When will people learn NOT to say the "Q" word...

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Its 6:35pm, census is 6 patients on a 16 bed icu.... Just as I'm about to give report, the oncoming nurses states how "quite" the unit is. Before the nurse can even finish her statement my patient who was given transfer orders goes into 40 beats of bigeminy pvcs and is symptomatic.

People please, don't say the q word, especially around a new grad rn ICU nurse....

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Are people really that superstitious?

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.
Are people really that superstitious?

I'm not but in my short 6 years of nursing, it never fails. Friday the 13th was a breeze for me BTW.... don't believe in that at all.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Are you that superstitous that you wrote quite instead of "quiet"? LOL Next time get report done before the word comes out of her mouth and then be like oh well enjoy your "quiet" ;0

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I had a co-worker say "quiet" and "code" in the same sentence last night. You can guess what happened in the next 10 minutes! Lol. I'm not superstitious at all but this is the second time this has happened in a month when someone mentioned those words and it happens almost instantly.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Maybe its intuition?

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
are people really that superstitious?

​yes. i've seen it happen over and over.

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Confirmation bias.

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yes. we do not say it on my unit!

My patients mom said it today and I quickly told her not to say it again! haha, nothing happened but I have seen "quiet" shifts go to all hell breaking loose.

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Someone said the "q" word at the start of a shift the other day. I made her spin around three times and spit to prevent bad things from happening.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Are people really that superstitious?

Yes, yes we are. Because far more often than not, we're proven right. The Q word brings nothing but trouble :)

For the record, it doesn't work in reverse: saying that this will be the shift from hell doesn't mean that it will be the smoothest, best and--dare I say it?--quietest shift ever.

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Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.

I have seen it time and time again. I tell those who work with me to please not say the "Q" word as it will certainly bring a fall, a call to 911 and upset family members running!!!!

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