What have other nurses done that have freaked you out?

Nurses General Nursing

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What have other peers done intentional/unintentional to freak you out? Good or bad. Happy or sad.

On my FIRST day as an LVN, (LTC) a res was screaming in her room as I was walking out to leave. I went in to see what was going on. She was having an anxiety attack and severe pain (post stroke). I pulled the call light, and no one came. Uggg.

So I peeked out the door and saw my CNA walking down the hall, and told him to come sit with res. I went down to get her a Xanax and a pain pill, well relief nurse was in the restroom, and relief CNA (with call light still going off) was sitting behind nurses station reading a newspaper. I told CNA to tell the nurse to get a Xanax and pain pill for res. She said OK. I go to relieve my CNA. Said goodbye to him, and stayed with res. after 10 minutes, CNA COMES INTO ROOM WITH XANAX AND MORPHINE PILL. She is soooooo shocked to see me still there, she hands me the pills and RUNS to the relief nurse. I could NOT BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!!!!

(I did immediately call DON and tell what happened. Luckily, my CNA was still checking on another res, and saw the whole thing.--------they got a slap on the wrist! that was it!!!):madface: :madface: :madface: :madface:

Specializes in Med-Surg, ER, TRAUMA!!.

Hey Tweety -- I have not had the best of weeks, my husband who is also a nurse have been kind of stressed. I have to tell you your story about infusing the Percocet via cebtral line takes the cake!! That was TOO funny!! I have been a nurse for 16 years and even in some of my dumbest moments would not have thought of trying that!! :uhoh3: Anne

I love reading about others' mistakes as much as we all love telling about others' mistakes! Would anyone be brave enough to tell us about a mistake they have personally made, and what they did if anything to rectify it? It's harder when it's yourself.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER and ICU!!!.
It greatly helps to place one's self in the shoes of the CNA, especially a LTC CNA. I work at a nursing home, and each one of my CNAs is assigned 12 to 15 patients each. They simply do not have the time to sit with one patient for an extended period of time when there are other call lights that need to be answered in an expedient manner.

In addition, most LTC facilities suffer from high employee turnover and attrition rates, so the DON usually won't bestow severe punishments upon lazy staff members. The DON is just happy that a warm body has arrived to fill the necessary shift. In addition, there's typically not enough quality time for most LTC nurses and aides to devote to non-emergencies such as panic attacks and screaming. Few, if any, procedures are done by the book in LTC. You'll learn as you spend more time in your new LVN role.

I appreciate the thought, but I have been an LVN for a while. I was just thinking of this and thought I would start a thread for laughs. And, at the time, I am sorry I do not care who you are, you do not give ANY meds to a CNA to administer. That is not only out of their practice, but against several laws abd ethics. And, since that time I have worked that shift. At the time, there where only 10 residents in the facility and the nurse was known to be VERY LAZY.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER and ICU!!!.
This is a CNA story but it was so funny at the time

Ill never forget the time my CNA was showering a female patient. She took her to the shower and the next thing I know she steps out the door white as a sheet she said ..."UH hello nursie down there...UH denise come here please, we have to have a talk".. I thought the lady was dead or something.. I go down there and she says..."The next time i am about to shower a female with a member will you please tell me before hand"....I said "WHAT" . The lady had a prolapsed uterus and her cervix was hanging out...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

How funny!!! I bet she will never forget it!!!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I appreciate the thought, but I have been an LVN for a while.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. I had misinterpreted your quote, "On my FIRST day as a LVN..." as if this occurrence had taken place very recently.
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I worked briefly in LTC as a GPN. A resident's NG tube, used for feedings, came out. She (the experienced LPN who had just returned from 10 years of retirement) replaced it. Didn't measure, lubricate, etc, just started jamming it down. Awful. The same nurse also couldn't understand why she got a headache after using the "extra" nitro paste as a hand cream.

I worked with one otherwise good RN who would collect the plastic "silverware" off the isolation trays and take them home to re-use after washing. As far as I know she never took anything really ugly home with her.

1 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I guess the patient died?

Actually the patient was in pretty poor shape to begin with, and near as we could tell there were no ill effects. But think of emobolitic injury, septicemia, and whatever else could have happened, it's very scarey.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I love reading about others' mistakes as much as we all love telling about others' mistakes! Would anyone be brave enough to tell us about a mistake they have personally made, and what they did if anything to rectify it? It's harder when it's yourself.

Yep, there are many pages here of us making true confessions: https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/your-worst-mistake-62596.html?highlight=worst+mistake

I've made an unfortunate few in my life too, so I can't judge anyone.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Overheard a floor nurse say "oh damn, i got glass in the bottle" while she was drawing up a med from an amp, with a regular blunt needle.

Luckily the charge nurse was walking by at the time, and stepped in (after she put her eyes back in her head), but kinda makes you wonder just how isolated that incident was.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I go down there and she says..."The next time i am about to shower a female with a member will you please tell me before hand"....I said "WHAT" . The lady had a prolapsed uterus and her cervix was hanging out..

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw a nurse sniff and then lick her finger and exclaim... "Yep, it's Jevity"... she touched goop that was around the stoma of a G-tube.... I damn near stroked out

2 Votes
Specializes in ICU.

I was a patient once and early one morning this well meaning agency nurse comes to take my blood pressure - I held my arm out straight for him - only to hear him say "Don't do that!!"

"Do what?" was my puzzled reply

"Stick your arm out like that because I will only get the blood pressure of a stretched muscle!"

:uhoh21::uhoh21::nono:

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