What about funny things the nurses say?

Published

I went to the ER for kidney stone. (I am a frequent sufferer of them.) I'm doing the KS dance. The nurse asks; "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?" With a grimace I say "eleven." Honest truth...with a straight face the nurse says, "Sir...the scale only goes to ten." I shake my head and say "OK then ten."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Well....10 is the worst pain you've ever had so how can your pain be a number higher than the worse?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have never understood the 11 or higher answer. Guess they think it is cute of funny?

If it is the worst pain you have ever felt it is a 10. If it is not, then it is lower.

Heck, if the OP is near me, it may have been me that said it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED.

How is asking pain scale, "Funny things nurses say?" It could have very easily been me that said this.

I get that people want to keep things "light," I really do but triage is no time to joke, especially if you want us to take you seriously.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Clearly the OP doesn't understand the pain scale. That's okay — a lot of people don't. Which is why I put answers like "12" in quotes. And when your pain is down to an 8 or 9 after meds, look at that! I am calling it improved from that "12."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I went to the ER for kidney stone. (I am a frequent sufferer of them.) I'm doing the KS dance. The nurse asks; "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?" With a grimace I say "eleven." Honest truth...with a straight face the nurse says, "Sir...the scale only goes to ten." I shake my head and say "OK then ten."

Are you a nurse? If so, that "eleven" was a funny thing said by a nurse. The pain scale goes to 10, and in many cases the computerized charting only allows you to enter a number from one to ten. You may have thought the "eleven" was hilarious, but most nurses are over it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Are you a nurse? If so, that "eleven" was a funny thing said by a nurse. The pain scale goes to 10, and in many cases the computerized charting only allows you to enter a number from one to ten. You may have thought the "eleven" was hilarious, but most nurses are over it.

SOOOO over it! I get some version of this on a daily basis from people who seem to think they just made up a new joke, when the truth is that it's sometimes hard not to roll my eyes when I hear it anymore.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion