What is something you never thought you'd have to say to a coworker?

[SilverBells]

Lately, there have been some things at work that, as a nurse, I never thought I'd have to say to my colleagues.  

A few things that stand out: 

"Please don't walk barefoot in the hallway"

"If you need to apply lotion to your feet, please leave the nurse's station to do so" 

"Please avoid printing out entire 300 page textbooks using the work printer" 

How about you? What are some things you never thought you'd have to say to coworkers? 

[MunoRN, RN]

6 minutes ago, pinkdoves said:

WHAT???????????? WHY WOULD ANYONE TRY THAT please TELL ME YOU'RE LYING

While inserting rectal tube, nurse hocks up a glob of spit, expels glob of spit on end of tube.  The tube wasn't inserted as just prior to that the other nurse who was helping position the patient on their said said "ummmmm...."  It was going into the rectum though, at least it wasn't a sterile orifice.  I didn't see the nurse on the job after that.

[angeloublue22, BSN, RN]

Please don't give the purple disinfecting wipes to patients to help with a yeast infection or hemorrhoids.  You know the ones that have a big red danger circle on them. Yeah, those... This was after a patient reported severe stinging and asked for MORE wipes to help! 

[klone, MSN, RN]

1 hour ago, angeloublue22 said:

Please don't give the purple disinfecting wipes to patients to help with a yeast infection or hemorrhoids.  You know the ones that have a big red danger circle on them. Yeah, those... This was after a patient reported severe stinging and asked for MORE wipes to help! 

We had parents in the clinic that used the Oxivir/Cavi-wipes when changing their baby's diaper. ?

[Davey Do]

This is another thread where we criticize others' actions, which is entertainingly satisfying. Of course, some are into it to divert their attention from their own primal pool of pain. Others are into it as a warning that, as I previously posted, peoples' stupidity have no bounds.

Stupidity is probably the primary reason why people do as they do and win the Darwin Award, but it set me to thinking and wondering if there could be other reasons for peoples' imprudent behaviors.

One reason may be the fact that some have not been given appropriate boundaries for their irrelevant behavior. Some of us have no internal governing system on our behavior so we go off on high RPMs until we throw a rod and self-destruct.

If we allow inappropriate behavior to go off unchecked, the  prudent person will continue their behavior. Newton's Law of Motion.

Another reason for imprudent behavior could be not only due to intellectual abilities, but personality types. This thread ids a good example of that- one must have at least an adequate IQ level in order to become a nurse, but some nurses will and have done some stupid things.

There is a personality type known as "Type T", the thrill-seeker, the ones who push the envelope to the point of ripping. It has been said that all chemically addictive persons are Type Ts, but not all Type Ts are necessarily chemically addicted. But Type Ts are addicted to something, and that could be the thrill of doing something stupid.

Finally, another reason why some act imprudently is to gain attention. We all know that bad attention is better than the voidness feeling of no attention. This attention-seeking individuals can also play the part of the victim well. They cry over being victimized by others, their lot in life as deemed by the fates, or the handicap of their own inabilities.

Understanding the reasons behind others' stupid behaviors can give us a sense of comfort and maybe even a little empathy.

 

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

Davey Do:

I always love your perspective and the wisdom you bring.

The perspective you brought is good insight.  I think I would like to add, at times someone may to or act a certain way because they too have reached the end of their rope, have a lack of resources (internal and external) and are in desperation

[Davey Do]

Thank you so much for your kind words, RNNPICU. Such reinforcement not only feels good, but it prevents me from suffering cognitive dissonance.

I believe I addressed your insightful point:

 

18 minutes ago, RNNPICU said:

I think I would like to add, at times someone may to or act a certain way because they too have reached the end of their rope, have a lack of resources (internal and external) and are in desperation

 

52 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

victim... the handicap of their own inabilities.

We have all known those who can stand adversity which would make Hercules weep. There are some who can weather the stormiest of seas, while others jump ship at the first sign of dark clouds, and everything & everybody in between.

An individual smitten, sometimes several times, by the hand of the fate is a victim. By no means are many victims because they want to be. However, sometimes we create arenas in order to work through them and grow in consciousness. We are often unconsciously led by our powerful & knowing intuitive selves.

Stress can make us behave in ways that are unimaginable, as you so aptly pointed out, RNNIPCU. Lord knows I've done some really stupid things because I was pushed to the point of incoherency due to the stress of the situation.

Thanks for your post and perspective, RNNIPCU!

[vintagegal, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Sharps don’t go in the trash they go in the sharps container

yes that applies to lancets 

[Mr. Murse]

"the chloriseptic spray supposed to go INSIDE YOUR MOUTH to help your sore throat"........to a patient I walked in to find looking like they had been shot in the throat, after spraying themselves with red chloriseptic all over their neck, chest and pillow.

oh wait, the OP was about something you never thought you'd have to say to a coworker (not a patient)........in that case.......asking a fellow RN to cap her insulin syringe when she was walking around the desk and hallway with the needle up in the air. She tried to argue saying she had gotten an email about not recapping needles. ?‍♂️

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Mr. Murse said:She tried to argue saying she had gotten an email about not recapping needles. ?‍♂️

Yessssss ? 

1 hour ago, Mr. Murse said:

She tried to argue saying she had gotten an email about not recapping needles. ?‍♂️

 

[Davey Do]

Peoples' behaviors are like algebraic variables, in that there are unknowns unless we use a formula like the predisposed genetic template.

Basically, the concept of the predisposed genetic template says that we operate within the boundaries of certain traits which are inherited. We all know that there are dominate physical characteristics which are passed on to the offspring and so it is with personality characteristics.

And like, for example the twin gene, personality characteristics can skip generations, and the traits of the grandparents can be manifested in the grandchildren.

Now, that may or may not explain why a nurse would walk around the NS with an uncapped syringe, but let's look at the variable concept:

A nurse reads an email stating that syringe needles should not be recapped. A concrete individual takes this to mean that at no time should a needle be capped, not considering this is a precaution to prevent the spread of disease, only the fact that needles should NEVER be recapped.

Walking around a NS, possibly contaminating the needle, and/or injuring self or others, is not considered. Within in the variable concept, this concrete behavior is understood.

Perhaps the person who wrote the email ASSUMED nurses' synapsis fire along the linrs of logic and did not think to include information such as "never recap a needle after an injection".

If we consider ourselves to be intelligent prudent people, then we must factor in these variables and expect that some individuals just don't get it.

[MunoRN, RN]

Not something I ever thought a nurse would have to tell a coworker, but a patient; Please don't drink your own urine, or at least if you do please keep track of the volume.  Which then sparked an interesting discussion of how you would chart output that then becomes intake.  

[Kitiger, RN]

4 hours ago, Davey Do said:

A nurse reads an email stating that syringe needles should not be recapped. A concrete individual takes this to mean that at no time should a needle be capped, not considering this is a precaution to prevent the spread of disease, only the fact that needles should NEVER be recapped.

Walking around a NS, possibly contaminating the needle, and/or injuring self or others, is not considered. Within in the variable concept, this concrete behavior is understood.

I have seen this in myself. I learned to drive when I was 15 and had a learner's permit until I was 16. My dad made a big point of telling me that one should not drive so fast on the highway, nor so close to other cars, that it became necessary to use the brakes. There came a time - in the Winter - when I had to slow down for safety. I was afraid to use the brakes! I thought something bad would happen if I used the brakes on the highway. 

Dad never told me to not use the brakes. He just didn't want me to go too fast or to tailgate. The highway that went from dry road to slippery at 55 MPH sent my stress so high that I didn't think clearly through the static.