What's Your Best Nursing Ghost Story?

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...

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I was working ICU and caring for a patient with breast Ca who was dying, minimally responsive for days (this was a long time ago when we actually kept dying patients in ICU). Anyway, she suddenly awoke and was very lucid, asking for some water.....I was a little stunned but got her water for her. After she drank she said, "Do you know what Jesus just asked me?" Of course I got a few chill bumps at this point, but answered, "No, what?" She said, "He asked me if I had done everything with love." "And what did you say, I replied. "I told him that I had tried," she said. I told her that most likely that is all any of us are capable of doing. I turned her with some pillows and she fell asleep and died about 10 minutes later. Needless to say, this affected me greatly, I want to be able to give the right answer when Jesus asks.

The second incident, we had an older man with a massive heart attack, lots of other problems and he ended up on the ventilator. He was the meanest old coot ever. His grandaughter worked at the hospital and apologized for his behavior and told us he had always been quite a rounder. He would bite, kick, spit, and had to be restrained to keep him from pulling every line he had out. We coded him three times during his stay. After the third time, his demeanor changed and he became much more cooperative. We explained the change as a bit of ICU psychosis that had resolved. The gentleman became a "frequent flyer" in our ICU, coming in multiple times with CHF and becoming a regular at our outpatient CHF clinic. He became a favorite, always smiling, joking, a dear man. One day he asked me, "Do you remember the first time I was here and how awful I was." I assured him that I did indeed remember. He said, "Do you know why I changed?" I replied that I didn't but just thought that his meaness was related to his illness. He said, "No, it wasn't that....the last time you guys brought me back when my heart stopped....I woke up and remembered being in this very dark place....it was awful......It was totally black and there was this awful smell of sulfur and the heat was terrible. I called out and called out and no one answered. I remembered hearing that when people die and then come back a lot of them see a light and a lot of other "good" stuff. I was scared....I didn't see a light and I knew then I had to change." He lived a couple more years after telling me his story and when he finally died in our ICU, I have a feeling that he saw the "light" and the "good things".......at least I hope so.

Awesome!!!!
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Working the 3-11 shift in a nursing home, I was doing my med pass when I was summoned by a CNA to a room. Upon entering, the CNA states, "I think she just died, while I was changing her!" I checked for breathin, circulation and the patient's orders. She was a DNR (Do Not Resucitate) then attempted to get a B/P. NOTHING..... so, I called to notify the Pt's son, who requested for Mom to be sent to the ER to be Pronounced, and they would go straight to the hospital. I contacted 911 (our protocol for transferring for pronouncal) and summoned the ambulance. Approximately 20 minutes passed before the ambulance arrived. The Paramedic and EMT followed thier protocol, and followed the same steps I had (breathing, circulation, and BP) and got NOTHING. By the time they loaded my patient, covered her, and set on the way to the hospital, 30-40 mins had passed. In transport to our local hospital the ambulance had to cross a Railroad track. When the ambulance crossed the tracks, the patient sat up, pulled the sheet from her head, and proceeded to point and shake her hand at the Paramedic screaming, "TAKE ME BACK, TAKE ME BACK RIGHT NOW! I MEAN IT, TAKE ME BACK RIGHT NOW!!!" The EMT driving pulled over to check out the commotion, the Paramedic exited the Ambulance and proceeded to Vomit. The paramedic then continued to the hospital, and phoned the nursing home to tell me what had happened. Approximately an hour later, the son phoned stating "I was SUPRISED to arrive at the ER and my mom GREET me! Did you perform CPR after talking to me, you know she was a DNR, right?" When the family was told of this incident, they simply said...."It just wasn't her time."

The only thing that I can come up with (even to this day) is......... the bumps caused by the railroad crossing, "jolted" her heart to start beating again!

Any other thoughts or ideas about this?????

BTW, the paramedic resigned when his shift was over the next morning!

Now this is a creepy one. I don't blame the paramedic for quitting. I wonder if his underwear had any stains on it.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
:chuckle We had a woman the the 3-11 RN sent for the funeral home 3 different times before she actually died and stayed that way. We'd get her over on the cot on the body bag and she'd start breathing. It got to be a big joke well is she really dead this time?????? They stayed quite a while the last time even after she was in the body bag "just in case".

The vitals were probably so low as to be not able to detct them. But it sure makes you wonder. :rolleyes:

:uhoh3:It makes me wonder how many were actually buried alive.

Where I work has a long history of mysterious deaths and abuse (way back when, before the state stepped in). There is a cemetery behind the facility that I have to patrol at night when I have that job. I remember one night I was bored and decided to check out the stones. Some of those individuals were 6 and 7 years old.

I just remember it got really cold all of a sudden and I got the shivers and when I turned around, I swear for a split second enough for an eye blink, I saw this disformed little figure look at me and then just vanish into thin air.... creepy. I'll never forget it.

Specializes in Skilled Nursing.

I enjoy paranormal research and investigating. But I also like the debunking aspect of things, such as if someone says they think they have a spirit in a place, I like the idea of finding what it REALLY is. And if it is paranormal...all the better.

I am enjoying reading the posts here, I have experienced footsteps coming towards me, go behind me,,and continue in the next room. Not one person there besides me, it was really cool!! I love history behind old places, like Eastern State, Waverlly Hills Sanatarium..etc.

I enjoy paranormal research and investigating. But I also like the debunking aspect of things, such as if someone says they think they have a spirit in a place, I like the idea of finding what it REALLY is. And if it is paranormal...all the better.

I am enjoying reading the posts here, I have experienced footsteps coming towards me, go behind me,,and continue in the next room. Not one person there besides me, it was really cool!! I love history behind old places, like Eastern State, Waverlly Hills Sanatarium..etc.

I've been to Eastern State. I couldn't stay long, I got way too nauseated and I felt like I had been in an ice bath... I've always be sensitive to these kind of things though. I considered the possibility of a EMF, but since the prison was so old, I highly doubt it.

:uhoh3:It makes me wonder how many were actually buried alive.

and thats the EXACT reason we now have the old saying "saved by the bell" and "graveyard shift" . Way back when, many people were buried alive. In an attempt to "save" the people if they happened to come to when in the coffin in the ground, a string was put in their hand, the string was then threaded in some way to come out of the ground and attach to a bell. That way, if they weren't dead and came to, they could ring the bell to alert people they were alive (saved by the bell). The people who would watch and wait..."the graveyard shift"

Specializes in Skilled Nursing.
I've been to Eastern State. I couldn't stay long, I got way too nauseated and I felt like I had been in an ice bath... I've always be sensitive to these kind of things though. I considered the possibility of a EMF, but since the prison was so old, I highly doubt it.

I can imagine..esp being sensitive!! There is so much residual energy there too. Also people subconciously remember the stories of horror from ESP. So you can help but feeling the boo boo jeebies! lol

But if your sensitive it makes it 100% worse.

There is a floor in our hospital..when it was not used at nites...an orderly told me the call lights would go on all by themselves...He said he never ran so fast lol!!! :lol2:

He was down there @ 3am. Getting dirty sheets from the next ward over.

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Greetings and Salutations to All! :)

Being an RN since 1980 has given me many an interesting experience. However, the most 'moving' one is actually a personal paranormal one involving my father.

My father became seriously ill for over a year before dying September 18th, 1997. Dad's admitting DX was one of a severe stroke leaving him unable to speak. I was the only adult child living in the same town as Dad and his second wife (my Mom died when I was 27; Dad remarried a widow on September 17th, 1988). My sister (Patty) came to visit with my Dad as I had called her to let her know that I "sensed" he would die soon (his VS were most transient in addition to recent onset of "Doll's eye" syndrome). Patty went to the hospital with my youngest son (Michael) to visit our Dad (I took a much needed night off from visiting Dad that night and instead gave my attention to my husband and other family matters).

Patty and Michael returned from their visit very peaceful yet sad as they too "felt" Dad would soon be passing away. My father's wife was not feeling well and thus she didn't visit Dad that day either. As I was talking with my sister that night I noticed a red streak on her naturally blond hair---> it (the red streak) wasn't readily apparent **until** she brushed through her hair as she was talking. I asked Patty if she somehow had lipstick within her hair and she was perplexed as to why I was asking such a seemingly absurd question! When she went to the bathroom to see for herself what I was talking about she didn't have a logical explanation either. The red streak was dominant on the left side of her head/hair looking at her from the front. Despite attempting to wash the 'streak' out of her hair it simply wouldn't go away.... Again, we both attempted to bring logical explanations to this 'phenomena'; to no avail! :stone

The following day Patty returned to Florida with peace in her heart that she had been fortunate enough to spend time with Dad; although she too felt "sad" to leave. On September 17th, 1997 the family celebrated Dad's 9th wedding anniversary with his wife despite both of them not being in the best of health (to say the least). They loved one another and all of us "kids" so much; what a tribute to life they gave to us!!! :Melody:

During the night (early morning hours of September 18th) the hospital called me and said that my father had taken a "turn for the worse, please come in ASAP". When we arrived at the hospital it turned out that my father had a brain anuerysm ("bleed") that couldn't be stopped. This diagnosis seems to have been "picked up" via Patty's visit (remember the unexplained 'red streak') only hours before Dad's physical death. My father's PCP had started a MS drip to bring comfort and this was also consistent with his living will (no heroics, DNR status). Dad's wife accompanied my family to the hospital and she was able to help him pass into the next world with her soothing voice and loving touch.

I believe that the "red streak" discovered on Patty's hair was the way my Dad communicated with us that he was dying (he was asymptomatic at the time of this DX (cerebral bleed). Dad was also able to 'communicate' nonverbally to Lee (his wife) that he was so fortunate to have had 9 years of a truly beautiful marriage with a woman he loved dearly. You see, Dad died the day **following** his 9 year anniversary to Lee....it seems his inner will wanted to complete 9 years of marriage. :) :balloons:

I realize that this 'story' is not apparently a spooky one yet it definitely is one that makes me think how much in life we cannot explain....

Lee died almost one year after Dad died at the young age of 66 from lung cancer yet she had never smoked a cigarettte in her life! I know that statistically 15% of all lung cancers are not tobacco related but nevertheless it remains "odd" to me that she would have this kind of DX and a rapid death as a result.

I have had many a perplexing situation over my 25 year career yet the one with my Dad still is so fresh in my mind. I hope this 'story' gives one comfort and hope that our loved ones continue to communicate despite seemingly horrible DX's and resulting consequences....

Dad lived his life with the motto that one should live passionately and with the knowledge that anything is possible; one has to visualize their dream and "make things happen." I remain grateful for this experience and again I trust this touches your heart as you go out and give care to those so in need of our loving and skilled nursing care!!!

~*Noko*~

Very poignant story.. Thank you for sharing.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
how wonderful that must have been for you!!!!! i had a resident who always told me to say hi to her family (from heavan) and she always said her husband was right by the door under a light that is on the ceiling i always looked and said hi and she always squeezed my hand.........not to long ago she joined her husband and the first time i worked after when i walked in the room the light blinked several times.........thinking it was a bad light i kept working..and it stopped on my way out...the light blinked again so i looked up and said hello the light stopped i had such a peaceful feeling then and now whenever i think of her...................:saint:
This is what nursing is all aabout. Wonderful post.
Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.
I have another non nursing story and since everyone seems interested in all things involving ghosts and spooky occurences, I will go ahead and post it.

You know it! Bring it on! ;):balloons:

Specializes in med/surg.

ok here is my story....became quite close to one of our patients who was terminal as he had been in the ward for a few months. he was the nicest guy you could ever meet. anyway, finished working on that ward and over the next week would often think about said patient and wonder if he was still with us. anyway, one night i went to bed and kept having this dream that jim[not real name] was standing at the bottom of my bed trying to tell me something but i couldnt make out what he was saying. this kept waking me up over the course of the night and each time i went back to sleep i would dream that jim was at the bottom of my bed. in the morning i told husband of dreams and that even although i was kinda spooked i wasnt frightened by it. a couple of hours later i got a call saying that jim had passed away at 2am. a shiver went down my spine i kid you not. do you think it was him trying to say goodbye?

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