Patient Terms of Endearment

[Davey Do]

As Nurses, we are encouraged not to refer to patients by their diagnosis or status- in psych it may have been "the schizophrenic in 320" or the "meth head in 216".

However, sometimes, in private discussions with peers and colleagues, we do this.

Sometimes we may even have pet names for patients or may playfully refer to their status:

 

Got any patient terms of endearment you use?

 

[cardiacfreak, ADN]

I don't use pet names often, because I hate when it is done to me.  Everytime I go through a drive-thru and the kid handing me my change says "Have a good day sweetie". I first want to yell, "I am not sweet!". And I often have visions of throwing my drink back through the window just to prove I'm not sweet!  Deep Breath, maybe I need counseling from Davey Do.