Cant believe the nurse did.....

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A few threads latley have had tittles that got me all excited to read the juicy "gossip", only to be very disappointed or think the OP was a little on the the nutty side. So I thought we could share our juicy "I can't believe the nurse did...."? I can think of one time responding to a code white in mental health, where the pts nurse was egging him on "oh, your going to kill me, well I'd like you to try. Come on, let's have it. You wanted a problem, well now you have one" and other very unhelpful things. I can see why the pt got so angry. Someone had to make leave. Can't believe she works in mental health.

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.
We had a patient that was constantly screaming. he was completley alert and oriented, he would scream at the top of his lungs until it was time for his next oxycodone. He jumps from hospital to hospital complaining of "back pain." Guy played the system and figured out hospital wasn't falling for it. So he started complaining of chest pain.We've seen him a few times for "chest pain" even though nothing is wrong. Anyway...constantly screaming "GIVE ME MY OXY!!! GIVE ME MY OXY" Then he would lift his butt and set off the chair alarm on purpose until someone came in the room "GIVE ME MY OXY!!" Patient's were complaining. One of our nurses walked into his room and was like "YOU! sit down now and shut the *heck* up, nobody is falling for this anymore." (profanity- i didn't want to say it but you get the idea).
I bet they were thankful when his "Oxy" was due, Lol!
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I think only a couple "came down hard," and their certainly entitled to their opinion. I think BrandonLPN is the wrong target, as I know this is widespread in LTC if you truly want them to prioritize. You otherwise take out good nurses willing to call out such realities, and not the real problem: understaffing, profit greed, and poor management. I think everyone knows in their heart he is doing everything in his power to take care of his patients with his resources and training. The fact that LTC is renowned for understaffing, funding shortages and lower funding priorities by reimbursement is the real problem, and the lack of more educated attention on the obvious problems in LTC settings. It's a Management problem by people with NO medical or clinical experience making detrimental decisions for patients that deduct the importance of their dignity that needs to be addressed, yesterday!!No, I think the reality is you can only do so much with so much, all I ask is that if something involving a patient would be inexcusable for you or a family member, advocate and address the problem with superiors. If that doesn't work, I'm sorry, it's called "whistle blowing!!!!!!!!!"
Unfortunately when we try to advocate for our residents in LTC by saying there isn't enough staff, we get accused of being too slow and they turn it back on US, putting us in the spotlight and eventually getting fired. The phrase "keep your head down" exists for a reason.
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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
First: that's horrible!!!Second: I love your screen name.

Why thank you! I love love love my job. I would do it forever if my body would hold out and it wasn't so grossly underpaid.

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Unfortunately when we try to advocate for our residents in LTC by saying there isn't enough staff, we get accused of being too slow and they turn it back on US, putting us in the spotlight and eventually getting fired. The phrase "keep your head down" exists for a reason.

Same thing in acute care, mention the overwork and understaffing and the nurse is told he has poor time management skills.

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I worked with a nurse who used to go in the patient bathrooms for a little blow. Well, it was more like a sniff, if you catch my meaning. She was a dang good nurse, though.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Some of these are very funny.

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What an idiot! I've seen multiple people use shaving cream, they say it takes the smell off better than our perineal wash, but I don't like to use things that are not for their intended purpose. If a visitor saw you doing that and the pt got an infection or something, it would immediately be blamed on the shaving cream.

sorry for derail here,

but, it's NOT for smell control, it doesn't much help for THAT at all,

but

some of us will use SHAVING CREAM cuz nothing but nothing helps remove DRIED ON poop better than shaving cream, imo. Especially kind to do for the patient, if the skin in that area is super tender, apply some NON-MENTHOL shaving cream to some DRIED ON poop and WA-LA!! The previously dried on poop just gently wipes off easy and painlessly, no scrubbing or heavy, excessively-repetitious rubbing req'd. It's also great for any :poop: but for dried-on poop, shaving cream can't be beat, it's great.

And yes, this actually works better and is LESS PAINFUL than water, or soap and water, or anything else i've ever tried.

Imo, shaving cream should also be sold as "Dried on Poop remover", ha ha!!

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omg! that is sooo freaking AWKWARD! wow lol , like what was she even THINKING!?

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We used to make our own magic mouthwash, too. All it contained was benadryl, viscous lidocaine, and maalox. (We used to use maalox on decubitus ulcers, etc., too.) Some of us older nurses had to mix our own IV fluids, with potassium chloride, etc., and didn't have pharmacy there to mix stuff for us. There was no such thing as "waiting for pharmacy" or simply going to the pyxis for what we needed. Also, many nurses add some alcohol-free mouthwash to the bath water to help deodorize stinky patients.

I add soap. Mouthwash is not intended to be used for cleansing the skin. I would imagine it's very harsh.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I can't believe a nurse asked us if she really had to crush coreg to put it down the peg because it was so small.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Agreed. Now looking back, it probably wasn't what he said but how he said it. I worked in ICU and there were times when it was such a hassle for the patient and nurse for patient to get to the commode. A couple patients did "go" in bed, and it wasn't the end of world. We cleaned up any incontinence right away and provided as much dignity as we could.

Well my question is, if the incontinence is able to be "cleaned up right away," why can't the patient go to the bathroom "right away?" All signs point to a resident sitting in their incontinence until med pass is over, or until the aide figures out the resident has soiled themselves.

No, I don't work in long term care, so can't judge too much. Just an observation that when we're too busy to toilet, we're too busy to clean up too. Happens in the hospital as well.

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Well my question is, if the incontinence is able to be "cleaned up right away," why can't the patient go to the bathroom "right away?" All signs point to a resident sitting in their incontinence until med pass is over, or until the aide figures out the resident has soiled themselves.

No, I don't work in long term care, so can't judge too much. Just an observation that when we're too busy to toilet, we're too busy to clean up too. Happens in the hospital as well.

generally, one person can deal with the clean up (9/10 times it takes x1 to roll/clean) but to hoist somebody, it takes at least 2 staff.

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