Nursing Superstitions!

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I thought this would be a fun topic since nurses are the most superstitious people in the world!

I believe that disaster will strike if someone says the "Q" word. I even cringe if a patient says it.

I also never bring a book or magazine to read because I think it will be a slow day. That's a sure way to guarantee a code or a ton of admissions! :D

O.K. maybe I'm a little weird. :p

I work in an emergency room that sees approximately 45,000 patients a year. We are VERY superstitious.

We NEVER say the Q word, Everything DOES happen in 3's, NEVER mention a frequent flier's name because they WILL show up, if someone isn't doing well you put the crash cart outside the door to ward off evil spirits. And yes there is something to be said about a FULL MOON.

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All the above are very true

We recently had a pt I was to dc foley and bladder scan after void and PRN. As we have no storage space I plugged the bladder scanner in an empty room soon we had a direct admit in that room next I plugged the bladder scan in another empty room. Soon, we had another direct admit in THAT room . both were AMI's which were transferred to a larger facility with a cath lab.

After that we left the bladder scanner in the hall .

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Obviously, the Q word...

We also never say "I'm bo***"--sure to invite disaster.

We stopped calling ER to find out if they had anything waiting for us before sending an extra nurse home--we were sure to call them back for a AMI within the hour.

Don't utter the phrase "[insert frequent flyer's name] is back on [another floor in the hospital]" because they're sure to code or decomp and come to ICU.

Never tell the new girl that having only 1 pt. and the 1st admit is a good thing--that admit will be a crasher!!! (I speak from experience:o )

Never go to lunch and give the report to the nurse covering for you that your patient is "doing just fine"--when you get back, they'll be on Dopamine, Dobutrex, and Levophed and still have no pressure.

And, we too, ALWAYS leave the bedsheets turned down if we don't get the admit just to ward off any future ones.

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Specializes in LTC and Retirement Home.

Man oh man, I had no idea that *all* nurses were this superstitious! I thought it was just my bunch of loonies. :p

Anyways, besides all the other mentioned superstitions, we have a few peculiar ones at my LTC facility.

I can never NEVER wear red socks. Someone always dies when I do.

One particular aide is NOT allowed to enter the room of a resident that is dying. If she does, it's *guaranteed* that the resident will pass away, on my shift, during my med pass, or at shift change.

We never mention the PIA residents' names out loud, especially if we haven't heard their call bell in a while. Sometimes, even *thinking* about them, will invoke a call bell marathon.

When arranging flowers, never ever put just red and white flowers together. That invites death into the home. I run around like a mad woman, adding little yellow or purple flowers to all the beautifully done red/white arrangements.

We also have the haunted beds, and the beds that have taken on the personalities of their previous owners... and pass those personalities on to new occupants. Honest to Pete, one bed in my facility has *always* had a little old lady who sleeps with her purse, and pinches our boobs! And we've been open for 18 years, and have a high number of residents in that bed. Even if someone is in that bed short term, they take on that personality, and it leaves when they change beds..... it's just too freaky. :eek:

About the Q word.... one night, I worked with a nursing student who worked as an aide part time. She uttered the Q word. We all jumped on her, and told her to NEVER ever say that word, or dire things would happen. She laughed at us old-timers, and spent the next few minutes saying the Q word over and over again.

Within the next hour, we had 2 falls, a transport to hospital, 4 call in sick for day shift, and one staff member started having diarrhea.

I, as the night charge nurse, made her do the vitals and HIR on the two falls.

She has learned her lesson. :-)

Great thread!

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Glad to see that the "Q" word is universal in nursing!

No one mentioned putting a quarter under the pillow of a pending "celestial discharge" to buy some time. It really does work!

I always bring an extra foley insertion tray...I'll never need it if I do!

If I brag about my iv skills...well, you can probably guess what happens...

Never work on Friday the 13th, the week before or after a full moon, or on Mondays

Never mention the name of a frequent flyer...the rule on my floor is if you are the person who says the name, you have that patient when they come in!

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I remembered a couple more-when I was new to nursing on a telemetry/ICU step-down unit, I was always cautioned not to turn critically ill patients on their left side. Something about pressure on the heart, making it stop...

If your unconscious patient, with mouth open, has their tongue protruding to one side, that is the "Q" sign, and watch out!

:rolleyes:

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Picking myself up off the floor LMAO!! Didn't realize how much we all have in common, being from all over the country. The 3's, the "Q" and the frequent fliers are definitely universal. How many of you also check earlobes? Don't laugh yet...this was taught to me many years ago in long-term care and I've been teaching it to my acute care buddies. If you have a patient you suspect is "preparing for celestial discharge", his earlobe will have a definite crease and be "folding up".

Also, never express a desire "out loud" for a quick exit at the end of the shift because your coworker is NEVER LATE nor should you have every chart signed and closed with your purse on the desk...a surefire way of a last minute admit or code!

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Specializes in LTC and Retirement Home.
Quote

How many of you also check earlobes? Don't laugh yet...this was taught to me many years ago in long-term care and I've been teaching it to my acute care buddies. If you have a patient you suspect is "preparing for celestial discharge", his earlobe will have a definite crease and be "folding up".

YES!! I check earlobes! And I hesitated to mention it, because it sounds so.... weird. ;)

But it's SO true.

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Strange, yes, but when I go back to work tomorrow I'll have a couple of extra quarters to "buy time" and warn my CNA's NOT to touch my knots in the bedsheets!!!

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I work in a 24-bed ICU. We don't have a bed 13, it just skips from 12 to 14! I never say the Q word and never bring a book because that is a surefire way of guaranteeing a hellacious night. The other night at shift change I was saying how I like working Sunday nights because they are so slow. I caught myself midsentence and realized what I was saying but it was too late. That Sunday was the worst night I've ever had since working at this hospital!

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We also NEVER use the "Q" word, and woe to anyone from the previous shift that jinxes us!

Resident's (LTC) go either by 3's or 5's, and if they were in the hospital, they don't count.

Aresident that is approaching death, (yes, I know this is morbid) will have their ears fold or their nose shift to one side, or both.

The new moon is worse than the full moon.

As I said, LTC people seem morbid, but it's more truth than superstition.

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OK, we never use the Q-word (here it is a R-word)

I was taught to look at the earlobes too and it is always correct!

Then when old people start picking up crumbs and other imaginable little things from their blankets, their eternal journey will start very soon.

Don't bring something special to eat for your colleagues during a nightshift, give it to the homeless on your way to work, you won't be able to eat it anyway!

And finally never say, I haven't been sick for a long time! Or for that matter, mmmm, my last visit at the dentist wasn't that bad!!!

Take care, Renee

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