First Week - Grave Mistake!

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LDRP.

So I just worked my first week on the floor as an RN orientee. I'm on a Medical Care Unit that includes Tele, Peds, and Oncology. I felt really helpful and competent but on Friday I made a HUGE mistake that I've always heard about...

Almost half of the floor had discharged by 1pm, and I made the faux paux of saying out loud that it was slow. No one corrected or shushed me, and I wondered internally if anything would happen.

It did. The last 4 hours of that shift were the most incredibly exhausting, crazy-making hours I've ever had.

I won't do it again, I promise!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in LDRP.

I guess I actually have a question, too...do you find that "rule" holds true? Do floors blow up after someone utters the words "slow," "quiet," or "boring?"

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I've been around the medical business for many years... only recently as an RN. I do NOT utter any such words. I have learned that doing so will almost invariably cause a massive rush for services that will take many hours to sort out. I'm not superstitious, but... this I have learned and observed many times.

Never, EVER utter the "Q" word or any similar words... while working. You will come to regret it.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Wow...what a combination of patients your floor has! Peds, Tele, Onc...yikes! That's a challenge!

And yeah, absolutely never, ever use the "Q" word.

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Stage actors have a similar rule. They don't wish someone good luck. They tell them, "Break a leg." Wishing bad luck is thought to bring good luck.

There's a rationale reason. When others in a hospital, including Admitting and the ER, hear that a nurse has uttered the dread "Q" word, they set about to correct that deficiency. "Quiet huh, well we'll give them something to do."

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Emergency.

I learned my lesson when I uttered the "Q" word one night too. And like you I will never do it again! Lol ❤️

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Your penance? Go to the local flea market, and purchase the tackiest wreath you can find. Hang in the break room. It will be the token that combats the "Q" word.....

Or play some 80's hair band record backwards......

This made my day. You are too funny, OP.

Best wishes, and stop using "Q" words in vain......

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here's my experience: years ago, one time a nosy aide from another unit came over to ours, looked around, and asked "you guys are quiet over here." - we didn't think anything of it, it's 3-11 shift, things are a little slower than 7-3 sometimes, so the other aide said "yeah it's not bad," and the other aide left. soon we were getting calls from bed control for admissions. we put 2 & 2 together. she went back to her floor, called and complained to the house supervisor about us being quiet while they were getting slammed, and that was how we suddenly were busy as well. But she never showed her face again on our floor. that's the price you pay for spying. you become persona non grata. for people who've never worked in a hospital, this is the type of petty crap that goes on.

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Specializes in LDRP.

OMGosh, that's awful!!!! It was downright BORING today from about 1500-1700, and I *thought* about saying it out loud, but I didn't. We got slammed for the last two hours because I'm a ginger and I have mind-control. :greyalien: :borg:

THEN, when I was giving report I walked away from one of the night nurses and flippantly said, "I hope you have a quiet night!" She just glared at me and said, "We don't say the 'Q' word around here." :no: I apologized profusely. SHEESH.

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Never, ever, say the "Q" word...I have never seen anything good come out of it. My most recent experience was when a med tech was getting ready to leave (working 7-3) and said to the other med tech (oncoming 3-11) "It's been a really quiet day"...he told her that the nurse was going to kill her...I wasn't paying attention so I asked "why?" she repeated what she said and I told her that if the shift turned to crud after she left (I was scheduled until 7 but if crud hits the fan I'm there longer since there's no licensed relief and I have to put out the fire before leaving the building) I was blaming it on her, and she got to work with me again in the morning...sure enough the curse came true, everyone decided to fall, have chest pain, try to elope the facility...you name it, it happened....it took everything in me to remain calm when I saw her the next day...about 6 hours after I had left the place after the prior shift.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

One of your professional career's best lessons learned!

You're lucky your peers didn't staple your mouth!

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Specializes in Managed Care.
So I just worked my first week on the floor as an RN orientee. I'm on a Medical Care Unit that includes Tele, Peds, and Oncology. I felt really helpful and competent but on Friday I made a HUGE mistake that I've always heard about...

Almost half of the floor had discharged by 1pm, and I made the faux paux of saying out loud that it was slow. No one corrected or shushed me, and I wondered internally if anything would happen.

It did. The last 4 hours of that shift were the most incredibly exhausting, crazy-making hours I've ever had.

I won't do it again, I promise!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you learned your lesson!! Hahahahahaha!! Happy Nursing!!

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