The worst or strangest orders you have seen...

hodapp8 · Jul 23, 2007

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14y/0 female pt. admitted to ICU from ER

scratched up/bruised on face, thighs, inner thighs, back, buttocks

DX. ETOH toxicity 0.028 on admit......

pt. was reported to have left home with "friends" but was returned to home with clothes missing and not with the same people she left with....basically dumped off on her own doorstep...stuporous and incoherent.....

ER assumed ETOH only....

Tox screen showed barbituate (ruffies are barbituates) in her urine....

lady partsl area noted to be ?excoriated?

NO RAPE KIT DONE....SENT TO ICU....

ugh.

JEEZ, I just hate hearing these things.... how terrible! UGH!!! Poor baby....:angryfire

shyattern · Jul 23, 2007

I received a post-op patient; the new surgical resident came down to write orders. I paged him to ask where he wanted the SCDs placed. He yelled "where the h*** do you think I want them, put them on the patient's legs of course". When I replied that the patient was a bilateral AKA and had NO legs to put them on, he at least had the good grace to apologize.

Always a good idea to at least look at your patient before simply writing standard orders, no??? Ah July.

bonquilt · Jul 23, 2007

This one is from nursing school (I've worked in OR since graduation, so don't see written orders very often)..

1 transderm nitro po q am (here, suck on this patch for a while)

Oh, do remember a verbal order in the OR: doc wanted some heparin in the saline irrigation. How much? "Just a little bit". She never did specify an amt (either in mls or in strength). Got her a hep lock syringe and she was happy with that.

spn84 · Jul 23, 2007

0100 telephone order when md called about post-op hysterectomy pt with increased bp and tachycardic: cbc, blood cultures x2 and take her to l&d stat! needless to say, she was still asleep.

:lol2:

DRYnurse · Jul 23, 2007

Med-surg unit, poor little old lady is terribly constipated. Dr. writes:

1. Give 1 quart cooking oil as a retention enema.

2. If that doesn't work, try dynamite!

First order was really not that out of bounds back in the day when this happened (mid 1980's). Really funny part was that pharmacy called the unit and said they were sorry but could we please call Dr. back and get a clarification -- because dynamite was not on the formulary!!!

True story!

This is a great thread -- keep 'em coming....

DRY

laichn · Jul 23, 2007

Valium 5mg po now, give to patient's wife for anxiety.

pinkvanilla_905 · Jul 23, 2007

I and O every hour --- patient was in diapers... :idea:

izmike · Jul 23, 2007

This may have been done before but I would like to hear about some off the wall orders you've seen MD's write...
Here are a couple from me...
Give 2mg Coumadin qd and prn :uhoh21:
Zantac 150mg q6hours and prn
I have more too but need to think:lol2:

I once worked at a facility with this one MD that frequently ordered PSAs for female patients. One time he submitted a podiatry consult to have toenails trimmed. The only problem was the patient was a double amputee. All this entertainment and we got paid for it

rebs · Jul 23, 2007

HI

HOW'S Life being a nurse?? I'm so excited to know more about nursing not only just about the theory but also beyond of it. To feel what the nurse really feel especially when she does her worked; encounter so many different people....i hope you will had a opinion for that or answer for my quetions:idea: .. tnx a lot everybody!

trudlebug · Jul 23, 2007

"place blank progress notes in chart" because said Dr. couldn't reach behind him and grab a new one off the rack :uhoh21:.

crackerjack · Jul 23, 2007

I had to chuckle on this one. I have not seen a patient desire a foley...

I've actually had to take a pt request for a foley to the physician :) Yes, it happens.

RadNurse55 · Jul 23, 2007

I recently had an order for a chest xray to follow up on nymphothorax. (I wonder if that is contagious?):monkeydance: