"I need you to pack my butt"

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I just got a knock on the door from my neighbor. I said "Hi, how are you doing? What's up?". He replied simply "I need you to pack my butt".

He has a big abcess on his butt and the packing came out in the shower. I said I'd do it after church and teach his wife at the same time.

Good Grief! :rolleyes:

These neighbors will drop everything to help me out at any time. They have pulled me out of a snowbank, jumpstarted my car, they are good neighbors and I'm merely returning the favor. They are uneducated, simple people who looked to me to help them out.

The butt packing is accomplished, it took 3 minutes, then I stayed for coffee and heard the story of this situation, an update on the other neighbors, I explained what a wound culture and sensitivity is, and so forth. It really was no big deal.

People have lost the neighborly thing now adays. I have helped out neighbors and friends before with certain medical things like shots at home and dressing changes and advice. It used to be that neighbors could rely on one another rather than saying you are putting me out by asking for my assistance in an area that I have some expertise in.

Good for you for helping a neighbor out. That is how communities are built...helping eachother out even though it may discomfort us, but it helps

out them.

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People have lost the neighborly thing now adays. I have helped out neighbors and friends before with certain medical things like shots at home and dressing changes and advice. It used to be that neighbors could rely on one another rather than saying you are putting me out by asking for my assistance in an area that I have some expertise in.

Good for you for helping a neighbor out. That is how communities are built...helping eachother out even though it may discomfort us, but it helps

out them.

bravo, kyrsha, bravo!

and you too, jls.

i would help any of my neighbors out in a heartbeat...

dang, i've even raised my kids to help others out even if it's not reciprocated.

i want them to give of themselves, w/o any expectations.

and jls, i know exactly of the type you speak of...

they always make me smile.

there's almost a visceral charm to their demeanor.

i'm all for "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" camp.:)

leslie

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

There are pros and cons in this situation, but I probably would have assisted, at least to show them how to do it, and give explicit instructions that this cannot be a regular thing, because it has to be assessed, followed up and treated by the physician. If I were in a bind, I would want someone to assist me. I would have probably went to the emergency room if it were me, but I can see why the OP decided to help them.

I can also understand why a person would say no. Some folks are looking to sue for anything and there were risks. Each individual has to make their own choices when deciding to help a neighbor, nurses or not.

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Specializes in ER.

Having known nurses that have been burned by doing personal favors, I would have stated that due to malpractice laws I would be unable to perform the favor for them. Even if they got mad with me, it is not worth the possible law suit you open yourself to.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
Hey, if you're happy it's all good :) I have a bit of a knee-jerk negative response to "need" after having so many patients telling me that I apparently need to do things (like "you need to get me a glass of water").

From the tone of your original post it was more the phrase "I need you to pack your butt" you were posting about rather than "OMG can you buh-lieve this?!"

I was totally taken aback with this unexpected request and my family had some chuckles.:chuckle But really, it was no big deal if they felt that it was beyond their ability, no different than my neighbor looking under the hood of my car once when I was having trouble.

His wife was my assistant, she prepared the patient and handed me the instruments.:coollook:

It was a different request than borrowing our sawzall, that's for sure...:chuckle

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
:rolleyes: Geezzzzz he could have said good morning first eh? LOL :lol2: :lol2: :rolleyes:

Hah hah! :lol2:

Like I said, he totally lacks sophistication. His verbal skills are really below average I've always noticed. He's a good neighbor though.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
People have lost the neighborly thing now adays. I have helped out neighbors and friends before with certain medical things like shots at home and dressing changes and advice. It used to be that neighbors could rely on one another rather than saying you are putting me out by asking for my assistance in an area that I have some expertise in.

Good for you for helping a neighbor out. That is how communities are built...helping eachother out even though it may discomfort us, but it helps

out them.

That's how I feel. I've been neighbors with these folks for 14 years and I actually feel honored that they trusted me and felt comfortable enough to ask for help with something like this.

This nation was built on people helping one another out. It was a very minor thing I did, actually.

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jls,

sounds like we live in the same neighborhood. LOL!

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Specializes in Psych, M/S, Ortho, Float..

I'm for the do it if it isn't too complicated bit,

But I did send a guy out to the hospital to have his finger re-attached after he sawed it off with a bandsaw. That one was a bit messy. I did make sure that the figer when with him. Came back, reattahed, working almost as good as new.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

Ummm, no, I wouldn't pack it. What if something goes wrong, and there you were performing care without a legitimate relationship with the patient, orders to follow, etc. This is asking for a lawsuit, IMHO.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

It was a simple job, just put that packing tape in there, I forget what it's called, you know it looks like a wick and you cut it to size. It wasn't too deep. Then slap on some gauze 4 x 4. He's going to the doctor tommorrow. Really, not a very complicated procedure.

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Specializes in LTC.

LOL, sounds like something that would happen in the neighborhood I grew up in. If any of my Mom's neighbors came to me and asked something of me, as long as it was something I could do I would say yes.

I've known them for almost 20 years, they maybe neighbors, but foremost they are friends.

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