What things do your family members do that drive the nurse in you nuts?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

1. My dad takes his lasix and digoxin religiously, but never takes his potassium.

2. My mom takes tylenol PM to sleep every night, even though she has no pain, just wants to sleep. I keep telling her plain benadryl will suffice, and she insists that tylenol PM works better.

3. My whole family abuses antibiotics. They take half courses. They save them for future use. They want them for stuffy noses. They want them in case their colds turns into an infection- just in case.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

They whine about little things---sorry, but I'm NOT impressed by your hangnail--- but don't tell me about the really important stuff ("Oh, you know, the other day I had some chest pain and nausea, and I felt really cold and sweaty while it was going on, but it all went away") until after the fact. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Smoking.

[lpn1313]

THEM: Your grandmother went in for another 2 units of blood

ME: Why? What's causing her to loose blood?

THEM: I don't know. The doctor just said she needed them.

I realize that gramma's 92, but if you're losing enough blood that you need transfusions, wouldn't you ask why?!

[CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN]

Using the Internet to research symptoms...and scaring everyone to death!

[wannabesedated]

1. Wanting antibiotics for a cold.

2. Being convinced that going out in winter with wet hair, or an unzipped jacket will give you a cold, the flu and/or pneumonia.

3. Using words like "prostrate" instead of prostate.

4. Whining about things that they refuse to see their PCP about.

5. Claiming that they can get through the ER faster than a person having a heart attack because it's all about "who you know"

6. "You could be a doctor!!"

[seasonednurse78]

1. Smoke, even though they have had bypass surgery, hypertension, etc.

2. Ask for medical information from me and then argue that what I tell them is not correct.

3. Tell me that they fractured a bone "but it wasn't broken".

4. Have a general negative and critical attitude about doctors and health care systems in general even though they are constantly going to the doctor for various things.

5. They are an authority on all things medical even though they have no type of medical training, but they DO have a medical dictionary which makes them an authority.

6. Using the ER for nonemergent things.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Talking about the most intimate, gross, personal details, with the excuse, "Oh, you're a nurse, you've heard this before." Yeah, but not from people I'm related to, and I'd like to keep it that way!!

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

Student here:

1. My sister has epocrates...loves to dream up something interesting and go to ER.

2. Mother also taking Tylenol PM every night...after a bottle of wine.

3. Father convinced that a slice of apple pie can be balanced out by taking two of the "diabetes pills" that the "doc" gave him. Also convinced that thirst is unrelated. Further convinced that diabetes and glaucoma do not negatively affect one another. Laughs off concerns about skin and kidneys.

4. Father stops taking his "blood pressure pill" when his BP reaches 103/82. Convinced that 140/100 is "my normal" and that he is dying if it falls below this range. After all, its been this high since he was 30ish. (seriously believes he is dying at 103/82, unknown cause)

5. Argues with nursing student he called to ask what normal BP is and dismisses with "you are my kid. I love you but you don't know what you are talking about, nursing school or no." (has NYC accent on top of that)

6. People who persist in calling the nurse taking care of my grandmother between 6:30-7 a.m. when they know somebody else has called/plans to call soon. Same people blame me (to the nurse) for their stupid questions and question me about what the nurse told them. Demand to know if the nurse knows more than she says. (Like I know the answer to that??)

7. Step mother believes tesTOSterone is pronounced TesTERone.

[tiedied]

Grandma who believes if one tylenol PM is good, then two, three or four of them must be better!

[RNKPCE]

1. Took MIL to ER for chest pain, triage asked her if she had any health problems she said no, I guess the 2 pills she takes for HTN don't count.

2. Dad would check blood sugar and if okay then eat his ice cream bar

3. Mother says ankles are really swollen, I am not sure I would even count it as trace edema.

4. Father didn't read outpatient sleep study instructions until after he had his two nightly cocktails(the evening of the study and of course instructions say no ETOH), but then grandchild said " won't it be more real if he does have the alcohol " out of the mouth of babes.

[lilo2010]

Smoking while on Oxygen!!!