Nursey things that you'll NEVER say again.

Nurses General Nursing

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I am able to stand for the first time in 3 days. In those 3 days, I have been bedridden, because any change in altitude caused me to heave my toenails up. I have had no solid food, save a cracker. I have had no end to the helpful advice of my nonmedical family.

And as God is my witness, I will never, ever say, "You need to eat SOMETHING!" to a nauseated person again.

What are some of yours?

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I've stopped saying to patients, "I know you're not hungry, but you need to eat".

I used to be able to eat no matter whether I was hungry or not, but in the past year or so I've come to the point where there is no force on earth that can make me eat when I don't feel like it! So when someone tells me s/he isn't hungry, I simply say "OK, we'll wrap up your food and heat it up for you later when you're ready".

While I've never said anything of this nature, too often have I heard nurses telling depressed patients to basically "buck up" or "it's all in your head".

Having suffered from depression, it makes me want to SCREAM when I hear these things.

Depression is a disease! You wouldn't tell a diabetic that if they tried hard enough they could control their blood sugar.

I have given quite a few rocephin shots and could not understand why my pts were claiming discomfort....until i had one...wow. now i really feel bad giving them but its got to be done!

Haha, I've said that several times too many. "Make sure you eat!" "Make sure you take some sips!"

Meantwhile, when I've been bedridden with the flu, I couldn't even down my own saliva, let alone a sip of a beverage. Screw it.. if they tell me they don't feel like eating/drink then that's the end of it. Just be sure to start an IV and let them progress on their own terms. I know I would flip my lid if someone told me to eat/drink something every 12 hours. Thanks, like I didn't know? ;)

If a patient tells me he or she doesn't want to eat, then that's the end of it. I tell them to let me know if they get hungry down the road and I can order them something off the schedule downstairs. Sure, it's an added hassle, but you do what you need to do.

Specializes in School Nursing.

I am much more sympathetic with panic attacks since having them myself. I would never tell a patient to "relax" or that "nothing is wrong-you are fine" You can't relax and you're not fine.

I am both awed and inspired by this thread. Please keep the insights coming.

In any way, I can garner more information to better care for my patients, that's so very welcome. I learn something from allnurses.com everyday:) (I just gave myself away- yeah, I try to touch base here everyday,no matter how little time.)

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I make it a practice to avoid giving patients pat answers or canned responses to anything. I cannot imagine telling someone suffering a panic attack that it's all in their head, or someone who is in respiratory distress to just relax. I don't feel that I have to have a panic attack or suffer respiratory distress to understand how those kinds of responses are completely nontherapeutic. Don't get me wrong; I don't doubt that if suffering discomfort helps a nurse to be more empathetic to their patients, that's a good thing, and I appreciate the humility it must take to disclose this.

Specializes in Med Surg.

I was milking the tube connected to the JP drain of a pt and the pt kept saying that it was painful, I asked a more seasoned nurse to milk the tube while I watched to see if I was doing something wrong. She started milking the tube and the pt started grimacing and moaning to which the nurse responded with something like "honey look I am not pulling the actual tube from the site I'm simply holding it firmly and stretching it while I move the drainage out, there is no pain involved relax". The pt was hopping mad and said it truly was painful somehow although it appeared unbelievable. I asked another nurse later if she had that experience with pts before and she said yes she had a few pts with similar complaints in the past.

So the next time I had to milk the pt's JP drainage tube I held her hand and told her "I realize this is painful for you, but as you know it has to be done". She told me she appreciated that I actually beleived her.

Also I had two pts tell me that when I flush their saline lock with 2.5 cc normal saline they taste it instantly in their mouths. So now im prepared to offer pts something to rinse their mouths out if they complain or offer them juice to get rid of the taste.

I am a nursing student and I was recently hospitalized overnight for pseudotumor cerebrii, which is basically intracranial hypertension due to excess CSF. I had horrible headache, blurry vision, etc. I had a spinal tap to drain excess fluid and literally within 1-2 hours I was much better, until the spinal headache came on the next day. They were going to give me a blood patch but decided against it after I spiked a fever so I had to suffer the spinal headache for a few days, vomiting and all.

For the most part the nurses were great, but there was one of them that I sensed a vibe from, like she did not beleive I was in pain since she could not visulaize anything wrong with me. It reminded me that sometimes actions speak louder than words. It was a horrible experience but it is a good reminder to have mercy on your patients.

Specializes in CTICU.

This thread is a great reminder to think about how we deal with patients. It's so easy over time to get your standard phrases and responses that you use, that just roll off your tongue without even thinking about it. There are so many things I would do differently since having my mother go through terminal cancer. .. it's quite astonishing how rare it is to find a good nurse when you're on the patient/family side. The things that make someone a "good nurse" when you're sick aren't necessarily the same things you think when you're a nurse with no experience on the other side.

Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

Don't tell a pt who is presenting with miscarriage symptoms she is not supposed to take Ibuprofen when she's pregnant because she took some once just prior to coming to the ER. Especially when she has 10/10 pain, contraction like cramps, vomiting, and shaking like crazy. No kidding, really?

Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

After having my both of my feet surgically broken and spending 1 week in bed, 3 weeks in a wheelchair, and 5 weeks in ortho boots....and still going through physical therapy 4 months later, I've realized a bunch things.

I'll never call PT 'just an exercise' again. I've learned how to better transfer patients from different positions. I can truly empathize with people regarding their feelings of frustration and shame for not being able to do the things they once did - even if temporary.

Pain is what a patient says it is whether you believe it or not. I laugh when I'm in pain ~ odd response, but if I use a certain laugh, my hubby knows I'm hurting.

Even with handicapped access laws, it is still incredibly difficult to get around in a wheelchair. I was astonished by that.

I never did this personally, but I was surprised by the stares from people and how they would ignore you in conversations if you happened to be in a WC.

I will never judge the people who have handicapped parking stickers and do not "look" handicapped. After my ortho boots came off, I couldn't stay on my feet very long, could not walk very far although I looked normal. If I had parked in a regular spot, I would not have made it into the store.

Lessons learned! :D

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