The most embarrasing thing you've done at work!

MichaelLooney · Sep 9, 2005

I get some petty brainless ones. Like our resident rooms (I work LTC) are so small, I swear I've seen dorm room closets bigger than them (I keep getting reminded they WERE built back in the early 70's, when no one expected a resident to actually move into the room with their entire household's worth of 'junk').

Well, I happened to prove the rooms were too small when I had a resident who put her feet up, where they were nearly touching the wall in front of her, and I had to reach behind her chair to pick up her call light (which the residents always refer to as 'the panic button' for an added laugh), and I fell down and got wedged back there. She didn't know what was going on, I couldn't reach the cord, I couldn't move with one leg in the air and the other pinned between the bed and the chair. So I'm yelling for help for like 10 minutes before one of the nurses comes to see what I've done 'this time'. She couldn't hardly stop laughing long enough to help me out of there.

Another?

Not too long after I started working there, I was relegated to doing a bath one evening. We have a rule where you CANNOT let the tub air dry (b/c of contaminantion issues) after you clean it, so you have to dry it out with towels. Well, I fell in head first b/c the side of the tub comes up just above my lowest rib. I couldn't get out, and no one wanted to help me out until they'd found a camera to get a picture. I glad they didn't, beleive me!

ANd something embaressing?

I actually fell asleep feeding resident one evening. And no one noticed until the whole dining room had been cleared out.

TexasNS · Sep 9, 2005

OK so this story is from when I first started in nursing going on three years ago so don't judge me too harshly. While performing routine peri-care one of the other CNAs had covered the residents entire scrotum in zinc oxide cream and it was white and wrinkled. Thinking it was a balled up wash cloth I tried to pick it up, when it didn't come easily I tried again and said "What is this?" When the elderly resident cried out in pain I quickly realized what was going on and let it go. The other CNA said, "I hope you know, you should have one". Well I was so embarassed that I was glowing bright red. Few people know this story but I have learned much since this time.

Classic I will tell this story to all I know!!! :rotfl: :chuckle

icyounurse, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2005

once during a code we were getting ready to shock and i quickly grabbed the ekg pads and in my urgency to quickly open the package ripped the pads in half. the nurses i work thought this was hysterical. the mds at the code thought i was an idiot.

seun · Sep 9, 2005

patient passed out on commode;;;;what a pity but actually very funny i can't stop laughing .

been there · Sep 9, 2005

Ok, here's my story.
A couple of months ago, we changed from zip uniforms to poppers. So, last night I was with an intubated patient in CT and walked around the table, catching my uniform and giving everyone in the room a nice view of my bra :roll I'm still blushing thinking about it!
So what's the most embarrasing thing you've done?

I didn't do this but they say revenge can be wonderful. A rather hard and strictly business nursing instructor of mine in nursing school chastized me for not being able to catherize an extremely large woman with cellulitis in both legs. Two other students had to assist because this woman was LARGE and the site I needed was well hidden under multiple belly folds, not to mention the pain caused by handling her legs. My instructor marched in and called me incompetent, etc, etc. and said she would show me "one more time". She got on the bed, kneeled between the patient's legs and shoved them aside. Then she promptly contaminated two insertion sets. The third was the kicker. Each time she tried to "insert" the lady would yelp out "Whooo". The doctor came to the door and asked the instructor what in the he.. was she doing!. The patient told him she didn't know but she sure got a charge out of it. Seemed as if the site she was poking wasn't exactly where the catheter was to go!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know this is gross but ....AAAAAAAAAh sweet revenge!!!! Oh, I got an "A" for that clinical!!!

Helen307 · Sep 9, 2005

Ok, here's my story.
A couple of months ago, we changed from zip uniforms to poppers. So, last night I was with an intubated patient in CT and walked around the table, catching my uniform and giving everyone in the room a nice view of my bra :roll I'm still blushing thinking about it!
So what's the most embarrasing thing you've done?

The most embrassing thing that happened to me at work happened when I was a Partial Hospitalization Nurse. I was having lunch in my office when a piece of lettuce became lodged in my throat, I ran towards a coworker but a patient intervened and had to give me the Heimlich maneuver.

lilpoo_1 · Sep 10, 2005

once grabbed a donut to eat surreptiously during report. scooted my chair to grab a chart, tilted back in slooow moootion..and fell out in a near somersault. landed trapped under chair against med files...with one arm stuck up in the air triumphantly displaying the donut, which never hit the floor! (got offered a lot of donuts after that one!)

Should have yelled, "Ta-Da!" LOL Easily could see that happen to me as well. If I were named Grace, would have been an oxymoron. :chair:

PEDSNURSE74 · Sep 11, 2005

Nightshift,picu

Vented Infant,mom Asleep

I Have Gas,oops, Mom Wakes Up And Sniffs

I Say That Baby Is Letting Stinkers, Phew!!!!!!

Glad It Was Dark In Room

Rosie40 · Sep 12, 2005

once grabbed a donut to eat surreptiously during report. scooted my chair to grab a chart, tilted back in slooow moootion..and fell out in a near somersault. landed trapped under chair against med files...with one arm stuck up in the air triumphantly displaying the donut, which never hit the floor! (got offered a lot of donuts after that one!)

FONT=Comic Sans MS]rotfl: :rotfl: Read your story, couldn't stop laughing!!

Ausnurse65, RN · Sep 15, 2005

In the last hour, of my last day, at my last placement as a student nurse, I had just finished attending to a patient at his bedside. Someone called from across the room for assistance. I turned around quickly to see who this was and I accidently tripped over the cord of an Indwelling catheter and went flying half way across the room, hitting my head on the end of the next bedend nearly knocking myself out, gaining a egg size lump in the process.

I was so embrassed but very glad to not have done any damage to the attached patient of the IDC, luckily the tubing had been very well secured.

Tony B. · Sep 15, 2005

In 1983 I had a girlfriend who was the department head of the radiology department at the largest hospital in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. During our lunch hour she and I got naked and then really close to each other on one of the radiology tables. Fortunately no one needed that room and the ER was quiet during those couple of hours. Not really embarassing but certainly had the potential for that and more. ;-) I had read about such interesting situations but had not, up until that time, had such an experience. I miss Charlene ... lol.

For the record, I was a young man back then and prone to doing things I wouldn't dare think of doing now. I think most of use remember what it was like to be 23.

Kind regards,

Tony B.

Registered Professional Nurse

Chad_KY_SRNA · Sep 16, 2005

Every time that I buy new scrubs, I know that I am doomed that night to be covered in something before my shift is over. The other night I wore a new set for the first time, I some how managed to keep from spilling it on the resident or bed, but did pour about half of the urine down my leg.