Published
Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. I would do ALMOST anything for my patients, but this was my conversation tonight.
Mr. Doe, I am leaving soon. Do you need anything else before I go home?
Yeah, I need to pee.
OK, no problem, I hand him the urinal and tell him I will leave to give him privacy. Asked him to call when he was done. This is where it gets weird.
Mr. Doe "No, you can't go. You need to help pull it out of my pants and put it in there."
Me "Mr. Doe, you have been using your hands all night to feed yourself. You were living at home taking care of yourself until yesterday. Who did this for you at home before you left and who will do it for you when you go home?"
Mr. Doe "I can do it when I am at home. But here I need you girls to help. Now, put your gloves on and get over here."
Me "Tell ya what, Mr. Doe, I am not going to do this for you. However, if you really need help, I will send the night nurse in to help. Jack will be down in a minute, K?"
We were all shocked when Mr. Doe had managed to use the urinal all by himself by the time Jack made it down the hallway. Really, did he think I was completely naive? Been a nurse for a long time and a woman even longer.