Common nicknames for hospital items.

[LifesAJourney]

Just wanted to see if the nicknames we call certain items are the same names you guys call them lol. I work in the midwestern region.

Examples include:

1.) "Bubblier" for humidifier

2.) "Ice pack" for the polar pack and the original ice pack

3.) "Patches" for tele electrodes

4.) "Stickers" for labels

5.) "Booties" for spenco boots

6.) "Christmas tree" for O2 connector

That is all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to add to the list. I am looking forward to seeing new nicknames I haven't heard before :)

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Anyone ever refer to the hospital mesh panties as 'Victoria Secrets'?

We call them "party panties." And sometimes, it's not just the patients who wear them........

[FlyingScot, RN]

We called triage "b#$ch in a box" because after a few hours it was hard to be nice.

[NurseDahlia]

At the nursing home where I work, we call a fall a "change of surface".

[loriangel14, RN]

We tactfully call the bibs for our patients that are sloppy eaters "aprons".

When we have a patient that is close to passing we say " he has his ticket in his hand and the bus is idling at the curb"

[anon456, BSN, RN]

BBG-- it's a nasal aspirator that we hook up to suction for our babies who are congested. BBG is the real name of the product and is on the packaging. I found out it actually stands for Baby Booger Grabber and was invented by some nurses.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

At the nursing home where I work, we call a fall a "change of surface".

Almost wet myself laughing at this one! Thanks

[anon456, BSN, RN]

J-tips or "rocket ships" are given before IV sticks on the peds patients

Everything is a bandaid, even a central line dressing.

No-no's are the stiff arm restraint devices.

red robins are the Robinson brand straight caths

IV's are called "straws"

Sometimes we call g-tubes tummy straws.

We try to say "change your pants" instead of diaper on the older kids, or briefs.

We have lots of "frequent fliers" on our floor, chronic kids

[al586]

Here's a few I often hear at work...

Walk in Clinic = Doc-in-a-box

Fall matts = landing strips

30 ml plastic cup = shot glass

Nasal cannula = nose hose

[nursefrances, BSN, RN]

A quick bedbath is "pits and bits"

One of my nursing professors called this a "Ho" bath. It always made me laugh when she said this.

Someone mentioned banana bags. I also like iron sucrose IVPB bags. A few of us call this "Soy Sauce". I picked this up from an ER friend. The first time he handed me the bag and said here's your soy sauce, it made me laugh and now that is what it is called.

How about the IV extension tubing when starting an IV, some call them pig tails, some of us just describe it and don't know what to call it.

Sometimes I call something a "doo-hicky" or a thing-a-ma-bob". And then I say, "yes, that is a medical term."

I like this thread, thanks for the laughs.

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

I always called the tubing things J loops when I started IVs.

[GirlOnPfizer, BSN, RN]

You just reminded me about something with GoLytely. I do wish the company would change the name to reflect the product more accurately. GoLytely sounds very light and dainty. As we all know, there is nothing light or dainty about it. It also needs to come flavored with ANYTHING. Our nurses mix it with the blue powerade and add ice to make it a little eaiser for the patients to drink.

You're hospital needs to get with the times! Ours has come with flavor packets for years. They also started calling it NuLytely, not sure if that's any better though.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Airplane bath. I'll let you figure it out!