Has this ever happened to you?

BrandonLPN, LPN · Mar 30, 2013

try holding your farts until you're washing your hands. The running water obscures the noise. Or, better yet, wait till you empty a urinal and flush the toilet. Hospital toilets are as loud as jet engines. In a job where you're constantly around patients for twelve hours, it can be hard to find a "private" moment to discretely let one rip.

kht124 · Mar 30, 2013

This is so embarrassing, but I habe ibs, so when I eat something wrong or forget to eat and/or forget to take my anticholinergic med I get extremely frequent gas and cramp. I can totally relate to the embarrassment and awkwardness of the situation (I mean, there is not much you can say or want to say after such incidence). Usually, I just apologize sincerely and confess to being embarassed or ignore it (like when I am in a room with a patient with a leaking rectal tube and c-diff). It sucks and you are probably feeling petrified, but you are only human, and some things are out of your control.

NurseDirtyBird · Mar 30, 2013

Consider it your engine: occasionally, I propel myself down the hallway. I like to think it helps me move faster. :wacky:

SwansonRN · Mar 30, 2013

Forget about trying to be discreet!
I worked with an aide who delighted in letting them rip over the intercom on the night shift.

I would adore working with a person like this. The best laughs are had at night.

One of my night coworkers once ran out of the staff bathroom to ask the unit secretary to call the chaplain. When she asked why he responded, "I need someone to perform an exorcism for what I just did in the toilet." I almost died laughing.

salvadordolly · Mar 30, 2013

Thanks for sharing. I needed the laughs! this happened to me once too in a patient's room. I squeezed my butt cheeks together so hard that it came out as a high pitched "pop" in which the patient and their family were looking around the room all confused. I just joined them and looked surprised. I had to run in the BR and LMAO.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2013

I'm in my 4th semester of my BSN program, working as an aide for a local hospital. Today I accidentally farted in front of a patient and his wife; a very nice older couple. They were awaiting discharge instructions and I went in to get one last round of VS. I was so embarrassed I had to avoid eye contact and leave as fast as possible. Thankfully I was sitting 1:1 most of the day!

You went in to get an unnecessary round of vitals and cut the cheese while you were at it?

Well done!

Oh to answer your question, no, I've never done that. If I am handing someone their walking papers, I'm not taking their vitals.

pixelle · Mar 30, 2013

It can happen to anyone! Just say "Excuse me," and carry on.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 30, 2013

I. am. DYING. :roflmao:

When my gallbladder was in the process of croaking, I had some of THE worst gas imaginable. I was working in a hospital at the time, which meant a lot of cheek-squeezing as I ran back and forth between patients. Sometimes I just couldn't hold on any longer, though, and then it was like machine-gun fire as I walked down the hall---"RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!!!". At other times, I'd have to go into an empty room and let 'er rip for a few minutes, as actually sitting down in the staff bathroom was impossible on day shift. Besides, that bathroom was IN the nurses' station, and there was no fart fan.....so everybody within earshot of the station could hear whatever was going on in there. :eek:

taossantafe · Mar 30, 2013

Codes happen when we're in the bathroom, half way through the stream when we haphazardly pull up our scrub pants, (toilet paper not included). We don't have time to urinate, hence the UTI's. On our lunch breaks, we shove our food down our throats at warped speed and run back to our assignments. Our stomachs growl when our lunch break is toward the end of the 12 hour shift. Farting in the presence of the patient? Hey, life's a gas (sic).

dt70 · Mar 30, 2013

After All they've seen in their lifetime?

Your lucky it wasn't a bunch of 3rd graders.

I'm sure they have plenty of experience maintaining composure.

LTCNS, LPN · Mar 31, 2013

Thank you all so much for the laugh. I have tears rolling down my face :roflmao: Glad to know Docs and Nurses are human afterall!

Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN · Mar 31, 2013

Oh the double standards. When the little old lady we are getting from bed rips one we say something like 'it's good the plumbing is working" but when we do it...... Still, the only time I am embarrassed is by a stinky. You, know, the one that hangs around. All you can do is apologize for what is a natural act.