What are some strange/illogical/bizarre/false things you've heard while working in healthcare?
For example:
I had a patient with sciatica who was having a flare up. She was prescribed a muscle relaxant. I asked if she took it and she said no. So I asked if there was any reason why she didn't want to take her medication and she said that she wasn't going to take muscle relaxants because her heart was a muscle, she was 65 years old, and she didn't want it to relax.
I had a young woman experiencing angioedema and she asked if she was going to get a tetorifice shot. I said I didn't think so but if she needed one to mention it to the doctor and she might be able to get it while in the ED. She then proceeded to explain that she wanted a tetorifice shot because tetorifice shots cure EVERYTHING.
I had a lady insist that eating a piece of cheese that morning is what caused her to have atrial fibrillation and a spike in blood pressure. I think it was something to do with the salt.
I once spent the better part of a shift trying to explain to a famly that urine replacement does NOT mean I collect her urine and give it back to her in her IV.
The family of the intubated toddler in status asthmaticus insisted their horrible chain smoking had nothing to do with triggering the child's asthma, instead telling anyone who would listen that the ED "overdosed" that kid with albuterol.
My SIL the I-know-more-medical-stuff-than-you-hypochondriac once insisted (after everyone else in the house came down with a nasty bug) that she was perfectly safe to visit my FIL while he was getting chemo, she didn't have a fever, she was ovulating.
The fellow on the stretcher I was taking to XR explained in detail about his 2 clots in his legs "It's a good thing I don't have 3 legs, 'cause then I REALLY be in trouble".
As a 19 year old nursing student (25 years ago) I had a perimenopausal woman admitted for abnormal lady partsl bleeding. She swore that her liver came out of her lady parts...even after I and then my instructor tried to educate her how this was NOT possible.
My Mom believes that taking over the counter cold medicine "cures" a cold and should be taken just like an antibiotic...7-10 days even if you're feeling better. No convincing her it is only symptom control. Oddly, she thinks I'm pretty smart and listens to 99% of my nursing advice, but will not give this one up. Yells at me for not taking more! LOL
In the labor and delivery department, a teenager came in alone, having contractions. The was very panicked, but not because of the pain or the contractions. We later found out she was so upset because she thought the baby was going to pop out her belly button!! Goodness, I'd be terrified too! A great opportunity to do some education.
In the labor and delivery department, a teenager came in alone, having contractions. The was very panicked, but not because of the pain or the contractions. We later found out she was so upset because she thought the baby was going to pop out her belly button!! Goodness, I'd be terrified too! A great opportunity to do some education.
How the heck do you have sex, get pregnant, and not know where that baby is gonna come from? Where was her mother? Good grief!
Specializes in GERIATRICS,HOSPICE,MENTAL/PHYS DISABILED.
The fellow on the stretcher I was taking to XR explained in detail about his 2 clots in his legs "It's a good thing I don't have 3 legs, 'cause then I REALLY be in trouble".
Specializes in GERIATRICS,HOSPICE,MENTAL/PHYS DISABILED.
In the labor and delivery department, a teenager came in alone, having contractions. The was very panicked, but not because of the pain or the contractions. We later found out she was so upset because she thought the baby was going to pop out her belly button!! Goodness, I'd be terrified too! A great opportunity to do some education.
Poor girl(she just didn't know no better,bless her little heart!) It's still very funny though.
I was at an urgent care today and the wait was l-o-n-g. A woman brought in her mother & decided she didn't like the wait so she told her mom if he told them she was having chest pains she would get seen quickly And she did it! I was floored.
I had a patient with sciatica who was having a flare up. She was prescribed a muscle relaxant. I asked if she took it and she said no. So I asked if there was any reason why she didn't want to take her medication and she said that she wasn't going to take muscle relaxants because her heart was a muscle, she was 65 years old, and she didn't want it to relax.:
I just recently asked a question of my nurse kinda related to OP, now I realize how dumb the question was. I was on high doses of Solu-Medrol for a COPD exacerbation and it caused horrible muscle cramps and asked the nurse could the medication cause cramps in my heart since my heart is a muscle and she started laughing. She was not being mean, she just thought it was really funny, and after explaining to me I in turn thought not only was I none too smart, but she was very as well.
:banghead:
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SpEdtacular, MSN, RN, EMT-P
199 Posts