Ridiculous medical mistakes on TV

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We've all heard it: nurses can't watch medical shows without getting annoyed about how inaccurate they are. Lately, I'm finding that the most ridiculous medical mistakes happen on police procedural dramas (Law and Order, Criminal Minds, etc.); at least the medical shows have people with medical backgrounds advising them.

Anybody have some funny tv medical mistakes to share??

Last week I was watching a rerun of Criminal Minds. The victim had been drugged with haldol by her kidnapper. When the police rushed in to save her, the EMS gave her a bolus of narcan and she magically awoke. It was a flipping miracle!! ?

Specializes in retired LTC.

Didja' ever notice that in lots of TV hosp rooms/doctor offices/mini clinics there always seems to be an IV pole standing nearby with 2 (it always seems 2) IVs 'ready to go'? Like the bags are already spiked and assumedly primed. Just waiting for some EMERGENCY.

To be honest, I've even seen hanging IVs in my real MD/DDS offices.

Like what's the deal? Once a bag is spiked, the clock starts ticking ... I can't believe that the bags would be discarded every day. I mean the 24 hour clock has winds down. Is that fiscally sound?

But I notice those bags each time.

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Specializes in Critical Care, PICU, OR.

Recently I'm watching very first "medical movie" from early 1960's "Dr. Kildare". Relatively few mistakes, of course there's 1960's so AMI 3 week bedrest, general anesthesia on mask, almost never ETT. For acute respiratory failure (even on the field) - trach (metal obviously). But yesterday I saw order: 10 mg Morphine SQ (patient not on vent) and 100 mg (!!!) heparin (way not specified). Hmmm

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
On 7/6/2015 at 11:24 AM, cocoa_puff said:

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the character Kayla (Wolverine's wife) is killed, but not really. She reappears later only to say that they gave her a "shot of hydrochlorothiazide. It reduces the heart rate so low it appears to have flat-lined." I can only say....What???

How the hell did I miss this...lmao

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Specializes in Critical Care, PICU, OR.

Something new from "Dr. Kildare".

This is from 1965-66. Already intubating patients. Pt. with approx. 60-70% 3rd degree burn first TRACH. Almost immediately able to talk (short sentences) occluding trach. After few days no trach (dressing), pt. talking without hoorificeness, like nothing happened before. Surgery - this patient intubated.

Another patient. Sudden PE (embolism, not edema). ACLS - chest compression about 20-30 compressions/min. On the screen fine VFib. Even student suggested shock. Dr. Kildare shocked his head as "no". In nest few seconds - asystole. Stopped CPR.

No ABC, but only BC (pt. on facial mask, vent on "positive pressure")

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I happened into the middle of a show just yesterday (soap opera maybe?) where a nurse was accused of swiping her badge to gain entrance into the personnel files of every employee in the hospital! Okay then....

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On the other hand, I was impressed by The Big Sick, which is a great, funny, rom/com. A nurse is at the bedside, shocking I know,...the nurse kinda sorta helps diagnose what may be the problem.

The female lead is sick, intubated for over a week, does come around, but (I forget some details) has a hard time swallowing food for the first time, goes through physical therapy, needs a brace or cane and continues physical therapy after discharge.

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Specializes in Gerontology.
39 minutes ago, brownbook said:

On the other hand, I was impressed by The Big Sick, which is a great, funny, rom/com. A nurse is at the bedside, shocking I know,...the nurse kinda sorta helps diagnose what may be the problem.

The female lead is sick, intubated for over a week, does come around, but (I forget some details) has a hard time swallowing food for the first time, goes through physical therapy, needs a brace or cane and continues physical therapy after discharge.

That is a great movie!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Man I wish I remembered what show it was, but I saw a beautiful code - checked pulse, good compressions and breaths. The doctor even yelled for 1 mg of epi IV! Right dose and everything!

Then the classic - shocked asystole.

I died a little.

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Specializes in Practice educator.

I watched a film and it had 2 ventilated patients right next to each other, the guy in the middle grabbed 2 power point plugs and pulled them out, both patients then instantly flatlined. Wound me right up.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
45 minutes ago, osceteacher said:

I watched a film and it had 2 ventilated patients right next to each other, the guy in the middle grabbed 2 power point plugs and pulled them out, both patients then instantly flatlined. Wound me right up.

Smokin Aces! I just realized one of them isn't even vented, which makes this scene even more ridiculous lmao

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Specializes in Practice educator.
16 hours ago, MaxAttack said:

Smokin Aces! I just realized one of them isn't even vented, which makes this scene even more ridiculous lmao

Thanks! I knew it was Ryan Renolds but I couldn't remember the film. Just reading the comments in there. "Best ending ever!".

No, its one of the worst! I didn't even notice that one wasn't vented, horrible, just horrible.

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I'm always amazed at how quickly (if not instantly) TV nurses & EMS personnel can obtain accurate vital signs in a chaotic, noisy environment! I've been a nurse for over 10 years and I need a certain duration of time to get vitals.

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