You just can't make this stuff up!

Spadeforce · Nov 10, 2018

found a 2 foot long turd in the nurses lounge bathroom once. Was the only guy on the floor and it was not mine

Buckeye.nurse · Nov 10, 2018

Many years ago when I worked on a general med-surg unit, we had a psych patient on our floor who was a medical hold until a bed opened up at the psych care facility. He was convinced that he was a rapper, and was furious at us for keeping him from his concert in Chicago. He pressed the call light, and promised to give us each a Grey Hound bus if we would let him go.

All I can think about is the Oprah Winfrey meme.."You get a bus, and you get a bus, and YOU get a bus!!"

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2018

found a 2 foot long turd in the nurses lounge bathroom once. Was the only guy on the floor and it was not mine

Was it at least in the toilet?

Davey Do · Nov 11, 2018

In acute Psych here and just had one of those days where you really can't make this stuff up. I can't really share even general information due to HIPAA but would love your stories of the stuff you have seen.
Hppy

There's a way to share situations without breaching confidentiality, Hppy.

Here's an example of many from https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/workplace-stress-reliever-1177946.html:

I was pulled to the women's psych unit last January and had to deal with, along with my other patients and duties, three high maintenance patients. One was psychotic, throwing a fit and wanted to be discharged AMA. Another was ripping out her stitches from a self-inflicted laceration on her arm.
The third was quite a large young lady with an I.Q. of 62 who was a big behavior problem, among other things, would lay on the floor, and throw temper tantrums.
There were a few code greens that night.

maggiemoo · Nov 11, 2018

Had a resident go outside yesterday with her O2 tank in tow, nasal cannula on and tried to light a cigarette.

Daisy4RN · Nov 11, 2018

Had a resident go outside yesterday with her O2 tank in tow, nasal cannula on and tried to light a cigarette.

I had a patient do this in his hospital room. O2 going and patient lite up a cig in there. Called security because patient refused to put it out and hand over lighter/cigs. They sent Barney Fife who very politely asked the patient who then did put out the cig but refused to hand over the lighter/pack, Barney says OK then proceeds to exit and leave, I was just speechless.

allnurses Guide · Nov 11, 2018

Of course I would never actually say this to a patient - but the shear number of repeat suicide attempts (11 admissions in one 24 hour period) makes me want to advise my frequents to get a new hobby cause they are not good at the one they have.

Hppy

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2018

A woman took scissors to her Clintron bed because she thought her dog was trapped inside of it. (I'm glad I wasn't on call that night. This was in home care).

djh123 · Nov 12, 2018

This isn't psych per se, but it might as well be. Had a pt. with 10 'kids'. Post-op hip fx, so obviously in pain. Dementia. Various 'kids' and spouses (with a handful I never knew who was a son or daughter or son-in-law or daughter-in-law). Constantly asking if/when Mom had a pain med (because of course I have no freakin' powers of observation, knowledge, experience, etc. to decide to offer or give a pain pill). This went on for a week or two, but the crowning 'you just can't make this stuff up!' act was when one of the kids/in-laws calls or texts the Daughter In Charge at work, who then calls ME at work to ask if/when Mom last got a pain pill!!! Because of course, they couldn't have asked ME, who was right there, y'know, because that was just too easy! Right?

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Nov 12, 2018

I had a home care client with psych issues. Among other things, he was terrified of being hit by a tsunami. He lives in the mountains, 4 hours from the ocean.

Back in my ER volunteer days, a man strutted in one afternoon (think John Travolta at the end of "Stayin' Alive") wearing a sparkly, sequined purple shirt, shiny blue jeans, and sparkly mirrored sunglasses. I don't remember what his complaint was, but I've never seen that much sparkle on a man who wasn't doing some kind of dance program.

Davey Do · Nov 12, 2018

Had a resident go outside yesterday with her O2 tank in tow, nasal cannula on and tried to light a cigarette.

A similar situation, maggiemoo:

Recently, a Patient was admitted to the Geriatric Psych Unit who was much younger than the required 55 years of age. This Patient needed to be on humidified oxygen at 5-6L/min/NC and had been transferred to Wrongway from Anomaly Memorial ER. The other Psych Units have oxygen only by concentrators which do not have the ability to use humidifiers.
It seems the Patient lit up a joint while wearing the nasal cannula and suffered burns to their facial area.
My guess is the Patient never saw one of those posters with the bear on preventing fires:

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