things friends/neighbors have asked you "because you are a nurse"

marymack57 · Jul 20, 2008

My drug books get used frequently, I keep THIS years at work, and LAST years at home. Someone is constantly calling me and asking about some drug or other. Then I have a crazy sister-in-law that buys all those weird concoctions that are supposed to make her healthy. She wants to know about every ingredient.

aloevera · Jul 20, 2008

another neighbor over visiting just asked me "are there more calories in wheat or white bread"??

funny, guess we are to be nutritionists, too...!!!!

(I told him to get lite-wheat, less calories and healthy )

jessi1106, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2008

1) Neighbor called after 3 year old son fell and split his lip. I "deterimed" that he did not need to go to the ED for stitches.

2) Gave the first and second vitaimin B shots of a two week prescribed course to an elderly neighbor. I also did the teaching and she gave herself the rest. (Why didnt her PCP do this?) I was happy to do though.

nursesail · Jul 26, 2008

My neighbors try to ask me questions they should be asking their doctors. I tell them to call their doctors. I think some people are trying to get around paying their doctors and getting free advice. :bugeyes:

nightmare, RN · Jul 26, 2008

Moved to general nursing discussion.

ilstu99 · Jul 26, 2008

Oh my gosh....just about everything under the sun - from my accident-prone neighbor kid (who I just finished cleaning up and sending out the door), to my friends who have called about every personal thing from a breast implant leak (dude...call your surgeon, not me!) to a foul smelling stool (yeah, let's NOT have dinner together this week, eh?)....you name it.

Most often, it's kids at sporting events. My children are in several different sports, and the other parents know I'm a nurse, so it's a lot of "Do you think I should take him/her to the doctor?" and "Do you know a good ENT?" kind of questions. Other times, it's advice about how to stop a nose bleed or if I have any Band-aids (of course I do!).

The best one so far? I stopped by a store on my way home from work, and (stupid, stupid) forgot to leave my badge in the car. The cashier says, "Oh, you're a nurse? Hey....I just got my privy parts pierced, and I think it might be infected. How can I tell?"

Usually, I don't mind. I love my job and my profession. Other times, I'm like, "yeah....today I DO want to eat dinner/shop/watch soccer without talking about bodily functions."

okchug · Jul 26, 2008

My friends call me and I'm just starting nursing school! One of them always refers to me as the "nurse". I correct her every time- don't worry. I never give any advice other than "call your Dr's office-speak to a real nurse (not a student:)

None of them have ever dropped their pants in front of me- yet!

allnurses Guide · Jul 26, 2008

Now I have had a neighbour drop his pants for me, he is a right romeo absolutely loves himself and had a abcess drained from his butt.

He wanted me to look at the wound and before I could answer to say I though it inappropriate he dropped them - we were on my doorstep

didn't know quite where to look, it's just as well my hubbie has a sense of humour, he was in the living room at the time laughing his head off. :eek:

I also have a lovely elderly neighbour who insists on telling me his prostate problems and bowel habits

Too much information :no:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2008

It's mostly older folks who don't quite understand their diabetes, friends asking about particular diets, simple stuff I don't mind talking about. Stomach pain, gas, all the delightful stuff.

Sometimes I can give simple advice, often I tell them, "Do A now and call your doctor. You need to have him look at this."

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jul 26, 2008

I used to have an elderly neighbor whose daughter took care of her, but didn't seem to understand much about her medical issues. One day she (daughter) knocked frantically on my door, wanting me to do something for her mom because she wasn't eating and "hasn't (pooped) in over a week!!". I went over and found the lady's belly so swollen and firm that she looked eight months pregnant. Listened to bowel tones, everything sounded OK if a little hypoactive, so with the lady's encouragement I attempted a digital exam.........she was literally FOS, all the way up to her tonsils! (No wonder she wasn't eating.)

So I wound up taking care of the problem, and in the process her stomach deflated almost magically. Then I gave her daughter strict orders to take her to the doctor and tell him about the state the poor woman's bowels had been in. THankfully, she did so, and she came home with orders for some routine bowel care; but I still say you haven't lived until you've spent an evening disimpacting your neighbor! :eek:

nurseby07 · Jul 26, 2008

Just today..went to my sister's house and she asked me to remove two sutures from a mole she had had removed. Because I'm a HH nurse I had what I needed and took 'em out. (It was long overdue she was scared to go back to the doctor)