What's Your Best Nursing Ghost Story?

What Members Are Saying (AI-Generated Summary)

Members are sharing personal experiences and stories related to ghosts, spirits, and paranormal occurrences in healthcare settings. Some members discuss encounters with deceased loved ones or unexplained phenomena, while others share their interest in ghost stories and movies like "Doctor Sleep" and "The Shining." There is a mix of skepticism, curiosity, and belief in the supernatural among the forum participants.

Nursing is a profession that often involves long lonely night shifts in eerie hospital wards. It's a perfect breeding ground for ghost stories. These stories often involve sightings of apparitions, strange noises, and unexplained events that are said to have taken place in hospitals, hospices, and other healthcare settings. Some of these stories are believed to be based on true events, while others are purely fictional. Regardless, they continue to captivate and intrigue both nurses and non-nurses alike - providing a spooky glimpse into the world of healthcare after dark.

I know you have seen and heard freaky things. Share your nursing ghost stories...

This isn't a ghost story exactly, but it kind of bugs me and is undoubtedly creepy.

My grandmother passed away last January. It was a very emotional situation, with a lot of hard feelings on both sides. My last words with her were a terrible argument, and d/t a bunch of insane family strife, my mother and I didn't find out about her death until she'd been dead about a week. We still don't know what my half uncle did with her ashes. Whew..that's a very long story..suffice it to say that it was all ugly enough that the way I found out about her death was that a fellow classmate (I'm a second year adsn as of this fall) works at the nsg home she was in, and on the first day back to school after xmas break, she told me she was "sorry for my loss". I asked her what she meant, and finally worked out that my grandmother had passed. There I was, first day back to class, and had to bail to go and tell my mother that her mom had passed away.

Anyway, this past March I got my CNA, and as that particular facility pays best, I ended up there. My grandmother's room was 110, and so help me, even though I walk right past it on my way to break, I always forget to look inside that room, no matter how determined I am on my way. Each time I purposely head that direction, something happens to keep me from getting there, even so far as a resident falling out of his wheelchair right in front of me, and by the time I've resolved whatever problem I encountered, I've forgotten what I'd intended to do. In the five months I've worked in the building, I have never once looked inside room 110. It's probably some subconscious hangup of my own, but whatever it is, it's like a reverse magnet.

Deana

I've also enjoyed reading these stories. I don't have a ghost story, but I do have a "dream" story.

I am currently a nurse at an independent birth center. At the time of this story, there were three nurses that took turns taking call, and three docs/mws who took turns with call. Meaning that a patient could end up with any combination of nurse and doc/mw at their birth.

I got called in one night to the labor of a woman who had five children, all boys, and the last pregnancy an "ooops." She wanted a girl (even though we all figured she was having a boy, since her previous 5 had been), so as a joke, we put pink sheets on the bed. When she and her husband arrived at the birth center, we said, "Look, D., pink sheets for your little girl!" and her dh looked at us very strangely and said, "Did she tell you about her dream?" And then she got upset with him and said "No, no, don't say anything, I haven't told anyone but you, if I tell, it will spoil it; it won't come true!"

So fast forward three hours, when her baby makes an entrance. It's a girl! We hand her up to mama and are drying her off, and I say, "Wow, I think that's your smallest baby yet! She can't be over 6 pounds!"

And she says, "She is, too, she is 6# 4oz and her name is Amelie. Last night I dreamed all about this, that I would have the baby tonight, that you and N (the mw) would be on call, that you would put pink sheets on the bed for my baby, and that it would be a girl. When she came out, in my dream, she looked up at me and said, my name is Amelie. And I said, no it isn't, I don't like that name. And then she said to me, I don't care, that is my name, you have to name me that!"

The mw and I just looked at each other and had goosebumps. Later I weighed her; she was 6# 2oz. I said something to the mw that "Well, she was two ounces off!" and the mw said, "No she wasn't, the baby peed right before you weighed her!"

Okay, it gets even better. One and a half years later D walks into the clinic, unannounced, no appointment, and asks me if I have time to listen to see if I can hear heart tones. I said, "I didn't even know you were pregnant!" She says, "I'm still nursing, but Amelie keeps coming up to me and pointing to my tummy and saying baby. You probably think I'm crazy!" I said, "D, I was at Amelie's birth, I have never seen anything like that. If I hear heart tones, I wouldn't be surprised." Sure enough, I could get heart tones. I looked over at Amelie and said, "Are you going to have a little sister or brother?" And that kid, all 1 1/2 years of age, said, "Baby - Me!" I looked at D and she said, "She's saying, the baby is a girl like her."

We did an US this time for unsure dates; sure enough, that baby is a girl.

I have never experienced anything like that. It wasn't scary or creepy, and I don't get an odd feel from Amelie; but there is no doubt something special about that little girl.

The posting above about Amelie and her prediction prompts me to talk about someone else with an uncanny gift. My grandfather's cousin had a reputation for being something of a clairvoyant. Before tarot cards and psychics became as commonplace as they are in today's culture, ladies like S (my grandad's cousin) sometimes used regular old playing cards as tools for asking questions about the future. S knew ahead of time if someone was going to die - for example: my grandad and his friends went out on some hunting trip (this was when they were all teenagers) and as they were leaving, S apparently turned to my great grandmother and told her who wouldn't be coming back. The poor guy froze to death after getting lost in the woods out hunting.

There are several other stories about S that both my mother and her sister have shared with me. My favorite is how when my mom was 16 and her sister was 12, S told my mom that she would soon be on a stage, being recognized and applauded, and this would lead her away from home. S also told my mom's sister that she would have a hard life and be married twice, and that she would be alone for many years after her first brief marriage before finding happiness and being well-cared for late in life. Well, three years after this, my mother won a beauty pageant and off she went to the national competition. My aunt, meanwhile, married at 21, divorced him at 29, raised her kids by herself on a secretary's pay, and finally remarried at 51.

There are other examples I could list, but this post is too long already. Suffice it to say, I believe there are people out there, like Amelie, with a gift.

Of course your story raises the age old question of whether or not free will really exists or is just an illusion. Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between a la Johnny Smith in the Dead Zone where specific futures exist until they are altered by the application of free will. What if "S" had told the guy to be extra careful? Would it have made a difference or would death have come to collect its due in some other fashion?

The posting above about Amelie and her prediction prompts me to talk about someone else with an uncanny gift. My grandfather's cousin had a reputation for being something of a clairvoyant. Before tarot cards and psychics became as commonplace as they are in today's culture, ladies like S (my grandad's cousin) sometimes used regular old playing cards as tools for asking questions about the future. S knew ahead of time if someone was going to die - for example: my grandad and his friends went out on some hunting trip (this was when they were all teenagers) and as they were leaving, S apparently turned to my great grandmother and told her who wouldn't be coming back. The poor guy froze to death after getting lost in the woods out hunting.

There are several other stories about S that both my mother and her sister have shared with me. My favorite is how when my mom was 16 and her sister was 12, S told my mom that she would soon be on a stage, being recognized and applauded, and this would lead her away from home. S also told my mom's sister that she would have a hard life and be married twice, and that she would be alone for many years after her first brief marriage before finding happiness and being well-cared for late in life. Well, three years after this, my mother won a beauty pageant and off she went to the national competition. My aunt, meanwhile, married at 21, divorced him at 29, raised her kids by herself on a secretary's pay, and finally remarried at 51.

There are other examples I could list, but this post is too long already. Suffice it to say, I believe there are people out there, like Amelie, with a gift.

Yes, I have indeed wondered about the "free will" aspect of it all. I have begun to think some things are preordained, otherwise how to explain how S was essentially forecasting forty years into the future, in the case of my mom's sister ?

S was always most reluctant to confront people with the "bad things" she saw. It was infrequent she would say something, and I think (based on conversations with my mom, aunt and other relatives) that's because she probably had little idea what she could do to forestall events, combined with the usual desire to avoid being the bearer of bad news. Personally, if I "saw" future bad events, I might be too freaked out to function, wondering what I myself could do in the face of such things. There's also the minor issue of people thinking you're crazy!

Also, there is this. S lived into my late teens, so my mother had more than just that one "reading" from her. I must have been about 16 or so and Mom went to visit S, who told her that there was going to be "an upheaval" at my mom's office when she returned, and that it had to do with a blonde man. Not long after this visit, one of the partners (a blonde man) in Mom's office quit. I've asked my mother why, oh why, did she never ask S about my future or my sister's, given that Mom was well aware of S's abilities. Mom has shuddered and replied that she didn't think she wanted to know such things.

It's also possible (and I emphasize the word possible rather than probable or likely) that merely by asking one's future that the future is altered in a negative manner. That is to say by seeking such information one may put one's self under greater influences from "negative" forces. Your mother may have considered this possibility if only at a subconcious, intuitive level. Analogies would include asking questions from a Quija board et (I am also reminded of the story of I believe it was Saul in the Old Testament who sought counsel from a dead ancestor only to be told accurately that he would meet his doom). I have read many accounts of people who "dabbled" in various ways with the "occult" and experienced incredible strings of bad luck (of course I have read perhaps an equal number of accounts where just the opposite occured). 

Angie_Baby said:
Yes, I have indeed wondered about the "free will" aspect of it all. I have begun to think some things are preordained, otherwise how to explain how S was essentially forecasting forty years into the future, in the case of my mom's sister ?

S was always most reluctant to confront people with the "bad things" she saw. It was infrequent she would say something, and I think (based on conversations with my mom, aunt and other relatives) that's because she probably had little idea what she could do to forestall events, combined with the usual desire to avoid being the bearer of bad news. Personally, if I "saw" future bad events, I might be too freaked out to function, wondering what I myself could do in the face of such things. There's also the minor issue of people thinking you're crazy!

Also, there is this. S lived into my late teens, so my mother had more than just that one "reading" from her. I must have been about 16 or so and Mom went to visit S, who told her that there was going to be "an upheaval" at my mom's office when she returned, and that it had to do with a blonde man. Not long after this visit, one of the partners (a blonde man) in Mom's office quit. I've asked my mother why, oh why, did she never ask S about my future or my sister's, given that Mom was well aware of S's abilities. Mom has shuddered and replied that she didn't think she wanted to know such things.

Was she ever charged with vehicular manslaughter?

Yes, the 16 y.o. was charged with 1 count of vehicular manslaughter and did not serve jail time.

Yes, the 16 y.o. was charged with 1 count of vehicular manslaughter and did not serve jail time.

No jail, huh? That's a darn shame. :angryfire

I'm sorry for your loss.

No jail, huh? That's a darn shame. :angryfire

I'm sorry for your loss.

We all have accidents. This is an inexpirienced 16 y.o. girl who I am sure had no intention of hurting anyone when she got in the car that day. Can you imagine how you would feel if a momentary lapse in judgement had such long lasting results.

Specializes in Geriatrics and Quality Improvement,.
Sure enough, I could get heart tones. I looked over at Amelie and said, "Are you going to have a little sister or brother?" And that kid, all 1 1/2 years of age, said, "Baby - Me!" I looked at D and she said, "She's saying, the baby is a girl like her."

We did an US this time for unsure dates; sure enough, that baby is a girl.

I have never experienced anything like that. It wasn't scary or creepy, and I don't get an odd feel from Amelie; but there is no doubt something special about that little girl.

Well, i have really enjoyed these stories. I work in LTC, and started on teh unit I returned to just a few months ago. A few of my 'old' residents who passed are still here.. Peek-a-boo Gus still pops out of his room and looks around the door, waving us down. Gus had passed in 99. Charlie used to clang that darn oxygen key....you could hear it down the hall, and still do. Residents who are ill, and in stages of passing, there is a considerate 'person' in their room, packing their belongings...and when you look in the closet,the items are on the floor, off the hangar. Many times it is easy to see the relatives who come for the dying person. Vic had 6 male relatives come for him, and he said thats cuz he let himself go a bit(he was really big) and they needed all the wings they could muster to lift him up. They only visited on my shift(days at that time) and he passed on my shift.

Personally...Nana.. My gramma..she was a nurse too. She visits to tell me when things will happen, and I have just come to accept that she is my guardian angel. She told me when I was pregnant, and what I would have. She let me know that my other gram was passing, and keeps me intuned with my kids. I guess she feels she owes it to me, since she died the day before my wedding.

I couldnt imagine a world without the ability to speak to her still, and therein seats my deep belief that we need to help them pass, and lead them to THEIR angels. Keep that window open, just enuff to let the spirit out, they need to be drawn to the light, and opening the window will aid in that.

What I wanted to comment on was this.. My son would often play with his "sister' before I was even pregnant. He even gave his description. Now we are waiting to see if Little Ana grows up to look like the image he described. Children know...and there is something to be said for "The 7th son of the 7th son"(or daughter).

Blessed in the Light with the knowledge of Heaven.

:nurse:

Well I called to talk to a friend after I got off from work tonight and he was telling me that their door alarms had been going off while all of the residents are still in bed. He saw the reflection of someone behind him in the window. Two of the residents are talking to and about people in their rooms. This from the CNA that told me that the ghosts didn't like him, well these do.

This isnt a nurse story but it is something that I have always held close to my heart.

I remember when my dad died (it was pretty sudden) and feeling like he was still in the house but never seeing him.

It was a little while after his death my brother (who was about 18 mos old at the time... there are about 13 years between us) came into my sister's room (where we were all sitting and talking about how things had changed, etc) and my brother starts going to the window and wont leave it... he kept saying "Daddy's out there and he is crying" and "Daddy's crying" at that moment we all got teary eyed and I knew from then on that he was watching us.

Last year when I was torn between what to do with my life and what I was going to back to school for. I thought several times about nursing but had also thought about becoming a surg tech or even going to school to be a PT... I had several back to back dreams that all dealt with hospital experiences I had had (either my own or from visiting family, etc) and in each one I could always remember the nurse after I woke up. I have a feeling it was my dad's way of helping me decide just what I needed to do.

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