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 Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Not only do the code carts lock the best, but they steer worse than anything I have ever seen. Running with one is a joke. You need two people to steer the darn thing straight.

Why do stretchers and beds steer so poorly as well? I don't get it during a transport to the ICU why the bed just doesn't steer better especially when you set the wheels to "steer".

Who in our hospital decided it would be a good idea to have two hills between the rehab building and the rest of the hospital? Really fun going from the rehab side to the medical side with a stretcher with someone on it. To get up the hill you need a running start.

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
Not only do the code carts lock the best, but they steer worse than anything I have ever seen. Running with one is a joke. You need two people to steer the darn thing straight.

Why do stretchers and beds steer so poorly as well? I don't get it during a transport to the ICU why the bed just doesn't steer better especially when you set the wheels to "steer".

Who in our hospital decided it would be a good idea to have two hills between the rehab building and the rest of the hospital? Really fun going from the rehab side to the medical side with a stretcher with someone on it. To get up the hill you need a running start.

The very first code of my career, it was my duty to bring the crash cart to the room. I was amped with adrenaline. I ran to the cart, grabbed it and yanked. I neglected, however, to unplug it. I pulled the whole outlet out of the wall. Little chips of tile were all over the floor. The whole hospital new about it by the next day, and many jokes were made. The things we do when we're new!

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Why, after I've carefully reviewed each of the 20 meds with the patient, and I've finally opened them all and put them in the cup, the patient asks me, "What's that little white one?" AAARRRRGGGHHH!

OMG that makes me so mad! Especially after we've thoroughly went over EACH pill...and you've been in the hospital for over a month, with the exact same MAR. As soon as they lift the cup up to their mouth and swallow, that's when they ask! And that's just the beginning. Once we figure out which pill it is you refuse to take it and demand I call the doctor at 2300 (who is not even on-call but you want me to call the on-call doctor anyways) because "I've never taken this before" and "I wanna know when/why I was put on this." Saying "This med was even on your list of home meds before admissions." is NOT a correct answer. Long shift! Lol.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
The very first code of my career, it was my duty to bring the crash cart to the room. I was amped with adrenaline. I ran to the cart, grabbed it and yanked. I neglected, however, to unplug it. I pulled the whole outlet out of the wall. Little chips of tile were all over the floor. The whole hospital new about it by the next day, and many jokes were made. The things we do when we're new!

I've been at my hospital for almost nine years and I still do things like that! And I'm not a clumsy person...except at work. Why is that I'm a trained dancer but I've hit my head on the patient's TVs countless times and always manage to trip over cords and IV lines? I don't do things like that at home!

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Able bodied men who use urinals and expect me to empty them. You just walked 3 laps around the unit, I think you can manage to make it to the toilet. This is especially a pet peeve of mine because I work on a cancer unit and their urine is cytotoxic.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
I've been at my hospital for almost nine years and I still do things like that! And I'm not a clumsy person...except at work. Why is that I'm a trained dancer but I've hit my head on the patient's TVs countless times and always manage to trip over cords and IV lines? I don't do things like that at home!

I have taken dance too. I am clumsy at work and at home. I have fallen over things at work. I was at work and I was running to catch someone and twisted both ankles at the same time and fell on my butt. I tripped over IV tubing and the pt was asking me if I was ok. I only hoped I didn't pull her IV out. I even took out some tile on the wall while pushing a bed to MRI.

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When as soon as you try to introduce yourself to the patient they immediately ask for food!!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.
When as soon as you try to introduce yourself to the patient they immediately ask for food!!

YES!!! This drives me crazy!!!! The minute they come in they let me know they haven't eaten ALL DAY!! Well WHY NOT?? You literally just got here, what has been preventing you from eating all day??

Or when a perfectly well-nourished appearing patient tells me they haven't eaten in 3 days. Really? Then how is it that your walking around on your own 2 feet, not passing out from hypoglycemia, with nice supple skin and moist mucous membranes? Who exactly do you think you're fooling with that statement? And if I were to believe your story, my question becomes "you are young and able-bodied, why have you not eaten in 3 days and why is this suddenly my problem???"

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Something that is so irritating... when you ask a patient how they are doing and they say "well, you tell me, you're the nurse." Ugh!

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.
Able bodied men who use urinals and expect me to empty them. You just walked 3 laps around the unit I think you can manage to make it to the toilet. This is especially a pet peeve of mine because I work on a cancer unit and their urine is cytotoxic.[/quote']

See now I have the opposite problem. I work cardiac where EVERYBODY is in strict in and outs. Some people can have his explained to them 10 times a day and still not pee in the urinal!!!!

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The thing I don't understand is why is someone who is willing and able to pick up a glass of water, hold it and use a straw completely unable to lift the incentive spirometer or hold it to their lips?

Because the incentive spirometer is an exercise and they are being told to do it. Funny how the mind (and personality) works.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.
Something that is so irritating... when you ask a patient how they are doing and they say "well you tell me, you're the nurse." Ugh![/quote']

I always seem to get "I'm terrible" OK terrible tells me nothing...are you having pain? No. Trouble breathing? No. Nausea? No. Hot/cold? No. Hungry? Do you have to go to the bathroom? No. Then you're doing better than I am! What's your problem!

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