Things that patients say that make me smile!

[ninaricci]

I worked night for the last year. Many of my patients were women in their 80s plus....it was apparent that they had been wonderful caregivers, mothers, grandmother, wifes, and most great grandmothers. I could hardly contain myself when during my nighttime rounds they would consistently, no matter what explanation I gave, express concern over the fact that I was still awake and that I needed to get to sleep!!! I even had a patient offer to sit in the chair so I could use her bed!

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I had a patient who was very confused one night. He was an older man in his 80s. At about 3am I went in to check on him and he let me have it but good! He said he was well aware of my intentions and he was having none of it! That he was not getting divorced over me and I was to get the **** out of there before his wife came home! I attempted to reorient him and, although he calmed down, I could tell he wasn't buying a word I was saying. By the next day he seemed oriented, was eventually discharged home and, per his daughter whom I knew, it was reported he was doing well. About a month later I saw him with his wife and daughter in the grocery store. He took one look at me, took his wife by the arm and headed in the other direction. His daughter called me later laughing..."when my father saw you he whispered to me 'that's that woman I told you about, she's madly in love with me. Determined to get me for herself!"

How adorable and heart warming that even demented he was a faithful husband!!!

I had a 92 year old Cassanova ask me to go on a date with him...he named a great restaurant, and said we could go to this little club to swing dance afterwards..."Don't worry honey, I can teach you all the moves." I told him I thought my husband and his girlfriend might have a problem with it. He told me "Eh, your husband can go out with my girlfriend...when you get to my age you're flexible about those things." I told him he was cute and funny, but my husband was younger and certainly not flexible, and I wasn't either. I left him muttering under his breath "Cute and funny sure as heck don't get you any phone numbers anymore."

I first read this as "my husband and his girlfriend" as in Your husband and your husbands girlfriend. So I was thinking, well in all fairness you should be able to have a Boyfriend too!

BTW, what a great idea for a thread. I love reading stuff like this. I am about to graduate soon, and although I don't have a "connection" with all my patients, I have had good experiences and no complaints with about 98% of them. It actually seems the ones that seem to annoy most the nurses, I end up liking. LOL

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I had a pt who would refuse medications, throw her drink at you, etc until one day it was her birthday and I said, "Happy birthday, Mary!" She got this HUGE smile on her face and said, "Oh thank you!!!" and took her meds without a problem. And from then on it was her birthday every day (or Christmas hehe). Never had a problem getting her meds in her again!

I also have pts who try to give me their beds to sleep in, especially if they can't sleep at night. They are all worried about me being up all night. Awwwww.