The detail I missed that set my day on the wrong foot

[ellisjl, BSN, RN]

I recently graduated, so I'm not exactly on the level of one of the super hero nurses out there kicking butt and taking names like the ones I admire. I'm lucky to get my kicked butt in gear and clumsily juggle an average work day as a baby RN. Today was just one of those days. The frustrating days we all have where you can't seem to do anything right or smoothly. I wondered what the first domino was in the chain of fallen ones I'd left behind myself all day. I figured it out. I figured it out in my car after a grueling 12 hour shift. I looked down while cranking my car in the parking lot of the hospital only to realize something horrible.

No, I didn't make a med error that just popped into realization.

No no I didn't forget to give report.

No no no I didn't find "saved for later" medications in my pocket I'd neglected to give.

I looked down to see I had managed to put on unmatched white shoes from two different pairs.

I can only hope I was alone in this hilarious enlightened moment where I'd missed the detail which started my day off on the wrong foot.

What are some of your embarrassing moments as a nurse?

[Nurseinprocess]

I've never done that, but whenever I have bad dreams about work I am not dressed right and have flip flops or some other bizarre thing going on with my wardrobe. I have shown up missing an earring a couple times. Ooops.

[Sour Lemon]

I've done the two-shoe thing. One was a higher heel than the other and I walked with an awkward limp all day without thinking too much about it. A co-worker eventually pointed it out to me. I might never have noticed on my own.

[caliotter3]

I once did that with a similar two pair of sneakers. Didn't figure out what I did until I took the shoes off. Oh, well.

[amoLucia]

Put on clothes inside-out.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I've done the two-shoe thing. One was a higher heel than the other and I walked with an awkward limp all day without thinking too much about it. A co-worker eventually pointed it out to me. I might never have noticed on my own.

Meh. I went to work with one white nursing shoe, one black loafer. It was dark out and I was in a hurry to get out of the door :)

My patients must have been impressed with my skills that day.

[brownbook]

I am so lazy, I get ready to leave for work on any shift, but this happened when I worked nights, roll out of bed, get dressed 5 minutes before I walk out the door. What can I say, I am naturally beautiful and don't need "primp" time.

I wear slip on loafers because I'm too lazy to wear shoes with laces. I slipped on a black and blue loafer. Never noticed it. A co-worker pointed it out.

[Caprica6]

I once forgot to put on shoes. I got about half-way to work when I realized that my feet felt funny. I looked down and noticed that I was still wearing my slippers. Got to work late that day...

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

I had once a pair of silk pajamas which was navy in color and similar with the facility's uniform. So, one beautiful dark winter morning I came in wearing scrub top and those pants and had to run in OR for a change.

Another nurse had no white short-sleeved underwear to wear under scrub top. She substituted white lacy and frilly blouse of her waitress' set from a local German restaurant but did not think that so many locals would recognize it.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Put on clothes inside-out.

This ^ and wearing scrub pants backwards. I only discovered it when I tried to reach into my pocket and it was facing the wrong direction.

I used to have a top that closed with snaps in the front. And I caught it on the door handle more than once and opened the whole thing. It took me twice to learn to wear a T shirt under it, d'oh.

[brownbook]

I forgot about the time I was scheduled to come in later on day shift, at 10:00 am. It was summer I had been out and about. Get to work and realize I'm still wearing my sandals. I put surgical shoe covers on, no one asked me about why I had them on, I don't work in OR.

[BeckyESRN]

When I worked at the hospital I once put a patients shoes on the wrong feet. He looked sideways at me and said "Honey, I think we have a problem". I was totally oblivious. He had to tell that I put his shoes one wrong! I apologized and told him that I had a 2 y/o at home who was always wearing his shoes on the wrong feet, so it looked normal to me!

I did go to work in my green scrub pants and my undershirt once, had to get a pretty blue top from the OR and have everyone ask me what happened all day.

Today I forgot to put on my sweater, so I'm rocking a Star Wars shirt; good thing it's casual Friday at the school!