The worst or strangest orders you have seen...

MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2007

I had a resident write this order...
Please make patient better BID and PRN

That is too funny

BGgirl · Jul 21, 2007

Just got an order last night on my icu transfer to please provide toothbrush and toothpaste. lol!!

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Jul 22, 2007

One doc wrote an order: "MUST say hello to the patient in bed 2 before speaking to the person in bed 1."

They were married to eachother and patient 2 complained that we always said hi to her husband first.

Another one: doc writes "Stop all oxygen." "Do you mean supplementary oxygen, doctor?" "NO...all of it!" "Would you like me to put my hand over the patient's mouth and nose so they get absolutely NO oxygen???"

YIKES

jdee · Jul 22, 2007

Well you learn new things all the time. I haven't came across a patient that desired one... but it makes sense (I guess) that a patient is really sore or knows they will be up a lot (due to diuresis) and would like a foley to assist. :)... with major diuresis that would probably be a good thing.
Like I said before, I really did not know about caffeine medically but it totally makes sense. Just curious, why do you give it to premature infants? I have never worked with babies before.

IV or PO caffeine is given to premature infants to help decrease apnea and bradycardia episodes.

Jayme

ksrose1 · Jul 22, 2007

We once had a dr. order Malox, and the RN, (from out of country original) gave it IV> actually drew it up in a syringe, and put it in an IV, and it was dripping when I found it.

Would that not harm the patient???? Wow, I knew I was afraid to be admited before...but now I am really afraid.:uhoh21:

ksrose1 · Jul 22, 2007

One doc wrote an order: "MUST say hello to the patient in bed 2 before speaking to the person in bed 1."
They were married to eachother and patient 2 complained that we always said hi to her husband first.
Another one: doc writes "Stop all oxygen." "Do you mean supplementary oxygen, doctor?" "NO...all of it!" "Would you like me to put my hand over the patient's mouth and nose so they get absolutely NO oxygen???"
YIKES

In C.C. Tx we call that pillow therapy.......haven't actually given it, but had a couple patients that could have used it......

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2007

In C.C. Tx we call that pillow therapy.......haven't actually given it, but had a couple patients that could have used it......

thought it was called a 'pillow tolerance test' ... or maybe that;s just what we call it...

ksrose1 · Jul 22, 2007

Bug checks, cool........that one is good!!!!

lvsmith · Jul 22, 2007

Had an order for feminine hygiene products PRN. We made fun of the doc for this one!!

nurseboy9999 · Jul 22, 2007

how about

prosac 10 mg daily when patient is on proscar 10 mg daily ,,,happy but can't pee ,,found it a week after order started ..

MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2007

Maalox by IV... ugh! I hope everything turned out ok.

nursekelly217 · Jul 22, 2007

I worked in a drug and etoh inpatient detox where we had to verify all the pts meds on admission and call them in to whoever was covering (who was usually clueless about detox and defer to the admit nurse). So one night a girl comes in and along with her meds she has dial soap that she is adamant she has to use due to severe allergy to facility toiletries. Per policy, we need an order for this. So I'm calling the MD, reading off Seroquel 50mg QHS, Keflex 500mg QID, and may use own soap... the doc gets really silent and then starts to laugh and says "May use own dope? Well, that's a new one but I guess if that's what you usually do..."