So I know there is whole thread on ghost stories, but i figured I would post this since it just happened.
I was working as a medic and we picked up a patient who had collapsed. The patient was cyanotic from the clavicles up, so I assumed they probably had a massive PE. They had a pulse, but was unresponsive and very hypotensive (systolic of 50). We ventilated them and put them in our ambulance and they suddenly woke up, although they still had the monks cloak cyanosis. When the person initially woke up they were trying to get up off the stretcher while holding a hand out to the ambulance ceiling all while yelling for a particular name. the patient eventually became more alert, although still severely hypotensive and cyanotic, but able to answer questions and no longer yelling that persons name. The patient lost consciousness again in the ambulance, but woke up again, but it was brief and no yelling someones name this time.
The patient coded at the hospital, as we assumed they would since there isn't much we can do for such a massive PE in a community hospital, assuming that is what it was.
I looked at the obituary today and the name of the person the patient was yelling for was their previous spouse who is DEAD!
The Washington Post style guide is not an acceptable manual for any academic writing that I am aware of. I know for a fact the APA, which is the style used by nursing journals, explicitly forbids the use of the singular they. It recommends recasting a sentence if needed. I am fairly certain the MLA also does not consider the singular they correct. That's point number one.
Point number two, the use of the singular they is inappropriate here because the gender of the person being referred to is known. The use of the singular they is used when attempting to be gender neutral. It's awkward, at best, to be gender neutral when th gender is not known.
The Washington Post style guide is not an acceptable manual for any academic writing that I am aware of. I know for a fact the APA, which is the style used by nursing journals, explicitly forbids the use of the singular they. It recommends recasting a sentence if needed. I am fairly certain the MLA also does not consider the singular they correct. That's point number one.
Point number two, the use of the singular they is inappropriate here because the gender of the person being referred to is known. The use of the singular they is used when attempting to be gender neutral. It's awkward, at best, to be gender neutral when th gender is not known.]
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
I'm bringing this thread back to the OP before y'all derailed it.
Sorry you were creeped out by it, I'm sure I would have thought it a little weird too.
I did have some actively dying patients my first year as a nurse, and they were fixated on spots in the distance. Perhaps they saw their loved ones as we were transporting them in the hallway. Who knows.
I'm in hospice. My 99 yr old pt was on crisis care for pain management. Very AAOx3. At some point during the night around 3 am she was saying 'get out of here!' I asked hr what was wrong and she said 'get my dead mother out of here! I'm tired of seeing her face!' She pointed to the end of her bed. I politely asked her mother to leave and she never mentioned her anymore that night. She died 3 days later.
These patients are people who died under our care and look how many fellow nurses invent stories and narratives to fit their desire for "spooky tales" or to reinforce their worldview.
That is shameful. Patients deserve better than that.
Jeez Dude, who urinated in your breakfast cereal this morning?
russianbear
210 Posts
Hide the gender? For what reason? My point is merely that we are professionals. There is no reason our correspondence should not reflect that.