Paranoid and just had to call work...

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After a satisfying, not too stressful day at work, I went home and settled in for a nap. And then it hit me. Just as I was dozing off, the mental activity slowing down... this distressing thought shook me back to reality! I had taken a blood sample from one of my patients today, and I couldn't recall if i had taken off the tourniquet or not!! this is an elderly patient who is alert and oriented, but most of the time she's fatigued and in pain in various places which made me slightly unsure if she would notice :( this thought would not leave me alone! I imagined the worst case scenario, that her arm would have to be amputated..I decided to just call work and make sure.. man did i feel so dumb and paranoid...

Have any of you ever done that? Have those nagging feelings and just have to check in? please share, so i don't feel so pathetic!

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the only time i called into work after i left was when i forgot to add a new order onto the MAR. as far as everything else, i'm usually so tired by the end of the shift that i have the "eh, if i missed something, i'm sure the nurse will fix it".

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used to do this at LEAST once a week...

better safe than sorry, don't feel bad! :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Orthopedics, Hospitalists.

When I leave work, I typically don't think about work again until I'm going back to work! ;) I think I've called, like, once in the last 4 years because of something I'd forgotten to tell the oncomming nurse.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

I've done it, a few times especially after very busy days just to check things. If I don't I can't sleep so may as well phone to put my mind at rest.

(Done it with torniquets too)

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I've done this a lot...mostly to check on dying/hospice patients...since I only work every other weekend, a lot can change. I also have a bad habit of calling the nurse after me to make sure I've done my job and not left her with anything I should have done for her to do instead.

When I was a brand new LPN, I used to really annoy my DON's with my calling to make sure I was doing things correctly...I'd get really paranoid too and drive myself nuts. So you are not alone!

Blessings, Michelle

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Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.

I sometimes get those kind of thoughts and feel the need to call and check. I also sometimes check on a patient that was doing poorly when I'm off. Also, in LTC, I've had other nurses call later after they sent a patient to the ED to find out what happened.

I sleep poorly and one of the reasons why is that when I'm dozing off, a thought will flash into my mind (not just work stuff) that brings me wide awake and then I can't sleep til I've done something to relieve the anxiety. No matter that I try to convince myself to banish the thought & get some sleep. It's not usually a very important thing, anything from forgot to lock my front door to forgot to sign something at work or didn't put something away. I've been advised to take Ambien or Ativan for it but prefer not to do that. If this kind of thing happens to you a lot, you might want to talk to a doctor about it.

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Yes, have called in to check...make sure I did do what is suppose to be done and gotten laughed at a couple of times yet at the same time they know you care. I have also had some call me LOL. I have also woken up in the dead of night gotten out of bed thinking I heard the beeping of an IV.

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Yes, have called in to check...make sure I did do what is suppose to be done and gotten laughed at a couple of times yet at the same time they know you care. I have also had some call me LOL. I have also woken up in the dead of night gotten out of bed thinking I heard the beeping of an IV.

Hahahaha, that's hilarious..I have been falling asleep and the tune to the Kangaroo pumps has gone through my head..

Dododo..dodo...hahaha..I need a vacation:):lol2:

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, CCRN-CSC.

I hear "triple beats" in my dreams and wake up on my feet as if to check the monitor to make sure its not my patient or someone elses...

and yes, i have called to check on a patient, especially if my patient was sick sick.Did last night as a matter of fact. And I know I am not the only one in my unit. Other nurses call me to for the same reasons. I am OCD to the core and can't help it.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

I hate those panic attacks-- even more so I hate the shifts that are so chaotic I can scarcely remember what I did and how I did it!

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Specializes in LTC, office.

I have called many times. I would much rather call and be sure that worry about work on my time off.

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