Sometimes I hate being the nurse in the family

Nurses General Nursing

Published

How does anyone else handle this? I have a husband and three kids. Two of the kids are older teens, the baby is 2.5. Baby is sick right now and is one of those who pukes whenever she gets sick with anything. How come, when this tiny morsel of humanity throws up, Dad and Bro and Sis freeze and forget how to do anything except yell, "She's throwing up!!" No matter where I am in this house I have to come running to clean things up. How do the rest of you handle this with your families?

Specializes in med-surg, rehab, LTC.
:idea: I have to say that this reply hit it right on the nose!
Is this because you are the nurse in the family or the mom in the family? I bet you that moms all over the world who are accountants, policemen, musicians, lawyers, and go-go dancers are cleaning up vomit right this minute. Why? Because if they don't nobody will...
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
one time my son, his wife, and little girl were over to visit - granddaughter tells me she doesn't feel good then proceeds to puke on the table - her mother ran for the bathroom and threw up, my son threw up in the kitchen sink.

ohmigosh!!

:roll :rotfl: :roll :rotfl: :roll

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If dad refuses to help I think he'd find a paper plate full of it on the seat of his favorite chair...

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: THANK YOU FOR THAT!!!!!

She's much better today, she's eaten a little and kept it down, and she's more playful. Crisis over!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

Gosh, I agree! I haven't even certified as a CNA yet (though have been a medical nerd for years), and my family / friends ask me all kinds of questions... "Can I get Hep C from possibly eating a drop of infected blood?"

"I have x, y, z symptoms; is it appendicitis?" (turned out to be over-eating)

"Does your niece look like she has eczema? What should I do about her rash?"

In answer:

1. Ask your doctor.

2. If you don't feel better this evening, call your doctor / visit the ER.

3. Have some A and D cream. Oh, and call the paediatrician...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I was a mom before I became a nurse, and honestly it was the same way for me!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
But what of the family members who call for medical advice? Surely I am not the only ones who has that happen!

Nope, you most certainly are not the only one! In fact, when I saw the tag line on this thread I was certain that was what this pertained to...

I still have one academic year left in nursing school and I already am expected to field these questions from my family. I told my sister that if she wanted to call and ask my opinion as her sister, fine, but once she started asking specifics about medical care my answer would be ask your doctor.

She still calls and asks questions, but they are more along the lines of would you go in for this set of symptoms. Much better in my book as I was fielding those questions prior to starting the RN program.

Laura

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment