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 Public Health, L&D, NICU.
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!

Well, I'm clumsy under the best of circumstances, but it seems worse at work. I had a teeny little pregnant lady in triage one night in L&D, and I'd just hooked her up to the fetal monitor. Two long cords snaking from the monitor to belts wrapped around her abdomen. I got tangled in them, tripped and fell, and nearly dragged her out of the bed. I was so upset, worried about her, she was freaked out and worried about me! I asked the house supervisor to come talk with her privately to make sure that she was really ok, and supervisor came out and told me that my patient was fine, just worried to death about me! I ended up with huge bruises from that one because I was holding a clipboard and landed on it.

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Specializes in ED; Med Surg.

I had a fresh post-op the other night...she was doing fine...I asked if there was anything I could do for her while I was right there. Her extended family looked at me like I was a moron, and pointed to her husband. They said "He hasn't eaten all day"! Like it was my fault! Why do families think we are running a B & B? I pointed them to the cafeteria.

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Here's another one the 52 y/o CABG who is POD 4 won't do his IS or cardiac walks still has all 3 chest tubes in and asks for IV pain med every 3hours while the 82 y/o CABG who is POD 4 is being discharged next day. Ok, before someone tries to educate me on differences in peoples healing processes I understand about complications and healing because I have done this a very long time. It just seems that the older people try a little bit harder than the younger ones. And to my male nursing comrades please forgive me but, the young males seem to have a harder time than the older ladies in recuperating.:arghh:[/quote']

I agree...I would much rather take care of a senior than a middle aged person. I cannot believe how someone can need dilaudid q1h and still be conscious furthermore the physicians prescribe it and tell them how often they can have it so makes for a horrible night of running yourself to death.

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Specializes in ER.
how bout when people are going to have a procedure next day and are NPO after MN, and come am, they are " i HAVE to eat , im dying!!!". Esp. some of those who are of size.

I am always tempted to respond that children in Africa are are starving its only for a short amount of time.

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Specializes in ER.

The little old lady who get up in the middle of the night walks up the the nurses station and informs us that she needs help going to the bathroom; Ma'am you did such a great job walking up to the nurses station I think you can make it to the bathroom on your own just fine

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
I am always tempted to respond that children in Africa are are starving its only for a short amount of time.

What do African parents tell their kids when they're hungry or won't eat?

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
What do African parents tell their kids when they're hungry or won't eat?

I guess they tell them about the starving kids in China or India.

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Specializes in PCCN.
how bout when people are going to have a procedure next day and are NPO after MN, and come am, they are " i HAVE to eat , im dying!!!".

i suppose I could remind them that they can have breakfast and I can call the Dr to let them know they wont be doing surgery on you today.I do suppose thats a bit snarky.

And why yes, I doth quote myself, lol.:laugh:

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

People like this: 46 yr old male comes in with complaints of chest pain. He registers, I'm ready to triage him, but he needs to run to his car which he parked across the street because he left his phone. And if his mom can't reach him she will kill him.

He comes back, I take him into the triage booth.

Me: what's your name sir?

Him: George, Handsome, whatever you prefer.

I ignore him, especially because he is 20+ years older than me and not very handsome, plus has the gut of an 8 months pregnant lady.

Me: can you tell me where your chest pain is?

Him: not on my leg!

Me: can you please point to where the pain is?!?

Him: it's right here in the middle.

Me: have you ever had pain like this before?

Him: yup, the time I needed 4 stents.

Me: did you have a heart attack at that time?

Him: that's what they say!

I mentally restrain myself from smashing my head repeatedly into a wall, and silently give up all hope for humanity.

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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!!!!

this!!!! I'm convinced it's viewed as unmanly or something to go in any container that can be measured. Some will just not do it

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Also please explain to me why any one under thirty needs dilaudid every 2 hours but the 90 year old woman I admitted will be throwing up from pain before she will take anything?

Also clumsiness I trip over everything it's so annoying

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Also please explain to me why any one under thirty needs dilaudid every 2 hours but the 90 year old woman I admitted will be throwing up from pain before she will take anything?

Also clumsiness I trip over everything it's so annoying

Because the 90yo woman is from the "Greatest Generation" and will minimize everything. It's these folks that I work a little harder to let them know that they will not be judged, certainly not by me, if they need pain control. I don't want *any* of my patients to suffer unnecessarily, but those older folks from the WW2 generation are characteristically stoic.

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