Random Nursing Thoughts

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

Just a thread for thoughts/opinions that don't really belong anywhere and you don't want to start a whole thread about it lol!

-Last night I worked on the psych unit with a 1 on 1. It was "boring" but a change of pace from my medical floor. I know psych isn't always that calm.

-Sometimes I wonder what patients do about their minor complaints at home. Patients want to see their nurse because their eye is watering or their ankle is itching..

Specializes in Emergency.

I hate that! It's like when you have a pt being seen for emesis. Everytime they puke they run straight to you, "he's throwing up." I return a blank stare, "yes?" We are waiting on an order and they are well aware but they NEED you to come stand at the bedside I guess and watch. Everytime they puke at home is there a nurse standing there watching? Then they point to the room like "well come on!" I can do more good for the pt by not standing in the room staring but by advocating for them so stop interrupting! Geez so annoying! He's doing a fine job of puking without me so be the supportive, loving family member you're supposed to be and wipe his mouth for him. Don't need a license for that. It's like when they complain if hiccups. "um..good luck with that"

Specializes in Cardiac Care.
It's like when they complain if hiccups. "um..good luck with that"

I was just going to mention hiccups!

Several nights ago, around 0300, one of my patients put the callbell on to report his hiccups and said he needed something for them. I offered him some water which he refused, saying that certainly the hospital had medicine for it. I asked him what he normally took at home for hiccups. He said "water". I suggested he try the water since it seemed to work for him, and that any medication I give would need to be ordered by his doctor. He saw the wisdom in not telephoning his doctor at 0300...

An hour later, he put his callbell on to report the hiccups were gone.

Specializes in Everything.

I know what these patients do, they call the local ER and/or stop in for a visit. We see alot of non-emergent cases in our ER. The phone calls are fine, but why must you come in to the ER if it is NOT and emergency? We have "on-call" doctors and ancillary staff, that we call in if needed (small rural hosp here). Sometimes, our docs refuse to come in and we then get to explain to the patient why it is not an emergency and why the doc doesn't want to see them......lots of fun!! Most of the time we can smooth it over with the patient, but some get mad, some refuse to leave. If they would have called, we could have saved them a trip in.

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Love the puking. So true. It drives me nuts when family hover at the station, waiting for you to come down to the room to hold the bucket. Like the OP said, I do my best, when I can phone the dr. Of course the family then wants the meds immediately, not understanding that we can't overide the pyxis with pharmacy in house. It can take up to 10 min to get the meds and by then the family is fuming.:uhoh3:

Another is when pt's complain about the food. It's a hospital not a 5 star restaurant. If you can complain about the food, then you must be well enough to go home.:lol2:

Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

I think by now it's generally accepted that hospital food will be terrible.

Oh boy this bother me!!

How come when I throw up at home no one runs to me with a Compazine? I am not sure why when someone has one episode of vomiting or diarrhea they are on the phone with the MD for orders. Am I wrong here? Do you notify the Dr. everytime a patient vomits or has diarrhea? Especially in LTC?

Specializes in floor to ICU.

lol. Funny how members actually run panic-stricken to the nurses station screaming, "HE'S THROWING UP!!!"

Thinking in my head:

"Good grief, woman. Calm down."

or

"I'll alert the media."

or

"Better out than in."

or

"And...?"

Of course, I never say them out loud. I calmly walk to the room, make sure emesis basin in place, put HOB up, assess, place a cool rag on their head and offer a PRN med.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Just FYI.........

the treatment for irretractable hiccoughs is Thorazine! an old ED CEN question!

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
just fyi.........

the treatment for irretractable hiccoughs is thorazine! an old ed cen question!

and sometimes the pacing lead is pacing the diaphragm instead of the heart . . .

seriously, though, i wouldn't want to give thorazine for hiccups of an hour's duration!

Specializes in hospice, corrections.

Being a nurse in a prison is certainly an eye opener. I've had patients not go to work and sign up for sick call for a cold, upset stomach, headache, sore throat...They are usually feeling much better by the time they are called down for sick call. When I ask why they didn't take (insert appropriate OTC medication here) and go to work, it turns out that they didn't want to buy it at the inmate store, they wanted it provided to them for "free" and why should they go to work, its (raining, cloudy, nice out, too hot, too cold...) and it's not like they get paid a lot for what they are doing. It is no wonder sometimes we see the same inmates over and over for different things.

Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

wow i so understand! but i learned my lesson.

i guess being in healthcare so long at the bedside was making me crazy because i felt the same way about when a family member would coming running to the nurses station yelling (for some reason they always yell....i don't know why they think the volume helps when i am standing just 2 feet in front of them) saying "you got to do something, he's having a seizure. i seen him have them before. do something!"

at first i always thought "well okay. what do you want me to do? clap. cheer him on. sell tickets? i can't do much about it except stand and help you watch.... (and btw, usually they are admited for seizures and have had them all their life...not new onset which are a totally different thing.... and for some other reason i do not get they will have been off their meds "cause i didn't think i really needed them anymore i wasn't having seizures) but hey, what do i know, i'm not busy... i'll come watch with you"

i couldn't seem to get it.

then my faithful friend, my little dog, and my constant companion jumped out of my lap one day.... took a few steps and went down having a seizure. everytime she would get up she'd go back down and into another seizure.

i like totally freaked out!

now i get it and i am forever humbled! it really is different when you are not part of the medical community and it is someone or something you love and you feel helpless. and no matter what a seizure might be or how long a person has been having that diagnosis....on the outside watching the person you love.....a seizure "looks" awful, uncomfortable, and fearful.

i learned my lesson.

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