What Baffles You?

fetch, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2013

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.

OMG, this happens ALL THE TIME!

Another one: I sent something home last Monday, dated 10/21, and then spoke with mom on Tuesday (10/22). I figure the issue is resolved. Then I get an incredibly nasty phone call on Thursday - mom had just gotten Monday's note and didn't even check the date before going off on me for changing what I said, not documenting that I spoke with her, "I thought we fixed this!" etc. All I can do is send the note home, I can't go through your child's backpack and pull out the important info for you too!

R!XTER · Oct 31, 2013

When patients don't answer the questions they're asked. I.e:

"Do you having any chest pain?"

"Well, my feet hurt"

"Ok, how about shortness of breath?"

"I have a headache"

Are we even having the same conversation here??

Or even better, the pain scale (I'd love to meet the sadist who invented it, btw)

"Sir, how bad is your pain right now from 0-10? 0 is no pain, 10 would be the worst pain of your life."

"Um, it's not as bad as it was yesterday."

"Ok, can you give me a number for how it feels right now?"

"Well, it's not like terrible. I mean I've had worse pain in my life."

"CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE NUMBER?????"

Seriously, what is so difficult about this?!

GundeRN · Oct 31, 2013

HAHA yes! I give up and use the faces myself most of the time. Your face looks like a six to me. Six it is.

GundeRN · Oct 31, 2013

You made me laugh R!xter. I needed that

martymoose, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2013

CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE NUMBER?????"

How about 20/10 ??????

Tobygo2 · Nov 1, 2013

Wanted to be treated for said illness then complaining to the MD and everyone else in the United States of America when your injections to help said illness hurt. Seriously??? Or insisting that your three lab results for the same thing are ALL wrong.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2013

I was called to draw labs on a pt who is a "hard stick". I knew the pt, IVDA and zip to draw from. I asked the pt if I could look to see if I think I can get his blood. He starts saying " blah, blah, blah, The last time I was here I needed a PICC." I asked him if I could attempt to draw and again the same song and dance about a PICC line. I finally got frustrated and said "Can I draw your blood? It is a yes or no question. So yes or no can I draw your blood?" He finally told me I could try to draw him.

What is so hard about a yes or no question?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Nov 1, 2013

I was called to draw labs on a pt who is a "hard stick". I knew the pt, IVDA and zip to draw from. I asked the pt if I could look to see if I think I can get his blood. He starts saying " blah, blah, blah, The last time I was here I needed a PICC." I asked him if I could attempt to draw and again the same song and dance about a PICC line. I finally got frustrated and said "Can I draw your blood? It is a yes or no question. So yes or no can I draw your blood?" He finally told me I could try to draw him.
What is so hard about a yes or no question?

I've been married 38+ years to a man who has never answered a 'yes or no' question with a 'yes' or a 'no'. Not once. It's always "not that I know anything about" or "it's possible I suppose". Seriously makes me want to give him some pillow therapy---- but I digress....

R!XTER · Nov 1, 2013

How about 20/10 ??????

OMG don't even! Haha what is wrong with people???

I literally had this conversation with a patient the other day, brought in by ambulance for triage. I don't even remember his chief complaint.

"Sir, how bad is your pain right now from 0-10. Zero would be no pain, 10 would be the worst pain of your life."

"10"

The guy looks comfortable, so I follow up with -

"So you're saying that the pain you're having now Is the worst pain of your life?"

"Well, no. I've had worse pain."

"Ok, so 10 is the worst possible pain of your life. What number would you give your pain right now?"

"10"

Went in circles with him for a couple minutes then gave up and put down 10 on the triage. I'm not gonna keep arguing with the guy only to frustrate myself when there are 4 more ambulances waiting for triage...

Elle23 · Nov 1, 2013

I always have trouble with the pain scale because if 10 is the worst pain I've ever experienced (labor), anything else would be about a 1 comparatively, even if it is pretty darn near excruciating.

Perhaps labor for me was in a totally different realm and just off the pain scale charts...

liebling5, MSN, RN · Nov 1, 2013

This is so true! I work post OP and have learned to greatly respect the little old lady. Of course, this is a generalization, but old women are tough.

Maybe because those "older" ladies endured multiple child births without pain meds? And I'm not THAT old, but the popularity of Lamaze & "unmedicated" childbirth was really in vogue when my kids were born. :yes:

monkeybug · Nov 1, 2013

Maybe because those "older" ladies endured multiple child births without pain meds? And I'm not THAT old, but the popularity of Lamaze & "unmedicated" childbirth was really in vogue when my kids were born.

Nah, many of the older ladies birthed using twilight sleep, so they don't remember the deliveries. I think they're tough because of the men they had to put up with all their lives. They were the generation that had to do EVERYTHING at home without the conveniences we have. Some of them worked outside the home and then came home to start that job.