Your Call Light is On Can I help YOU?

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he he! i got this idea for a thread starter from a previous post. what was one or more of the funniest or weirdest requests you have gotten when a call light was put on?

here is one to start:

can you change my tampon? (from a perfectly capeable 30 something to a really embarassed male nurse)

Specializes in neuro, ICU/CCU, tropical medicine.
RE: suctioning. The SAME thing happened to me in clinical. No one had told me and nothing in the textbook prepared me for the coughing/gagging that takes place. I thought I had done something wrong and was killing the patient! LOL.

I almost passed out the first time I saw a guy suctioned.

That image helped me to quit smoking!

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
re: suctioning. the same thing happened to me in clinical. no one had told me and nothing in the textbook prepared me for the coughing/gagging that takes place. i thought i had done something wrong and was killing the patient! lol.

we had a dummy in our school lab that coughed when suctioned!

jess

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this is a little different, but i hate it when the answer is "can you send my nurse in?" and the person answering says something similar to "what can she/he help you with?" answer: "i just need to see my nurse!" then the nurse runs in, and what's wrong? "i need some tissues/water/my tv on, etc."

ugh! :grn:

jess

as a patient the only time i pull the "i need my nurse" card is when i need to pee or something like that which i do not wish to announce to the whole world, which i would need her for anyway to disconnect my iv so that i can leave my bed.

..on an imc unit...

imc????

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Specializes in Adult Acute Care Medicine.

I had a pt detoxing the other night - A/0x 1-2.

When I went in to anwer his call light, he smiled, looked up at me and asked: "So, what do you do for a living?" :rolleyes:

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

this one just happened last night.

the call light was on i went into the room.

me: mr. x your light was on what can i do for you?

patient: you can tell me where i am. :chuckle:chuckle

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.
we had a dummy in our school lab that coughed when suctioned!

jess

our school lab has a couple of the dummy patients that do all sorts of things for us, but evidently we didn't use them when we were doing our parenteral medication lab.

i had become so proficient with sq injections that i could just about do them single handedly. i knoew my landmarks, i knew the gauges and the syringe sizes, ampules, bottles, etc. you can imagine my surprise (and probably my horror) when, during my first real live injection of heparin to my patient's abdomen, he jumped and said "***** ******, ouch!" i didn't know what i had done, and it had never occurred to me that it might sting. after all, the lab dummy never made a sound! i stood there with my mouth open and my clinical instructor quickly assurred the patient that this one "does sting a little". i must have started nodding like an idiot at the patient, because my ci walked with me out of the room, asked me if i was alright, and then busted a gut laughing at my reaction!

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years and years ago, i was working in a step-down unit in a world famous hospital. some of the patients wanted to pay more for private duty nurses to fluff their pillows, hold their straws while they drank, etc. etc. most of the private duty nurses were retired hospital nurses -- hey it was an easy job. they'd spend their night shifts knitting, working crosswords or reading unless the patient was awake and demanding some pillow fluffing. one night, i'm sitting at the desk watching the monitors, and the call light went off at the end of the hall. since i was alone, and i knew the patient had a private duty nurse, i just let it ring. and ring. and ring.

then the patient went off the monitor, and it was with a feeling of enormous dread that i started down the hall toward the still-ringing call light. and met the patient loping down the hall toward me, trailing his ecg leads.

"help!" he screamed. "you got to do something for my nurse; i think something's wrong with her."

sure enough, she was sitting in her chair, knitting in her lap, deader than a doornail.

poor guy...that would be horrible to have happen. but o man is it funny to us since it wasnt us. lol.

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That's the sweetest thing, it made me cry...I love it, I can't wait to be a nurse!

What's the IMC unit? Is it elderly?

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That's the sweetest thing, it made me cry...I love it, I can't wait to be a nurse!

What's the IMC unit? Is it elderly?

(In response to Maolin, page 3 of this thread)

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

CALL LIGHT COMMANDO.

The family puts the call light on to say to me when I arrve at the patient's door: "we are teaching Dad how to use the call light"! "See Dad, it works."

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While working in Newborn Nursery/ postpartum we had a new mom call out and ask if she could feed her newborn a grape:uhoh3::no:?!? I quickly went to check on the baby.

Sad thing was that she worked at a day care.

Ashlee

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Specializes in MICU, ER, SICU, Home Health, Corrections.

Heh.. yeah...

Me: Can I help you?

Pt: No, I'm ok for now.

5min later....

Me: Can I help you?

Pt: No, I'm still ok, thanks for checking though.

10min later....

Me: Can I help you?

Pt: I don't think I need anything right now. Oh, wait...

just of curiosity, what's this cord and button tied to my rail for? I pressed it a few times but nothing happens....

rb

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