Embarrassing moments...

VAC · Aug 28, 2002

It's nice to know I'm not alone in embarassing moments. In nursing school, I took a shower from a tube feeding bag.. in front of a nursing instructor who wasn't impressed with me to begin with.

I was waiting for a doc to come by on a consult, had no idea what he looked like (I work nights, so many docs I have not seen face to face.) When in walks a sharp dressed man into the room. I start giving a whole report on the patient.. Turns out he was the patients son. At least he shrugged it off. But boy did I feel stupid. :eek:

MQ Edna · Aug 28, 2002

Mario, you should meet my husband. He also expells "flora" at inopprtune times, but his should be packaged as a war weapon! At least in healthcare you have lots of potential reasons around you to explain those unique odors.

Now for my embarrassing story: I'd put a "Mr. Jones" on the bedpan and returned to the station. My colleagues were around me, and we were trying to catch up on some charting. When Mr. Jones' call light went off, I was pretty sure I knew what he wanted so, without thinking, I picked up the intercom to his room and asked, "Mr. Jones, are you ready to get off now?"

I didn't even think about the dual implication of that statement until my colleagues cracked up. As for Mr. Jones, you could hear him laughing down the hall! :imbar

indynurse · Aug 28, 2002

One morning, on post-partum, I got in report that Mrs "Jones" wanted to leave ASAP. I had been off for a few days and had not taken care of her before. Her doc was there and just starting rounds. Peds had already been in and discharged the baby and nursery was done with their part. When report was over, her OB was at the desk writing her d/c order & scripts. Mrs Jones was 18 and married to baby's father.

I went into her room and she was sitting on the couch with a young man who was holding the baby. I go into my d/c teaching which includes lochia (how long, how much, what colors to expect), peri-care review, breastfeeding and engorgement, and, given her young age, special emphasis on birth control and how long to abstain from intercourse and how she can ovulate and become pregnant within 6 weeks or while she is breastfeeding even if her period hasn't come back yet.

After I finish with her discharge instructions, I am telling her about what else needed to be done before she could leave. At that point I turned to the young man as I said "Dad" needs to load up the car. Mrs Jones tells me that isn't Dad, but it is her 16 year old brother who stopped by to see her and baby before he went to high school football practice that morning. Dad had to run home because he forgot to bring the corificeat to the hospital.

That explained why the young man was so quiet and looked a little embarassed. Now, if there is a man in the room when I do d/c teaching, I make sure he is Mom's sig other/hubby.

BTW, I asked Mrs Jones why she didn't stop me and she said she thought it would be good for him to hear what women go though when they have babies.

mario_ragucci · Aug 30, 2002

Originally posted by JeannieM
Mario, you should meet my husband. He also expells "flora" at inopprtune times, but his should be packaged as a war weapon! At least in healthcare you have lots of potential reasons around you to explain those unique odors.

Well, I don't want to sound like a geek, but you can still tell when a healthy person farts who ate bad food, and a PT expells vivonex out the business end. It's amazing how we can differentiate the smells. Plus, farts would not be a weapon or tool.

And, flora don't come out of the vault. I thought flora are live bacteria that are not passed. Only dead flora passes; Is that true?

I can control it, but sometimes a RN will ask to help boost up a PT, and when you tighten core muscles and that action potential is realized, your intestines are gonna squeeze too. I'm sorry :-(

MPHkatie · Aug 30, 2002

That actually was my most horrific moment, I had an a line set up- with the saline on a pressure bag, and for some reason (for which i can not remember) I pulled the spike out of the bad and thus was showered with NS at a pressure of some 250mmHg. Whooosh. Probably not my most embarrasing moment, but it is right up there.

clarinetto · Mar 26, 2004

Hello!

One of the most embarrasing moments that I remember, it was when for the first time I shaved a man genital area. He Was a 66 years old man and din't want to streap his pants. I was very embarrased too because he was very hairy and had a very big and hanging testicles. I shaved his pube but when begin to shave his member and his scrotum he had an erection. I say him that I could go from the room for a moment and come when he will be ready again but then we began to talk about many things and then all was normally.

Now, after more than 15 years working nurse I don't feel me embarrased when a patient get an erection during his sponge bath or his pre surgery shaving and working nurse I learned that have big and hanging testicles is a normally thing between men who are more than 60 years old.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2004

In the rush of our busy floor one evening, as i was trying to finish my shift, tape report etc. I decided i would be nice and fill a new patients water pitcher. Quickly i grabbed the pitcher from the admission kit and took it down to the kitchenette and filled it. Later, one of the CNA's came and asked if i had filled the pitcher? Yes,, i did.

She then asked when a SSE went in that end? Seems in my rush the little soap bar had dropped into the pitcher i didnt see it filled the pitcher and the patient had a whole pitcher of water with a bar of soap in it. LOL,, luckily the patient hadnt drank any of it, but it was amusing. I check the pitchers now before i fill em!!!

Jay-Jay, RN · Mar 26, 2004

There are already TWO embarrasing moment threads in the Break Room, so I am locking this one. Please post in the other threads:

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7639

Will you dare tell your most embarrassing moment?

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53514

Most Embarrassing Moment at Work