What's the funniest nursing superstition you've ever heard? Do you believe it?

ShadowNurse · Mar 21, 2019

When I worked at an LTAC, just before I was hired there was an awful tragedy where a monitor tech had an MI right at her desk. Despite everyone pitching in with ACLS, she died. The monitor desks were tucked into a corner called the High Acuity Unit, and a plaque memorializing our deceased colleague was hung over her former desk. From then on she became a kind of post-mortem mascot of the 2nd floor HAU and it became traditional to stop by her plaque every so often to say hi to her.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Mar 21, 2019

Well, I think we have all heard the full moon expression in relation to the crazziness it can bring. I had a day with just some of the craziest, off the wall, back to back, WTH phone calls that I found myself googling the date for a full moon that month while on hold during one of my many rabbit hole conversations for that day. Let’s just say I couldn’t help but laugh when that day’s date popped up on my results screen. Full moons are evil!

aprilmoss · Mar 22, 2019

Not just catheters. I've grabbed two of many things on the fear that if I didn't I'd screw up the first one. The extras can always go back in stock, though I admit to getting home and finding extra quickcaths, red tops, and the like in my pockets.

rnsrgr8t · Apr 25, 2019

NEVER say the "Q" word or anything resembling it. WAY back when I was a nurse extern on a pediatric floor (in a larger hospital) working nights. Around midnight, we only had like 2-3 patients so we sent everyone home and we had one nurse and myself to cover the floor. My beloved nurse (who was my mentor) propped her feet on the desk, leaned back in her chair and said, "wow it is SO quiet". 8 admissions later, in the span of about 2 hours, and we had to call in the people we sent home to come back in the middle of the night I was ready to kill her!!!! Never say it!!!

Totally believe in the full moon thing. Cannot tell you how many times I have had an insane day, crazy people, crazy patients and you look up the moon calender and low and behold, it is a full moon.

You also NEVER say the full name of a frequent flier. They will show up without a doubt. There are some you can say their initials (and every one knows who you are talking about) and get away with it. But there are some who if you even think their name in your head they will show up.

NurseJamillah, MSN, NP · Apr 25, 2019

On 3/20/2019 at 4:07 PM, Knight2Nurse said:
I always bring two IV catheters with me when I start an IV. If I bring two, I get it on the first try. The few times I only bring one, I usually end up having to look for one more!
Of course there's all those taboo words not to say on the floor like "slow", "quiet", "easy", etc. They're always bringing trouble...
I worked for years at a rural hospital on an Indian reservation, and the natives have a saying: "If you talk about someone enough they just show up." This is especially true about the problem patients you were hoping not to see again!

So true. I often have to try a second attempt when I don't have enough IV materials!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 26, 2019

On 2/20/2019 at 5:12 AM, TriciaJ said:
It's well and good if you HAVE windows that open. On my old med/surg floor we had to let our spirits hang around and press the call lights in the rooms they recently vacated.
On psych, you never say a frequent flyer's name out loud, because that person will be back in within 24 hours.

You never say the frequent flyer's name on Med/Surg, either, for the same reason.

On one of my old Med/Surg floors, they used to drag the body over to the window to let the spirit fly. Luckily that unit was on the first floor, because one time they let the body hang out "just a little bit" and lost control . . . . I did not witness this, but all of the crusty old bats assured me it was a true story.