nurses as patients

[danggirl]

Does anyone have their own personal story of being a patient? I was wondering what it is like to be a nurse and be a patient. What kind of things did you observe about nursing in general? Did you see things that made your experience wonderful? Did you see things that made your experience horrible? How did your experience change your own practice of nursing? I'm just curious because I was a patient last year and it was scary. I learned so much even through my drug fogged pain riddled body...I was just wondering if anyone else had experiences.

[maconnurse]

I was hospitalized recently in the ICU and the care scared me to death. Having been a former ICU nurse I could not believe the lack of concern and care. My family received permission to stay with me because I was actually afraid they were going to let me die! While on the floor my sister spent one night with me and said no one came in and checked on me from 11:30 pm until 06:45. She was shocked.

[EmmaG, RN]

While on the floor my sister spent one night with me and said no one came in and checked on me from 11:30 pm until 06:45. She was shocked.

That happened to me with my mom after her surgery. No one set foot in her room from around 10 pm (last round by 3-11 nurse) until the day shift nurse made her first round the next morning after 7 am. She also had called out for pain medicine at around 5 am, but did not receive it until day shift. I was there and awake the entire night; the door never even opened. When complaint was made to the doc and charge nurse about this, we were told that nurses at this facility were not required to round on their patients.

I kid you not.

I would love to see the nurse's notes from that shift.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I am the worst possible pt

I wear my mirrored surface sun glasses, and I have my IPOD in my ears.

I dont acknowledge anyones presence or interact with anyone.

I just zone out completely to avoid interacting with anyone

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Hey Tom, you sound like some of my patients!! :chuckle

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

A nurse I used to work with had to have his tonsils out. He is known for his strange sense of humor, so before he went in for the surgery, he wrote "FULL CODE" upside down on his forehead, so that the anesthesiologist could see if from where he stood at the head of the bed.

When I had to have general anesthesia for eye muscle surgery last year, when the anesthesiologist came to see me before the surgery and asked if I had any concerns, all I said was "please don't break my teeth when you intubate!"

[peridotgirl]

I was hospitalized recently in the ICU and the care scared me to death. Having been a former ICU nurse I could not believe the lack of concern and care. My family received permission to stay with me because I was actually afraid they were going to let me die! While on the floor my sister spent one night with me and said no one came in and checked on me from 11:30 pm until 06:45. She was shocked.

that's horrible. Why didn't the nurse made their rounds???