"Well, it says to do two legs"

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2003

I can top this story. When i training waaay back BF (before flo) we had a nurse who was notorious. Told that the doctor had changed the IV antibiotic to oral she unscrewed the needle off of the syringe and squirted the contents down the patients throat.

Her most infamous stunt was when she was told to give the patient two suppositories and an ear syringe. She came back to say that the suppositories kept falling out. this puzzled the RN who went in to see what it was all about only to find the patient with a suppository in each ear.

Other famous 'mistakes" include gathering all the false teeth in the ward and sterilizing them in the autoclave. Sterilizing the oral (mercury) thermometers in the autoclave and finally when told to put a patient who was Rest in Bed on a commode managed to balance the patient on the commode on the bed!!!

RoadRunner · Apr 6, 2003

If I may ask : are those still working as nurses???????

:eek:

Shamrock, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2003

:chuckle :chuckle

P_RN, ADN, RN · Apr 6, 2003

On the first day of orientation in fundamentals the Sister was taking us on a tour of the hospital. It was the first exposure to hospitals for most of us. As we were leaving one man in the ward said can someone get me some ice?

Our class "Lisa" said she'd do it.......coming back from the ice machine Sister just caught her as she brought ice back to the patient.........................in his nice shiny metal URINAL.

Oh BTW shes a nursing professor now and a writer for NCLEX last I heard. :)

nursedawn67, LPN · Apr 6, 2003

These are great...what a great topic to start.....I know we have all been there! :)

Bonnie J-Lowe · Apr 8, 2003

I would imagine most of the new classes of nurses have one or two memorable happenings that never, ever get put aside. It will go on as long as nursing does.The student that collected dentures that a nurse friend tells me about took them all and soaked them in 'dettol'--probably went on to become a great nurse but a very confused citizen!!! Late in replying have been away-I have three sisters who are nurses, the one who is the professor asked me what a foley catheter was--a totally academic nurse, masters degree etc. Just not a hands on nurse and will never be. She is amazed at the things we tell her.It is a great laugh for all of us!! Us lowly Rns and Bscns ya know!!

Bonnie J-Lowe · Apr 8, 2003

My sister is a nurse in the far north-one of my sisters. She is known for tying the patients mouth shut in post mortem care, as they have no under taker, just permafrost. When she took the Retalast bandage off to show the body to the family the poor face had little squares etched in it from the bandage.She talked her way out of it but won't tell us how!!!*lol*

Bonnie J-Lowe · Apr 8, 2003

Originally posted by Bonnie J-Lowe
I would imagine most of the new classes of nurses have one or two memorable happenings that never, ever get put aside. It will go on as long as nursing does.The student that collected dentures that a nurse friend tells me about took them all and soaked them in 'dettol'--probably went on to become a great nurse but a very confused citizen!!! Late in replying have been away-I have three sisters who are nurses, the one who is the professor asked me what a foley catheter was--a totally academic nurse, masters degree etc. Just not a hands on nurse and will never be. She is amazed at the things we tell her.It is a great laugh for all of us!! Us lowly Rns and Bscns ya know!!

NurseShell · Apr 8, 2003

I have my "blonde moments" you know?!

I've saved a couple people from humiliating themselves with incredibly stupid questions - but some people just can't be helped!!

i.e. when discussing the ration/proportion method for drug dosage calc. which is basically two fractions: available = ordered

250mg/1 tab = 500mg/X tab

Someone actually raised their hand because they didn't "understand what you mean by available and ordered" (this was on the LAST day of class!!!!)

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · Apr 8, 2003

Our class Lisa had a blind man as a patient, she went in to give him his meds... he was hospitalized with a UTI. Earlier he had been asking for a urinal and she was very busy and just assumed someone else took care of it because he stopped asking for one. Anyway, she puts the tablets in his hand and pours him some "orange juice" to take it with. He took one sip and yelled "this tastes like piss". He was right, he had urinated in his water pitcher and was on pyridium to help with the pain from his UTI, turns your urine orange, she never lived that one down!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2003

One of the scariest sentences I have heard in my professional career was "I have just emptied the ICC bottle into the jug and measured it."

My mind played the mantra "I hope she means AFTER it was disconnected. I hope she means AFTER it was disconnected."

"NOPE! @ #$$#%!"