What Baffles You?

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So I have come across this a few times. I am holding a straw to a persons lips and they drink and drink and drink and pretty soon they are waving their hands for me to stop. Stop what?! You don't have to keep sucking on the straw just because it is in your mouth. I think the universal sign of I'm done please remove the straw should be to stop sucking on it and open your mouth! I have had a few people have to catch their breath and make comments about me giving them too much! What? I don't get it.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
10. Pt NPO for procedure. Continually asks for food/water and gets angry at you because you tell them they can't have it. Really? You might have to miss 1 meal today....don't think you're going to starve!

I was once kept NPO from midnight for a procedure that was finally cancelled at 2 pm. Missing 2 meals for what turns out to be no good reason would probably make you cranky, too.

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Hey Ever Buddy! I have been a lurker and decided to join to have a place to talk about nursing because my husband said "Please find someone else to tell this **** to." This is going to be a long one but bear with me. I will work at staying focused. Several years ago I was working night shift at a Children's hospital. That night, as I recall, was one of those nights you wonder who you ticked off and want to know who you can give special treatment to in order for the hell to stop. Around midnight I accepted my 3rd or 4th admission to go with my 6 originals. It was a general med floor and because of that we got challenged all the time. Mother informed me that when she was asleep I was not to wake her under any circumstance. She informed me that she was a smoker and would be leaving frequently to indulge herself. After more pleasant conversation, which included her telling me that I needed to get her some food and bring in a rocking chair, she left the room, perhaps to paralyze her cilia, or maybe just to spread her good mood. It probably took 30-45 minutes for the pharmacy to send up the IVF the doc had ordered. I gathered my goodies and went in the room to start the IV and fluids. When I entered the room Mother was sitting awkwardly in one of the sleeping chairs, with a blanket covering her, but not hiding the fact that there was someone else under that blanket. And that someone was doing private things to my patient's mother. I didn't say a word. Just went over to the crib to started setting up to start the IV. The mother was incredulous. "Excuse me," she said in a testy, nasty tone of voice. "Could we get some privacy?" For some reason this flew all over me and not in a good way. Perhaps I over-reacted. I turned around to face my patient's mother so that I would know for sure she heard and understood what I was saying. "No, Ma'am, you cannot have privacy to enjoy your sexual interlude. I am your baby's nurse and I can't do what I need for your baby if I leave the room to give your some privacy. May I suggest you take your friend home and entertain him there while I take care of your sick baby." She sat up straighter in the chair, and I knew I was about to get dumped on big time. Instead, she surprised me. She rolled her eyes like I was dumb as wet cornbread and in her haughtiest voice informed me that she DID NOT take strangers home. I maintained eye contact and said, "Good for you." What else could I say? They both left the room while I had my back to them doing patient care. I've got more to tell you about this special parent, but I'll post those later.[/quote']

Wow. I just can't even find the words for this level of ridiculousness.

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I was once kept NPO from midnight for a procedure that was finally cancelled at 2 pm. Missing 2 meals for what turns out to be no good reason would probably make you cranky too.[/quote']

Aaaaaand this is why I no longer work with adults.

When kids whine and complain, they have a good reason. Something hurts, something is wrong, they are hungry, tired, sad, etc.

BUT THEY ARE KIDS! They can't really understand what's going on, and are less than rational, but they are SUPPOSED to be that way.

Adults... Suck it up, Buttercup. Stuff happens. Get over yourself and deal with it.

Being crabby toward nurses who did NOTHING to put you in your current situation, (and are, in fact, trying to help you) will do NOTHING to make your situation better.

Does anyone like missing meals? No. Does anyone like getting poked more than once for an IV/blood draw? No. Does anyone like waiting around all day for a doctor? No. Does anyone like being hospitalized at all? No. (Minus some folks with psych issues)

But you know what? There are people who deal with it. They still are polite, even gracious despite pain and crappy circumstances. For these people, I am eternally grateful. For the rest, I just don't get it?

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I usually tell patients who are NPO who whine about being NPO I can call your surgeon and tell them that you want to cancel your surgery so you can eat. You should see the looks I get. And out of the 5 years I've been a nurse I've never had to call the surgeon and cancel a surgery.

I know one day I'm going to say you know what I'm here 12 hours and you get 3 meals plus a snack if needed. I get one meal and a lot of times it isn't even a full meal because I'm constantly interrupted and I give up trying to eat. So how do you think I feel? Can't wait to get away from the bedside.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in ICU.
Hey Ever Buddy! I have been a lurker and decided to join to have a place to talk about nursing because my husband said "Please find someone else to tell this **** to." This is going to be a long one, but bear with me. I will work at staying focused.

Several years ago I was working night shift at a Children's hospital. That night, as I recall, was one of those nights you wonder who you ticked off and want to know who you can give special treatment to in order for the hell to stop. Around midnight I accepted my 3rd or 4th admission to go with my 6 originals. It was a general med floor and because of that we got challenged all the time.

Mother informed me that when she was asleep I was not to wake her under any circumstance. She informed me that she was a smoker and would be leaving frequently to indulge herself. After more pleasant conversation, which included her telling me that I needed to get her some food and bring in a rocking chair, she left the room, perhaps to paralyze her cilia, or maybe just to spread her good mood.

It probably took 30-45 minutes for the pharmacy to send up the IVF the doc had ordered. I gathered my goodies and went in the room to start the IV and fluids. When I entered the room Mother was sitting awkwardly in one of the sleeping chairs, with a blanket covering her, but not hiding the fact that there was someone else under that blanket. And that someone was doing private things to my patient's mother.

I didn't say a word. Just went over to the crib to started setting up to start the IV. The mother was incredulous.

"Excuse me," she said in a testy, nasty tone of voice. "Could we get some privacy?"

For some reason this flew all over me and not in a good way. Perhaps I over-reacted. I turned around to face my patient's mother so that I would know for sure she heard and understood what I was saying.

"No, Ma'am, you cannot have privacy to enjoy your sexual interlude. I am your baby's nurse and I can't do what I need for your baby if I leave the room to give your some privacy. May I suggest you take your friend home and entertain him there while I take care of your sick baby."

She sat up straighter in the chair, and I knew I was about to get dumped on big time. Instead, she surprised me. She rolled her eyes like I was dumb as wet cornbread and in her haughtiest voice informed me that she DID NOT take strangers home.

I maintained eye contact and said, "Good for you." What else could I say?

They both left the room while I had my back to them doing patient care.

I've got more to tell you about this special parent, but I'll post those later.

That's awful. I've got a couple friends who work peds and have reported similar stories.

One in fact, had to get security to escort a couple out of the parent sleep room. They were having sex in the room with other parents present. Seriously? WHO DOES THIS?!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I saw this happen a few times when I worked at a school (not as a school nurse).

Parent wants to be called whenever their kid comes to the office. Student comes to the office. School Nurse calls 5 numbers provided by the parent. Some have a full voice mailbox, some are disconnected, some are incorrect, but none of them work. Parent comes to the office, very upset that they weren't called. Nurse explains 5 non-working numbers. Parent, still very upset, gives the nurse 3 different numbers for the next time.

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
When I was a swamped, over stimulated by work secretary...the families that would come out to the desk and say "my mom needs...". Who is your Mom? "Joan". Joan who, we have 40 patients on this end alone! These are the same people who come to the desk, not ringing the call bell because "I didn't want to bother anyone". You're out here bothering ME! Am I no one? Bahaha

That drives me crazy! They'll walk all the way out to the desk because somehow that's less intrusive and needy than hitting the call light! If it's something nonessential that could actually wait a few minutes, you feel like you can't put it off because they are standing there expectantly. And then it even drives me crazier when they come out and say "my daughter needs a blanket" but then they act awful about waiting there for me to hand it to them. It's like you aren't doing your job if you don't walk it to the room yourself. If you can't tolerate carrying the blanket/ice chips/soda back to your loved one, then use the call light. If you can't bear to use the call light, then be gracious enough to wait 3 seconds so that I can hand the blanket to you, rather than the two of us marching down the hall together to hand off a blanket.

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
Aaaaaand this is why I no longer work with adults.

When kids whine and complain, they have a good reason. Something hurts, something is wrong, they are hungry, tired, sad, etc.

BUT THEY ARE KIDS! They can't really understand what's going on, and are less than rational, but they are SUPPOSED to be that way.

Adults... Suck it up, Buttercup. Stuff happens. Get over yourself and deal with it.

Being crabby toward nurses who did NOTHING to put you in your current situation, (and are, in fact, trying to help you) will do NOTHING to make your situation better.

Does anyone like missing meals? No. Does anyone like getting poked more than once for an IV/blood draw? No. Does anyone like waiting around all day for a doctor? No. Does anyone like being hospitalized at all? No. (Minus some folks with psych issues)

But you know what? There are people who deal with it. They still are polite, even gracious despite pain and crappy circumstances. For these people, I am eternally grateful. For the rest, I just don't get it?

One of my surgeries, I had a CRNA on one side and the anesthesiologist on the other, both poking me with angiocaths. It took 8 sticks between them and I apologized to them for my crappy veins. No point in verbally abusing them for my flaw.

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Another baffling question - why do folk 'ooh & aah & oomph' when they sit down or get up when they have aches & pains? It's not like making the noises make them get well.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to sound like a big nerd for a moment lol. Physiologically during times of stress, such as stress and pressure on body parts, it is actually therapeutic to let out air during the act of relieving the stress. It relaxes your body.

Anyway, I love when these types of threads are started. It's nice to just let it out sometimes, the things that bother us. I like relating to others when they post, and getting in a good chuckle at some funny ones. So keep 'em coming guys :-)

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hiccups is a sign of increased icp worring to a neuro nurse

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I had patient inform me that since he was in a nursing home, he didn't have do anything for himself anymore. I attempted to educate him on why I was encouraging him to do what he could himself -- use it or lose it. I so was not his favorite nurse for a while...

I know. I know. I'm supposed to remember to put customer service before nursing care;)

Like you stated "use it or lose it." So it IS nursing care. Besides the fact that its just plain annoying to reach over and grab a tissue for a patient when they are capable themselves, it is our responsibility, our job, to make sure they don't decline while in our care. It sounds like you stuck to your guns. Good for you.

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When you ask them to roll up their sleeve so you can take their blood pressure, and they roll it up to their elbow.

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