What are some of the most ridiculous requests you have heard?

Farawyn · Dec 21, 2015

I'm thinking "delegate". A nurses time can better be spent getting some other things accomplished.

Heeeeey, NOADLS! :)

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 21, 2015

Nursingjudgement,

Most of these folks are in fact far from stupid. They are just ignorant of facts, unused to critical thinking and existence of multiple reasoning, and go directly to their goals as they see them. Their intellectual level is one of adults, but their goal-directed and critical and especially analytical thinking are those of early elementary schoolers.

A city kiddo figured out how to open PSA pump with a bobby pin, reprogram it, and drain the content into a plastic bag... unfortunately, empty machine started beeping and he was caught red-handed. He could figure out how to break in and manage the device, but had not enough analysis to conclude that if there was a bright red button with big letters saying "empty alarm", then the thing will make noise if emptied totally, so it would worth it to leave a little of content.

The mother of family wanted to make her son, who was pretty much tired of being sick and tired, happy and bring him something he would like. She brought 3 1-lb boxes of fried pickles, fries, Tabasco, etc. K+ 9.8 as a result. She had no idea whatsoever, she just wanted to help.

I can continue forever with that. What I eventually started to do with people of that kind was that I stopped to give them massive and science-filled teaching. It intimidates them, as many of them feel their own deficits and kinda suffer from them but for many reasons realistically cannot do anything with it. I teach them "daily teaspoons", always connecting with what they already know. Futhermore, their attention can be directed to one or two facts, activities or care moments they really can help with. As soon as they are properly taught, assured and reassured that what they do is really important, you'll have a team of happy Santa's little helpers. PROMs, AROMs, breathing exercises, "cheering squad" during PT/OT are all things which need to be done, tend to fall through cracks due to us nurses being insanely busy, and can be successfully taught to people who otherwise might have not a slightlest idea of what is really going on with the patient. It keeps them happily occupied, prevents nasty things like contractures and leaves you time to do serious job - and everybody is happy.

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2015

I'm thinking "delegate". A nurses time can better be spent getting some other things accomplished.

Delegating is fine, but if there is no one available at that moment, guess who is ultimately responsible for the patient's safety?

Ideally, the nurse and CNA should have a plan for this situation where they would relieve each other.

nursingjudgment · Dec 21, 2015

Nursingjudgement,
Most of these folks are in fact far from stupid. They are just ignorant of facts, unused to critical thinking and existence of multiple reasoning, and go directly to their goals as they see them. Their intellectual level is one of adults, but their goal-directed and critical and especially analytical thinking are those of early elementary schoolers.
A city kiddo figured out how to open PSA pump with a bobby pin, reprogram it, and drain the content into a plastic bag... unfortunately, empty machine started beeping and he was caught red-handed. He could figure out how to break in and manage the device, but had not enough analysis to conclude that if there was a bright red button with big letters saying "empty alarm", then the thing will make noise if emptied totally, so it would worth it to leave a little of content.
The mother of family wanted to make her son, who was pretty much tired of being sick and tired, happy and bring him something he would like. She brought 3 1-lb boxes of fried pickles, fries, Tabasco, etc. K+ 9.8 as a result. She had no idea whatsoever, she just wanted to help.
I can continue forever with that. What I eventually started to do with people of that kind was that I stopped to give them massive and science-filled teaching. It intimidates them, as many of them feel their own deficits and kinda suffer from them but for many reasons realistically cannot do anything with it. I teach them "daily teaspoons", always connecting with what they already know. Futhermore, their attention can be directed to one or two facts, activities or care moments they really can help with. As soon as they are properly taught, assured and reassured that what they do is really important, you'll have a team of happy Santa's little helpers. PROMs, AROMs, breathing exercises, "cheering squad" during PT/OT are all things which need to be done, tend to fall through cracks due to us nurses being insanely busy, and can be successfully taught to people who otherwise might have not a slightlest idea of what is really going on with the patient. It keeps them happily occupied, prevents nasty things like contractures and leaves you time to do serious job - and everybody is happy.

I'm so sorry if I made it sound like I think the people I'm describing are stupid. I actually heartily agree - most of the time, I think they are just so involved in their own (often heavy) stresses that it is almost impossible for them to process another viewpoint.

I also totally agree with your ADLs suggestion! Having a family member who wants to do basic ROM exercises, mouth care, or even (as you said) being a cheer squad -- oh my gosh, so wonderful for the nurse, the patient, and the family. Unfortunately, I think that in some cases (e.g. the wife who disconnected my chest tube intentionally), family members feel like they can do more than they actually safely should.

Edit: just to clarify (I think this may have been what led to your comment), it was another poster who made the comment regarding stupidity. And I don't think that poster was calling someone stupid either. I think she was saying that she doubted the family-member was actually stupid, but instead perhaps intentionally harming the patient.

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Dec 21, 2015

Oh I am sure there have been better but...

I had a pt's daughter (the daughter was a frequent flyer) ask me for oxygen. Saying she needed it when she slept. I explained to her that we cannot give non-pt's O2. She then proceeds to c/o SOA, to which I get a wheelchair and tell her I would be happy to take her to the ER (clearly faking it). Then... and I wish I was lying.... she fake died. FAKE DIED. Slumped over on the couch, closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. I just walked out and got the house supervisor, as I laughed the whole way.

A male patient once tried to hand me his wallet so I could go to the ATM on the bottom floor. How stupid do you think I am?? I pushed him in his wheelchair to the ATM.

Farawyn · Dec 21, 2015

Oh I am sure there have been better but...
I had a pt's daughter (the daughter was a frequent flyer) ask me for oxygen. Saying she needed it when she slept. I explained to her that we cannot give non-pt's O2. She then proceeds to c/o SOA, to which I get a wheelchair and tell her I would be happy to take her to the ER (clearly faking it). Then... and I wish I was lying.... she fake died. FAKE DIED. Slumped over on the couch, closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. I just walked out and got the house supervisor, as I laughed the whole way.
A male patient once tried to hand me his wallet so I could go to the ATM on the bottom floor. How stupid do you think I am?? I pushed him in his wheelchair to the ATM.

Did you fake call a code or was she a fake DNR?

Omg... Hahahahahah!

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Dec 21, 2015

Did you fake call a code or was she a fake DNR?
Omg... Hahahahahah!

I walked back in with house and said "I guess she died..." The mother was so embarrassed that her grown daughter was acting like that. The daughter for some reason thought my name was Angel (it isn't) and I made sure to never correct her the MANY times I saw her after that. :Emoticon-Devil:

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2015

Then... and I wish I was lying.... she fake died. FAKE DIED.

Love it! Don't you wish you could have that on video?

RunninOnCoffee · Dec 21, 2015

These are awesome!! My cheeks hurt from laughing!

Nursingjudgement-I am pretty sure I must have cared for your pt #4's long lost family member. Except for this one it was root beer. Oh and in night shift when the nurse was on a CT run she took it upon herself to bathe her intubated and sedated husband..... And dislodged his ETT!!

Not to long ago I had an AxO or that had no difficulty MAE call and ask if we could come separate his butt cheeks further apart while he was on the bedpan so he could poop easier!??!! WTH??

while I know it was an naievness issue, I had the family member of an 83 LOL ask what the odds of her getting a kidney transplant were.....

Oh and just last week 50+ y/o M s/p head injury with subdural bleed. and I'm talking to wifey poo... "I know my husband can be a real stubborn guy and will not agree to *insert rehab hospital here*, Can't you just Baker Act him or something? No, no ma'am I can't baker act him because he doesn't want to go to rehab.

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 21, 2015

Jeez. I would have had her banned from the hospital. I wonder how much life insurance he had?
It's hard to believe someone is that stupid unless it's on purpose.

I was wondering the same thing, ESTRANGED wife had no business there, unless she was POA.

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 21, 2015

I never cease to be amazed by how many family members want to give vented patients water/make them talk/pull out breathing tubes because they are 'uncomfortable,' ,' etc.. But our hospital is very 'family-friendly' so we essentially never ask people to leave. Actually, a few months ago, we had a wife who was genuinely dangerous to patient care. When I cared for the patient, she disconnected my chest tube from wall suction (intentionally). Other nurses reported that she did insane things like turning off running IV pumps, removing restraints (the patient of course pulled something important), and changing the inner cannula of a trach WHILE THE PATIENT WAS VENT-DEPENDENT! Although she continuously did these things which were endangering the patient and completely inappropriate, our supervisors made the patient a 1:1 (for close monitoring of the wife) instead of kicking her out. It was really serious -- like, if the nurse caring for the patient went on break, another one of us would have to sit in the room just so we could watch the wife.

did any one contact risk management?

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 21, 2015

When working hospice I dealt with a very difficult husband. He was a retired high ranking military pilot and used to bossing people around and getting what he wanted. His wife had cancer but was no where close to dying. She could walk, talk, eat and drink w/o any difficulty. She was beginning to show signs of dementia, however, and he couldn't deal with the lack of control that goes along with that. One of his complaints was, "I was in the bathroom shaving and she came in and stood there asking when dinner was and it was 8 in the morning!"
One day I go for my routine visit and I sit down at the table to get my paperwork out. He sits down across from me and slaps a piece of paper down on the table and with a look of fire in his eyes he starts pointing at it violently and yells at me, "I want to enact this Living Will and if you all won't do it, I will call my lawyer!"
"It says right here that if she is diagnosed with a terminal illness she no longer wants food or fluids!"
I tried to explain that this means artificial feeding and that his wife can still eat and drink without any difficulty and still regularly asks for food and water.
He practically punched me. It was awful.
Supervisors got involved rather quickly.
It was a hairy situation. Prior to that I thought I was so lucky to be assigned to this adorable octogenarian couple. Looks can be deceiving!

i am thinking she was not the only one in that couple that had dementia.