Share The Weirdest Reasons Patients Push The Call Light

OpusNurse · Nov 9, 2006

Had a pt in LTC that didn't bother messing with the call button. He went straight to 911.

Found this out when 911 called the nursing desk because they recieved a report of "an explosion" from our facility but fire alarms (which are linked directly to emergency services) weren't going off.

Checked out the residents room where 911 call originated. Sure enough, there had been an explosion.....

of feces all over the room.

Do you think the fire department will come clean that up???

HyperRNRachel · Nov 14, 2006

I had a man who kept telling me about his newly divorced son who was coming to see him later that day. Well the cardiologist was in the room doing a pre-op assessment when I get a message that the patient needs to see me. I go in, and in the middle of the cardiologist's assessment the man stops the doctor and introduces me to his son! Thank goodness this doctor saw the humor in this but he still gives me a hard time about it!

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

This was more "awww" than funny... I had a sweet, but quiet little 7-yr-old the other night, whose mom had to go home for a little while so I made sure the pt knew how to use the call light. Awhile later she did hit her call light, and when I got in the room she said "can you tuck me in?" Made my night.

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

seems the 911 calls vs. using call lights at LTC is pretty common.. haha

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Nov 23, 2006

This was more "awww" than funny... I had a sweet, but quiet little 7-yr-old the other night, whose mom had to go home for a little while so I made sure the pt knew how to use the call light. Awhile later she did hit her call light, and when I got in the room she said "can you tuck me in?" Made my night.

That is so sweet.:nuke:

BSNtobe2009 · Nov 23, 2006

A patient once asked someone to spread his butt cheeks so he could fart. The nurses reply...."I will NOT!"

OMG! OMG!

Noahm · Nov 23, 2006

What about the little old ladies who ring every 5 minutes to ask where their handbag is? Each time they ask this question you unlock their locker, and show it to them again. Then five minutes later they have already forgotten this and ring again. This goes on for 12 hours. You can't leave the handbag on them in case it goes missing.....

nursesaushakat · Nov 24, 2006

When I was in my senior year of nursing school for my BSN I was working as a CNA. One of the patients I was working with began to come on to me in the early AM telling me "you sure are pretty" by the afternoon he was requesting oral sex and asking me If I had a picture of myself that he could have. Another aide traded patients with me thank goodness.

Gromit · Nov 28, 2006

patients like that disgust me -especially because it seems there isn't much we can do to well, basically punish them for that kind of behavior. Under no circumstances should it be tolerated or condoned.

Once had a cancer patient (male) who asked me (about halfway through my shift -about 2am) "whose' (male phalus) do I have to suck to get something to eat around here?"

I told him that I would not tolerate that kind of language in MY presence under ANY circumstances. And that he could have something to eat when breakfast came along in the morning. The only reason I didn't request that he NOT be my patient the following shift was because I didn't want anyone else to have to deal with such a nasty, disgusting individual.

prmenrs, RN · Nov 28, 2006

What about the little old ladies who ring every 5 minutes to ask where their handbag is? Each time they ask this question you unlock their locker, and show it to them again. Then five minutes later they have already forgotten this and ring again. This goes on for 12 hours. You can't leave the handbag on them in case it goes missing.....

Would it work to put the contents of her handbag in a ziplock, put that in her locker, put a few things in the purse, (chapstick, tissues, some family pictures, little candies like Lifesavers, maybe a surprise or 2) and let her have that? If it's a really expensive purse, have family bring in a less expensive one?

I'd feel kinda lost w/o my purse, too.

clemmm78, RN · Nov 28, 2006

I remember a woman on a medical floor calling me to move a blanket off the chair so that her adult son, who was standing right there, could sit down.

Not a callbell, but recently, we were asked to shower or bathe the husband of one of our palliative care patients, because he hadn't had one for a while and was unable to do it unassisted. Uh. No.

texas_lvn · Nov 28, 2006

Would it work to put the contents of her handbag in a ziplock, put that in her locker, put a few things in the purse, (chapstick, tissues, some family pictures, little candies like Lifesavers, maybe a surprise or 2) and let her have that? If it's a really expensive purse, have family bring in a less expensive one?
I'd feel kinda lost w/o my purse, too.

That is an absolutely great idea!!!