We've all been there. In our time as nurses, we've heard patients say some pretty wild things. Whether it's off-the-wall reasons for how they came to need medical care or something as seemingly mundane as a catchphrase which a patient uttered that resulted in you having a laughing fit; those memorable phrases, reasons or moments could win you one of two $250 Amazon.com gift cards courtesy of relode.
Dust off those memories and leave them in the comment form below. The two grand prize winners will be announced during National Nurses Week but have no fear - even if you don't win one of the grand prizes, we are giving away some cool runner-up prize packs to two more lucky winners!
We all know that patients say the darnedest things, let us hear your best! Thanks for all that you, our nation's nurses, do and Happy National Nurses Week!
Be sure to enter our two previous contests for more chances to win...
A night shift nurse noted on the MAR that a patient refused his Colace. The explanation read, "Patient refused, stated he'll be awake all night sheeting himself". I giggled at the thought of the older gentleman saying it, but even more that the nurse spelled it as she would have pronounced it! I have to go "sheet" myself ;-)
Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.
I went to a call with some panicking parents, who both directed me to their son who had a broken arm. He was about 10 years old and sitting as calm as could be with a deformed obviously broken forearm. When I asked what happened to him he stated in the most calm voice, "I fell snowboarding and now I have an extra elbow!" I couldn't help but laugh at his calm and thoughtful remark, all while his parents were acting as if he was dying, until we calmed them down of course.
Rooming a patient, I was gathering info on reason she was being seen, recent treatment, etc. I don't even remember the issue or symptoms, but do remember her announcing that she was a "nurse." After asking her title, I gathered that she was indeed not a nurse, but some other type medical personnel, but I let it roll and we continued our conversation. Regarding previous and any current treatment, she stated "And I don't want no antibiotic either cause I am NOT trying to get the C-DIBB. I know all about that and how that goes." I let that one roll to as it seemed she already knew. Funny indeed!
A little old lady celebrated her 104th birthday with us. After all the happy birthdays she asked how old she was, she truly had no idea. When informed she was 104 she responded "God d... I'm old! I must be gonna die soon!" She passed away two days later, quietly in her sleep.
I could go on for a long time with the things patients say. I work in LTC and the things that dementia residents randomly say can be extremely entertaining. The only one that in all my years of working LTC still makes me feel guilty is the adorable, tiny little lady that adopted a quite heavy CPR practice baby. She insisted her baby was sick and needed a shot to get better. I came up with reason after reason to not give that darn baby it's shot and soon enough that old gal is stalking me up and down the hall and into rooms holding that heavy CPR baby by one foot, shaking it and yelling at me "see! He's dead! You KILLED HIM!! I told you you should've given him his shot!" By the time that shift was over I was feeling like a no good baby killer. To this day I wish I would have just given that darn baby a shot and saved that poor lady and me from her distress.
CowboyMedic, DNP, APRN, CRNA
682 Posts
Can I just have my OETT out for the daytime so I can eat then you can put it back in at night. Communicated to RN from family of a patient