Bizarre, Odd or just plain Gross Patient Habits.

[caroladybelle]

What bizarre , odd or really strange things have you seen patients or families do that you never thought of someone doing until you became a nurse?

My odd thing is that alot of male patients hock up phlegm into their partially filled urinals. They could have a yankuer suction, spare cups, emesis basin, but they insist on spitting in the urinal. It is really gross to dump that.

I have had a number of male patients that will sleep sitting up with their bedspread over their heads...even in very dark private room. I have never seen a woman do this,...just men. Does anyone know the reason?

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I had a patient once who refused to use toilet paper to wipe. He insisted on reaching around and splashing his bottom with the water from the toilet. Of course, he didn't want to wash his hands after.

Actually, bidets are used in some countries as use of TP is considered not cleansing enough. Middle Eastern clients frequently "rinse" the area with water from the sink.

But as far as men sleeping sitting up with the cover over them, whenever I see that I think of a ghost.

[leopold]

I had a pt who would take out her dentures after meals and lick them clean. ick. She was also a digger and even though we put her in onsies she would tear them apart and leave little gifts all over the place.

[CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP]

There could be a few reasons why a male does this.

#1- Men are likely to be embarassed within a hospital setting as a patient and cover their heads, trying to "hide".

#2- It could be for protection, afraid that during the night someone or something might come in and "get" them while they are asleep. The blanket/sheet over their head would give them forewarning that someone is about to get into their personal space. A territorial thing.

I hope this helps in your understanding of male behavior.

What?????

[Super_RN, BSN, RN]

Oh yummy. When I worked in a LTC, a lot of little old ladies would use about 2 squares of toliet paper. They would blow their noses with this TP, have it drenched in snot, and then proceed to wipe themselves when they were done on the toliet. I would get so grossed out and no matter how much I tried to hand them new TP, they would refuse. I guess it stems from the Depression and not having hardly anything in their younger days.

[TracyB,RN, RN]

splashing his rear with toilet water?!?!? eeeeewww!!!

My daughter just watched some show last week about the Russian Mafia. She's 16, so she thought it was "cool." Sounds like the Russian Mafia was/is pretty hard core.

Maybe her chest pain was anxiety b/c she was a jewel thief & someone really was after her.... hee hee hee hee

[megneo]

we have a lot of older women who lived during WW2.

They have this habbit of saving their left over food

in their cabinet next to their bed. Once I found a

chicken bone and a dried up haring!

But they save up everything!! From bread to fries

you name it, they have it! Yuck!

[Patma]

What bizarre , odd or really strange things have you seen patients or families do that you never thought of someone doing until you became a nurse?

My odd thing is that alot of male patients hock up phlegm into their partially filled urinals. They could have a yankuer suction, spare cups, emesis basin, but they insist on spitting in the urinal. It is really gross to dump that.

I have had a number of male patients that will sleep sitting up with their bedspread over their heads...even in very dark private room. I have never seen a woman do this,...just men. Does anyone know the reason?

When I was a patient in the ICU, I had a male nurse. As I was not able to get out of bed, he was assigned to give me a bath. I wasn't too thrilled with it, but was too ill to fight it. During the bath, I noticed that the nurse was getting a bit excited if you know what I mean. I wanted to die because I knew he was embarrassed as well as myself.

That's one bath I'll never forget! Do hospitals have a policy regarding female patients and male nurses? Just wondered.

[not now, RN]

I almost forgot: I have a woman who sticks toilet paper in her ears. When I asked her why she told me "So I don't get pneumonia." :stone

[stidget99]

Oddest patients, IMO, would have to be those w/ pica. They will ingest anything and everything......I have seen clothing, silverware, dirt, feces, plastic, and even a head off a dead bird!

The only time I ever had a male patient who routinely covered himself w/ the blanket was because he was engaging in "self stimulation" and didn't have a problem letting me know just exactly what he was doing when I did my rounds. I think that there should be a law to protect nurses from sexual harrassment from patients. I know recourse would be to not take that patient on but eventually he makes his way through all of the nurses and we get him over and over (he's in about q3weeks).

[dinkymouse]

We have a patient that will take the bandages of his sores and lick the pus off and also licks the crotch part of his underwear. UGH*bugeyes*

[ClaireMacl]

When I was very little and scared of the dark, my mum told me that so long as everything was under the covers, nothing could get me.... so I used to be found completely covered in my sheets, just in case, lol!

I really can't think of anything weird my patients have done yet (I'm really new, though). I just wanted to say that my 12 year old son covers his head with the bedspread too. I don't have a clue why, though. :wink2:

[BGgirl]

We were just talking about this at work. I have seen a lot of my female patients usually older who after peeing don't even bother to wipe with toilet paper. They just drip dry as I call it. Gross!! Of course these also tend to be the smellier patients.