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

Published

All day breakfast - Are you kidding me?!

Aren't you amazed by patients (and families) who think nurses are there to wait on them hand and foot. Yes, we provide service around the clock, but it is not in the form of food but medical care. What are some of the most ridiculous requests you have gotten?

Visit Nursing Toons / Memes for more cartoons!

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

If you mean demented, yes. Dementia, no. He was sharp as a tack. Drove, played racquet ball three times a week and was probably more physically fit than I am. He had a need to control everything. Including when and how this sweet woman would die.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psychiatry, Oncology.

I "liked" a request from an independent patient with no mobility deficits/pain issues etc to put on his socks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.

I think the worst request I have ever had was a son calling us long distance to demand things for his mother. He claims he is an MD, and that his mother (97yo, end stage CHF, kidneys already shut down, arouseable to pain only and pretty much just a shell of her former self) needed to be fed on a schedule, asked what her output was, ignoring the fact her kidneys were not functioning, demand that we start her on IV fluids. He also ignored us and her primary MD telling him that her legs were 4+ pitting edema up to her hips and she was wet sounding. Apparently, without laying eyes on his mother, he knew that lasix would work and we just weren't trying hard enough.

I was off for 5 days after that conversation. I told the oncoming nurse, when she asked what I was planning for my time off, that I was going to drive to WA or OR(I can't remember what state he was in, just pacific north west) and drag his sorry carcass back to the south east with me so he could actually see his mother. I was only half kidding.

Fortunately, mom also had 2 children who lived on the east coast, one of whom was the actual POA and who came in as soon as they knew about mom. She made her a DNR. She also said her brother always a bit of an idiot.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.

"Make my baby stop hiccuping!"

Ok. I'll just push on their built in hiccuping button or give them some peanut butter for the roof of their mouth and it'll all stop. ;)

"You all need to get my baby paternity tested!"

Yes, figuring out who got you pregnant is our priority on your micropremie on the oscillator and dopamine. Also, we're a hospital, not the Maury show (though it feels otherwise sometimes).

"Can you circumsize our baby soon? We hate looking at foreskin!"

Your child weighs

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"I don't want my baby to have a bottle, formula or a bath. I will breastfeed only. A pacifier is ok" mom falls asleep and does not answer her phone in her room to come back and breastfeed her screaming kid.

"We don't want anyone but the mom and dad to talk to the baby so that he can imprint on them and not anyone else"

"Can you lift up the baby and switch him to the other breast"

A mother who is 48+ hrs post vag delivery getting ready for DC

"Can we let big brother (5) hold his little sister for a family picture?" Baby is a 24 weeker on HFJV and nitric.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If you mean demented, yes. Dementia, no. He was sharp as a tack. Drove, played racquet ball three times a week and was probably more physically fit than I am. He had a need to control everything. Including when and how this sweet woman would die.

dementia is not a straight line.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"Don't throw away those peaches"

Sir your food is now growing peach fuzz....

*barf*

We get a lot of mini hoarders where I work. I have to go through people's bedside tables and discard perishable items eww

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I demand to have (insert steak or fantasy food items) at 3am after being admitted for GI bleed. Also being told " you're my nurse and a waiter so you have to do whatever I say". That last was by a illegal Mexican male in for OD. Just calmly explained I am not a waiter. General society like to be abusive to nurses. We are front line and the first person they see so we catch a lot verbal abuse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I like the can't just you get him new body organ ones! Reminded me of a lady who I took care of once. She was near death with liver failure from ETOH abuse. She had already received a liver as she killed her first from ETOH but cleaned up her act and apparently had been given a replace liver from a donor. She did ok for a few years but went back to drinking and killed the donor liver and was near death. The family were threatening to sue the hospital saying we were refusing to save her life. Even after we explained she was no longer a candidate as she had abused and killed the donor liver. It was sad seeing them completely not attached to reality. Another patient I had was a vented 26 year old female weighing over 500lbs. She died from MODs and respiratory failure from her obesity. Family all weighed over 300lbs and up. Just kept feeding her. Per the dietitian she ate the equivalent of 2-3 bags of groceries (junk food mostly) a day. She was so young it was sad. Their request to me was that we feed her cause she was dying from starvation. The attending lost his temper and told the family "this is on you all, you feed too much and this is ridiculous she is a young woman". They still did not get it. The Aunt asked if we could just lipo suction and fix her. It was sad...she died.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
I kinda understand requests of only certain gender/race nurses assigned to particular patient. Not always, but if you deal with person already deeply demented and living 3/4 of very long life entertaining certain "ideas", it just doesn't worth the battle. But once there was a serious one for nurses and everyone else conracting with the patient being registered member of Republican party, so that The Dear (deeply comatose) One would not be troubled with possibility of wrong influence. To complete the pucture, the TV was to be permanently fixed on Fox news or something named "Redneck family reunion".

These folks were d*** serious. When I entered the room to start a new IV, they first thing asked what party candidate was my favorite. Too bad the Powers desided to play "good customer service" game with them to the very end.

I also saw a family of home care who only allowed people with GPA above 3.75 and Bachelor's to get near Mother Dear. They even devised some sort of shortened SAT to make sure the candidate is able to meet their Requiremenrs of Absolute Excellence. They spent weeks trying to find just such an aide while Mother was rotting alive getting one of the worst bedsores I'd ever seen. It was kind of very guilty pleasure to call State and report them to authorities for elderly abuse.

Good Lord Katie there are a ton of whackadoodles up there in Mid Michigan. I guess SE MI isn't as crazy as I thought.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
I like the can't just you get him new body organ ones! Reminded me of a lady who I took care of once. She was near death with liver failure from ETOH abuse. She had already received a liver as she killed her first from ETOH but cleaned up her act and apparently had been given a replace liver from a donor. She did ok for a few years but went back to drinking and killed the donor liver and was near death. The family were threatening to sue the hospital saying we were refusing to save her life. Even after we explained she was no longer a candidate as she had abused and killed the donor liver. It was sad seeing them completely not attached to reality. Another patient I had was a vented 26 year old female weighing over 500lbs. She died from MODs and respiratory failure from her obesity. Family all weighed over 300lbs and up. Just kept feeding her. Per the dietitian she ate the equivalent of 2-3 bags of groceries (junk food mostly) a day. She was so young it was sad. Their request to me was that we feed her cause she was dying from starvation. The attending lost his temper and told the family "this is on you all, you feed too much and this is ridiculous she is a young woman". They still did not get it. The Aunt asked if we could just lipo suction and fix her. It was sad...she died.

WOW...... just WOW... I. Can't. Even.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

"I brought eggs, cheese, onions, tomatoes and bacon. Open up the kitchen for us so grandma can make us her famous omelettes." This was said to me by a resident's grandson who brought his wife and kids down so grandma could make them breakfast. Keep in mind grandma is a resident in a LTC facility and she's wheelchair bound and has dementia.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion