whats the worst or funniest item family has snuck in to your pt?

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i have been a nurse a long time & familys can make or break your day.

was wondering what items you have seen family sneak in to pts?

i have had candy for diabetics, shavers with blades for cutters (omg), marijuana for grandpa...even had one man bring heroin in for his buddy........

what about you??:bugeyes:

Specializes in Critical care, neuroscience, telemetry,.

Had three guys in trench coats sneak three very large pythons into the cardiac ward at the regional Naval Hospita to visit their herpetologically inclined sailor buddy. Needless to say, we asked them to leave.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
this isn't a something its a someone. i was in clinicals and not only was the patients wife there but also his girlfriend... and they all wondered why the patient was so anxious. needless to say the girlfriend was nominated to make all the medical decisions for the patient.

guess i'm missing something. why is it "needless to say" that the girlfriend was nominated to make all the decisions for the patient? was the wife estranged or something?

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

when my friend "bob" worked at a va facility, one of the veterans was quite vocally unhappy with his care. his family brought in a pistol so he could "address his issues with the staff." i'm not sure what they thought was going to happen, but bob got shot in the behind as he was fleeing for his life.

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Specializes in Wilderness Medicine, ICU, Adult Ed..
hmmm. i am a new grad nurse and hasn't started orientation yet. i guess I got some surprises in store for me then huh?

Buckle your seat belt, kiddo, you are in for one hell of a ride!

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Specializes in Wilderness Medicine, ICU, Adult Ed..
A pt's husband brought in a whole roasted chicken for her. Problem was pt was 400lbs+ and on a 1600 cal ADA diet...

By the time we found out all we found was the carcass. :eek:

Of the chicken, or the patient?

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guess i'm missing something. why is it "needless to say" that the girlfriend was nominated to make all the decisions for the patient? was the wife estranged or something?

i'm guessing that the wife had no prior knowledge of the girlfriend, but the girlfriend probably knew he was married. so considering the anger level of the wife, her decisions regarding his healthcare may not have been in his best interest. :lol2:

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This pt wanted me to sneak something in for her...

During my clinicals in nursing school I had a 97yo pt try to hand me a signed blank check and ask me to go to the adult toy shop to buy her some things becuase she was bored.

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Specializes in Wilderness Medicine, ICU, Adult Ed..

A child. No, not to visit someone, they brought her into the clininc, and when we were too occupied to notice, skipped out to spend the day at an all-day rock concert. One of my most guilty regrets is that we did not call anyone to report child neglect. We really thought they would come back soon, and indeed, they did, hours later. She was such a sweet, friendly little girl. I feel guilty wondering how she is doing today with that family background.

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
This isn't a something its a someone. I was in clinicals and not only was the patients wife there but also his girlfriend... and they all wondered why the patient was so anxious. Needless to say the girlfriend was nominated to make all the medical decisions for the patient.
:eek:That's horrible, and not funny at all!!!!
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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Public Health.

Lets see ---

1. A rabbit and a fifth of whiskey

2. A mistress

3. Cigarettes for a COPD pt. Had been off the vent for maybe 2 hours.

4. Salad tongs to attempt removal of the condom that had been lost earlier that day. Or maybe the night before.

5. Narcotics to an overdose patient. Girlfriend was caught removing them from her lady parts in the patients room.

6. Mace

There's probably more, I've been doing this for a while.

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Specializes in ER.
A box of kittens.

The family cat had given birth (again) and the adult children thought that they should bring the cat and her kittens into the LTC to stay with their mom b/c they thought that the nurses and aides would take them home.

Although I adore cats and kittens....NOT flea-ridden ones in a healthcare facility. Did I mention they brought the animals but no litter? GROSS!

Anyone ever seen the Scrubs episode where a box of kittens are ordered STAT haha :lol2:

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Specializes in M/S, oncology, QI/PI, SCI rehab.
thats pretty funny!

That happened to me too! My CNA brushed the dentures of the 2 room mates and placed the teeth of bed 2 into bed 1's mouth. She would not give them back for a couple of days as she said "they fit better!"

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