You know your nurse brain is still at work when....

[EmpathyInAction]

You see a curved tube from a broken shampoo pump on the floor and your first thought is "Why is that trach tube on the floor??"

Feel free to add your own.

[ixchel]

When you accidentally explain too much to your kid and they tell the school nurse they either have urerus pain or gas (uterus sounds funny when an 8 year old says it)

My littles are quite outgoing on proper anatomical terms and lately have learned the Bristol stool scale. lol My husband, being a totally conservative, Christian, turns 18 shades of red when "lady parts" flies casually out of Girl Child's mouth.

[ixchel]

My own contribution, if I call the on call provider for me or family....

"I'm calling for my daughter, Girl Child, whose DOB is 1/1/1901. She has no previous medical history, and was in her usual state of health until Saturday when she developed n&v. Five episodes of vomiting since then, decreased appetite but still eating small amounts, small fever not going over 100 orally. This morning she awakened to vomiting (with clear, green emesis) and RUQ pain rated 5/10."

She was okay, btw. [emoji5]️ Empty tummy during stomach bug. Not the kindest combo.

[kiszi, RN]

My own contribution, if I call the on call provider for me or family....

"I'm calling for my daughter, Girl Child, whose DOB is 1/1/1901. She has no previous medical history, and was in her usual state of health until Saturday when she developed n&v. Five episodes of vomiting since then, decreased appetite but still eating small amounts, small fever not going over 100 orally. This morning she awakened to vomiting (with clear, green emesis) and RUQ pain rated 5/10."

She was okay, btw. [emoji5]️ Empty tummy during stomach bug. Not the kindest combo.

LOL so hard!! I do that too. Whenever I give "report" to my kids' nurse or doc, there's always that too-long-awkward-pause. Then I realize what I just sounded like.

Glad your girl was ok.

[cindy_webb]

When I answer my cell phone with the clinics name and start noticing vein quality in random strangers arms!

[1056chris]

Do this one all the time

[mtjoanna]

Yup--done that many times! Except not the calivianya part. :)

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

When I fill out a history at a Dr's office I use medical shorthand. For example; ORIF R distal fibula 1996 or MVI qd.

Also, when you are anywhere and you see someone with high BMI, wheezing, smoking, and edema so you mentally note the location of staff and AEDs.

[amb218, BSN, RN]

When I'm walking on the street and I start assessing the gait of people walking toward me and I immediately notice if they are pigeon-toed or have bowed knees...

[sharpeimom]

When I go into our bathroom and immediately look for the I&O sheet.

When I give our dog a Benadryl in pill pocket and immediately write them both down in the margin of the morning paper.

If one of the cats or dogs gets a scratch or cut, I'll take a quick picture of it so I can be sure it's healing.

The vet knows you can remove sutures and calls you to say you should

go ahead and remove them since it's so cold. He's already given me a couple "just in case" suture removal kits before.

[Loracs72]

Uhh . . . What is SBAR?

I am in your age range and I had to ask also. Never heard it when I worked as a nurse !

[Loracs72]

When I dream I started a KPhos drip in a peripheral vein and it infiltrated.

When I dream my CRRT machine was set up wrong when I came on shift and I had to troubleshoot quick to save the patient.

When I dream I get a really unstable CABG back and I have another patient having neuro changes at the same time.

I dream about work waaaaay too much!!! Wish I could quit it!!!!

I'm retired and still have those dreams !

[Kitiger, RN]

I am in your age range and I had to ask also. Never heard it when I worked as a nurse !

But ... What is SBAR? I still don't know.