Things people say coming out of anaesthetic

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I had my wisdom teeth out on Friday, and when I came too the anaesthetist told me I'd been 'showing him some affection with my fingernails'. :imbar I don't even know what he meant because I couldn't talk properly and then they put the oxygen mask on me to shut me up. I hope it was something innocent, that table is pretty much on groin level :lol2:. He was quite dishy too!

Since then I've been comforting myself with the thought that the staff had probably heard worse things from patients. So, what's the funniest thing you've heard from someone coming out from under anaesthetic?

Specializes in Acute Mental Health.
As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, this is a subject dear to my heart. Of course, people occasionally say humorous things around the time they are exposed to anesthetic/sedative drugs. As nurses and as professionals whose job it is to care for the whole patient that means to me that we should also be concerned for their dignity after the time of anesthesia/sedation has passed. It may be fine for us to giggle to ourselves and share the humor of some of these hilarious words, but it seems unforgivable to share them with the patient who is not in control of him/herself at the time they are being said, After all, what is the point? If the point is to help the patient avoid a life threatening event in the future, go ahead. Otherwise, what happens or is said in the OR/PACU should stay in the OR/PACU! After all, would you approach a patient later and tell him/her, "You lost control of your bowels four times yesterday and we had to clean the bed, change the sheets, and wipe your buttocks and perineal area!" If you don't embarass the patient becuase he/she lost control of his/her bowels, why embarass the patient because he/she lost control of his/her tongue? It is even worse because some drugs (such as Diprivan/Propofol) are actually known to have as a side effect, somewhat aphrodisiac effects. Therefore, we, as nurses are creating a situation where the patient loses control, steering that loss of control in a particular direction, then informing the patient of the silly things he/she has done while under the conditions we as nurses created for that patient. They do say funny things. Laugh. But please be professional and don't "share" with the patient.

I agree, but I think most of these are about ourselves or family. Mine knows I've told you all and he thinks its hilarious.:chuckle

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I was on a placement in the recovery room (im still a student) and the best one i heard was a pt trying to start a chant.. "Give these nurses a payrise!!" He did get a smile from everyone after that :):yeah:

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Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

my husband had an EGD recently. he was so goofy when he woke up we were all laffing at him. when we helped him stand up to leave his pants were all twisted up. his nurse knelt down and pulled his pant leg down to straighten it out. when she did it pulled on the the band of his sweats and pulled them down a little bit over his butt. he turned around and looked at me and his eyes raised up so funny and he whispered to me very loudly "omg she's pulling my pants down in front of you!" he thought he whispered to her to wait until his wife left. we were all rolling laffing at him!

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when i had my first child, the rn's were wheeling me from recovery to my room. I guess they thought i was still out of it. They were talking about how big my boobs were. Saying that my milk had already come in, and wondered what bra size i wear. So, i had to tell them! Got quiet! They didn't say anything else! Ha:eek:

lmao!!!! Omg!!!

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Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.

When my sister was coming out of anesthesia from abdominal surgery she kept saying

"**** you and the horse you rode in on" over and over.She's a quiet lady but kind of looks tough like a biker chick so I don't think they were too shocked. She and her doctor did have a pretty good laugh about it.

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I work as a PCT and a patient the other night in recovery introduced himself as Barack Obama (He wasnt kidding either). Pretty funny at the time.

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Specializes in Home Health.

When I was in labor for my son I was given Nubain in my IV. I was in a dreamy state but I believe it was a mixture of the drugs and pain. At one point when I was laboring I heard a loud continuous "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP". I started yelling "Oh my God!! Am I dead?!?!?!?!?" thinking it was a heart monitor. In reality it was the alarm on the infant warmer which the nurses were preparing for my baby. My husband continues to laugh about it to this day!

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all I know about when I am waking up is that at first i am crying, then my body is freaking out (mentally I am fine and try to tell my body to calm, but I CAN NOT control my body at all), and the last time my nurse told me I was really high (as in drugged)

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OMG - i hadn't been under anaesthesia yet, but when i was being wheeled to the OR for my first c-section i was loopy from SOMETHING. everything got really weird and started happening so FAST! one minute i was in a nice, calm room - next minute there's a doctor putting on scrubs - nurses everywhere talking in what seem like another language to me - the lights got BRIGHT and it was freeeezing! i was like "omg, i feel like i'm in a movie!" they got a kick out of that - but it was true...like when you watch a movie of someone being rushed in. then, while i was lying on the table, the doctor and the nurse were talking about what MOVIES they had seen lately! i was like "okay doctor, i just watched oprah and there was a lady who had a surgical tool left inside her - prob. cus her doctor was talkin about movies!" i was joking which they knew, but it was so odd to me as a patient lying there having a baby!

when i got my wisdom teeth taken out, i don't remember much at all. the girl said i kept saying "i don't wanna puke on u, i don't wanna puke on u" and then i was out. :D

i can't wait to hear some of the things patients say - i'm sure it's hysterical! i will tell them if they ask though because i TRULY wanted to know and i don't know if they told me everything....

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As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, this is a subject dear to my heart. Of course, people occasionally say humorous things around the time they are exposed to anesthetic/sedative drugs. As nurses and as professionals whose job it is to care for the whole patient that means to me that we should also be concerned for their dignity after the time of anesthesia/sedation has passed. It may be fine for us to giggle to ourselves and share the humor of some of these hilarious words, but it seems unforgivable to share them with the patient who is not in control of him/herself at the time they are being said, After all, what is the point? If the point is to help the patient avoid a life threatening event in the future, go ahead. Otherwise, what happens or is said in the OR/PACU should stay in the OR/PACU! After all, would you approach a patient later and tell him/her, "You lost control of your bowels four times yesterday and we had to clean the bed, change the sheets, and wipe your buttocks and perineal area!" If you don't embarass the patient becuase he/she lost control of his/her bowels, why embarass the patient because he/she lost control of his/her tongue? It is even worse because some drugs (such as Diprivan/Propofol) are actually known to have as a side effect, somewhat aphrodisiac effects. Therefore, we, as nurses are creating a situation where the patient loses control, steering that loss of control in a particular direction, then informing the patient of the silly things he/she has done while under the conditions we as nurses created for that patient. They do say funny things. Laugh. But please be professional and don't "share" with the patient.

i agree if it's something that would be truly embarrassing because it was vulgar or inappropriate - but if it was just nonsense - i'd tell em - IF they asked!

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okay, i'm talking to myself now, but i have to say - i think anasthesiologist are some of the most appreciated yet have the least opportunities to get any credit. when i had my 2nd c section - i was a nervous wreck and this guy was so nice - he was asking, "do you feel pressure or pain? is it pressure or pain?" i was like i don't know!! my adreniline was so high - i definitely felt something! poor guy. then as i went to lie down i KNEW i was gonna puke. i told him, i'm gonna puke - i'm sorry! he was the sweetest guy ever, and THEN i started to pass out.....he was like ur not gonna pass out and i was like no...i'm....passsing...then i was AWAKE bc he put something under my nose.

i don't even remember what he looked like and wouldn't know him if he was staring me in the face, but i loved him - bless his heart!

i didn't have such a good experience with my first c-section - guy was a JERK and was just like "be still!" and did the whole pressure or pain bit also, but got ****** cus i couldn't tell him. you're so tense and anticipating pain/heart pumping - he stuck me and i never heard from him again. hehe - not the first time i've said that!;)

just kidding.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

Yay for resurrected threads!

When I had my wisdom teeth removed @ 18, "laughing gas" was used on me. I guesss I took that literally, because I seriously couldn't stop laughing, which made the oral surgeon laugh hysterically. I don't know how they ever knocked me out! Years later, I experienced a similar feeling when I drank a bottle of champagne.

I had my tonsils removed @ 22, and I remember the OR team just...looking at me. I said, "you guys are waiting for me to fall asleep aren't you?" and the CRNA confirmed that. I replied, "well, that ain't happenin', sorry!" But yet again, they knocked me out somehow.

I cry and shiver whenever I wake up, and I just want my mommy! I guess I'm more fun as the drugs are kicking in...

A nursing instructor shared a tale - she was having a relatively minor procedure done, and had never before received Versed. Well, apparently she didn't like it, because after the injection, she flipped out, jumped off her stretcher, ripped out her IV, tried to get into another OR and accused everyone of checking out her rear end!

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