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.

[emmjayy, BSN, RN]

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

I cringe at the thought of even asking another nurse to help me start an IV, I can't imagine what a doctor would do if they had to throw an IV in my patient!!! Funnily enough, I have worked with some MD's who have stuck their head in the room during a tough transfer from bed to chair, thrown some gloves on, and helped us out without being asked or having it be expected.

[Amethya]

I was watching a Soap opera in Spanish once and the child drowned and instead of doing CPR the right way, they were shaking him to wake up and slapping him. I wanted to cry and scream at them.

[silveryscrape]

Flatliners with Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts. Just watched it a couple of weeks ago. Shocking themselves "dead" to see what it's like, then after a couple of minutes, shocking themselves back to life and then going out for coffee.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

Basically all injections. It's always with some giant IM needle, either directly into somebody's neck (what?) .

^^^ hahaha...I just saw this in a TV series I watched (I think it's Manifest). I had to stop and tell my SO, "we don't inject patients in the neck in real life, just so you know."

[nursenancy25]

pretty much every episode of Greys (but Yet I keep watching it!)

1. WAY to many surgeons "covering the pit".

2. Complete and utter lack of NURSES!!! A surgical resident taking blood, inserting a catheter, prepping a patient!?!?!

3. X-ray FILM!

4. Surgeons playing social worker - have you ever even seen a social worker on that show!?!?!

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[Silly_Sally_RN]

pretty much every episode of Greys (but Yet I keep watching it!)

1. WAY to many surgeons "covering the pit".

2. Complete and utter lack of NURSES!!! A surgical resident taking blood, inserting a catheter, prepping a patient!?!?!

3. X-ray FILM!

4. Surgeons playing social worker - have you ever even seen a social worker on that show!?!?!

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Amen, NurseNancy25! I hate that I started watching it (1 downfall of only working 3 days a week), but I keep tuning in. Sometimes I think it would be nice to be a nurse at Grey Sloan (or whatever the name is now) because the doctors do all your work. There was major eye rolling in the episode with the pregnant nurse this fall.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I have a nurse coworker whose son is a writer for the show Code Black. He consults with her whenever they have an OB-related story line.

[kakamegamama]

Have any of you seen "The Good Doctor"? I told my husband that I can't stand that show being on when I'm home. I swear they have not a single medical consultant for a MEDICAL SHOW and no writers have ever stepped foot into a hospital. My favorite scene was a bus on the way to a wedding crashed and a doctor got a list of everyone who was on the bus. 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. Then upon finding her she decided she had increased intracranial pressure so she asked a nearby firefighter TO LEND HER HIS POWER DRILL. First she "sanitized" it by pouring a gallon of alcohol on it AND THEN SHE SCREWED INTO THIS LADY'S HEAD IN A FIELD WITH A RUSTY OLD SCREW DRIVER. So much no.

What?!? You mean, this can't/shouldn't be done?!?

[kakamegamama]

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.

Just a trivia note: McDreamy has a lakehouse not far from where we live. When my son and his new bride left their reception via boat, I think the guests--mainly female guests---were looking, not so much at the couple but hoping to see him out on his dock (which, it seemed he like to visit frequently while there!)

[djh123]

... so SHE went out to the crash site and searched for the woman. Then upon finding her she decided she had increased intracranial pressure so she asked a nearby firefighter TO LEND HER HIS POWER DRILL. First she "sanitized" it by pouring a gallon of alcohol on it AND THEN SHE SCREWED INTO THIS LADY'S HEAD IN A FIELD WITH A RUSTY OLD SCREW DRIVER. So much no.

You almost, ALMOST, made me spit out my salad when I cracked up reading that. :^)

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

Lol. I watch Grey's for the soapy drama ONLY.

Why do surgeons run the entire hospital? The NICU scenes particularly bother me (cause I'm in the NICU) and a pediatric surgeon delivers babies by c-section and runs the NICU.

[tiffanyB12]

Watching a Soap opera- the groom gets stabbed by his new bride's ex boyfriend and is bleeding out on the ground. The wife starts panicking, crying but does nothing. I am yelling at the TV- put some pressure on the wound and call 911 immediately. But she did not. Instead she wasted a lot of time still crying and panicking. I am like- call 911 and get some help now! She doesn't, but then decided to go to the reception hall. When the family (with wedding reception in progress) saw her bloody dress and asked her what happened. She did not say anything and kept crying. Then everyone else wasted a LOT of time before the poor guy got to the hospital. I was surprised he actually "survived".