty wrote in the 80's, "I know it's true, I know it's true, 'cause I saw it on TV".

[uperrnbc]

My favorite scene was a long, long time ago on Falcon Crest when Maggie needed a brain tumor removed from the left parietal lobe and she came out of surgery with her long blonde hair intact and flowing off the end of the cart. I worked Neurosurgery at the time and I was amazed that they did the surgery without any hair removal at all.

[ORoxyO]

I love when they have life threatening injuries, have dramatic surgery, nobody knows if they will live or not, but then wake right up out of anesthesia and talk to cops/ family like they just took a simple nap. I'm thinking SVU, any drama really.

Same goes for waking up out of a weeks/months long coma and they find patient having had walked down the hall or road and looking at a Christmas tree.

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

She was walking around the ER and realized one person was missing so SHE went out to the crash site and searched for the woman.

To second this, my favorite is when TV shows have doctors ambulating, toileting or placing IVs for patients, fluffing pillows or giving discharge instructions then walking the patient out, instructing laboring women on breathing. It's funny... but it's also adds to the confusion and frustration pts have when they only see a MD once per day for 5 minutes, or when your OBGYN shows up at the last minute JUST in time to pull the baby out. SMH

[Silly_Sally_RN]

Keep an eye on the IV pumps on Grey's Anatomy. They frequently are programmed for Dextrose 5% at 100 mL/hr and Gentamycin 3 mg/kg/day. McDreamy had 4 pumps with these settings when he died.

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

My friends have officially banned me from watching medical tv shows in public places as I cannot refrain from "providing education" (i.e. talking to the tv) about incorrect procedures.

It's always interesting with a patient or a helpful family member recommends/ requests something that they saw on tv. I try to maintain professionalism but wow, sometimes that's a challenge!

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

C collars and pillows

ED doctors visiting patients on wards

Not a single ID band check for ANY med or blood products

Executive visable on the wards :)

[Caprica6]

I recently rewatched ER (love me some Noah Wylie!)...and the lack of hand hygiene/wearing the same gloves as they bounce between traumas was driving me nuts!