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

[aloevera]

I thought this may make an interesting/humorous post....I was asked this am by my neighbor to remove a fishing hook stuck in his thumb...naturally I sent him to the ER to have it removed and get a shot/ABT/Tetorifice....

What things have we been asked to do or advise on by others????

because "we are nurses"......

[DoeRN]

I am not a nurse yet and I am almost done with school. I have a lot of family that asks me questions. I tell them I am not a nurse yet and why didn't you ask so and so? I have a LOT of nurses in my family on both sides and I am following in their footsteps.

My cousin said well aunt XYZ has been a nurse for 20 years and you are more current with what is going on so how do I get this rash off of my foot? I told her that aunt XYZ IS the person you should be asking because of her 20 years as an RN and a DON. She still did not get it. I told her to call her doctor and have it treated there.

[november17, ASN, RN]

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!

What's funny is that 99% of these types of problems can be easily resolved by staying well hydrated. Jeez.

[ShayRN]

My standard line when someone asks me something medical is "I'm sorry I'm a nicu nurse, I only deal with patients under 12 lbs" .

Maybe I should start reminding people I am a HOSPICE nurse.:chuckle

[TopazLover, BSN, RN]

DS called from 500 miles away to ask if his wrist was broken, I told him I thought it was, it was. Never did find out the whole story on that one. DD called from 3000+ miles away to say she had been in a car accident. After much pulling out of info she told me blood had stopped coming out of her ear. I almost went through the phone, "You have a fractured skull." She did.

I am an X-ray machine as well as a nurse.

I seem to attract the families of MI people who want to know how to deal with the family member who won't take medicine.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Had a neighbor’s husband call me last Thanksgiving to say that his wife had burned herself on the gas stove and he thought it was bad, but she didn’t want to go to the ER on a holiday. I asked him if she was in any pain and he said no, no pain at all! I asked what it looked like and he said black around the edges!!! I went to take a peak, and yup you guessed it. Full thickness, almost to be bone. She still didn’t want to go to the ER though, because it didn’t hurt so what was the point?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

How about this twist:

Had my own grandmother telling me what the MD had told her on one of her numerous appointments. I listened, smiled, nodded (we've discussed this condition before; I suggested the MD). She told me he was an idiot, because he told her XXX. I told her he was NOT an idiot, he was right, and if she didn't want to follow his suggestions, it was her choice but it wouldn't mean she was ok. She told me, "what do you know about it, you're only a nurse!!" (yep, feeling the warm fuzzies at this point). You're right, Grandma; I have no clue. Do what you want.

Fast forward a month. Grandma has seen two more specialists, both of whom have told her that the original MD was right. And you know what she said to me? "well, if you REALLY thought he was right, why did you let me make those other appointments? They aren't free, you know! YOU'RE the NURSE!"

AACCKCKKK!!!!

[pielęgniarka, RN]

Oh god.... too many to count.. as a new nurse 5 years ago I loved it! Now I'm tired of it and fear for liablility :-)

I gave many, many fertility shots to a family member preparing for invitro. Nothing like asking your family to BEND OVER!

"what's this rash? [nasty by her eyeball]"

me: get away from me! I can't diagnose anything see your MD

turned out to be a spider bite and it spread and she went inpt for IV abx.

"pulls pants down; Is this tattoo infected [tramp stamp]?"

me: it's not even red

"but it hurts"

"I stepped on a nail, do I need to go to the ER?"

me: is it bleeding badly?

"no"

me: well when was your last tetorifice shot?

"20 years ago"

also the generic questions like "my doctor ordered this lab, these are the results, what does it mean?"

me:that needs to be assessed by your MD! usually I'll say it's a routine lab if that's so, and it doesn't mean the person is dying.

OR "is this [fill in the blank with diarrhea or dizziness or other undesirables] a side effect of this new medication I'm on?"

"I hurt my knee in an accident 5 years ago and now it's hurting again. what does that mean?"

me: (tired of answering questions by now) it probably needs to be amputated.

"shocked look"

me: I was just kidding! ice it and take IBU if you can, call your MD!

"I think I have a cold, can I take my friends leftover abx?"

me: NO!!!!!!

I've also taken stitches out of cats and dogs after they have been 'fixed'. And given oral abx to a neighbors cat while they were on vacation which is no easy feat!

I've emptied out JP drains post mastectomy as well when my friend's friend was too freaked out to do so.

[rph3664]

Maybe I've mentioned this on this thread, but when I was in retail pharmacy, I got calls all the time from people wanting me to diagnose their skin rashes over the phone.

I'm not allowed to diagnose anyway, but over the phone? Are you kidding?

I told that to a woman I know who is a dermatologist, and she just rolled her eyes.

[MIA-RN]

I have been asked if my friend's kids need stitches, if my mother's husband really needs the back surgery that his doctor reccommended. I have been told all sorts of personal and private (and...well, gross!) things by people who don't even know me, and on several occasions, have been to check on someone's dog who 'isn't acting right'. (that was sad--lymphoma. They saw the swollen glands)

Sheesh.

I tell everyone to call their doctor.

I have had neighborhood kids show up at my door for bandaids and whatnot after playing. That I don't mind so much....its the litany of surgeries or bowel issues that I get from people that drive me bonkers. (Why the bowels people?? It's always the bowels lol).

[pielęgniarka, RN]

Forgot one....

this guy shows me a bottle of Vicodin

"can I take this at the same time as Flexeral for my back?"

me: Um no, they should probably be alternated

Then I notice the bottle of Vicodin is expired by 2 years and in his DAD's name!!!

me: are you cracked?! go see your MD to see what's wrong and get pain meds

[teeniebert, LPN]

I stopped at a gas station one day, wearing my school uniform (with the school name and "Nursing" embroidered on it) and had the clerk ask me, "How long do dentist appointments take for 3 kids?"

Right, I know the answer to that...it's the second thing we learn in NURSING school, right after "does this look infected to you?"

[aloevera]

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!

OMG !!!! You are a better neighbor than I :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle