Just For Fun

[adiescast]

We had a dialysis patient that kept showing up in our ER on the weekends with what looked like a transfusion reaction. We had not transfused her and were not able to get a transfusion history, but identified 4 antibodies. After about the third time this happened, we were finally able to find out that a nearby transfusion service was providing blood to be transfused at a nearby dialysis center. The transfusion service had only identified three of the four antibodies. We informed them about the fourth (you'd think they would have found it by then!) and the ER visits stopped.

:eek:

[L106]

So he called to inform me that he wanted to give the patient 3 units of blood and to get him 3 O negs ready since the O negs dont have any antigens present. Long and short he got 2 B Pos and 1 B neg. The patient it turns out has a C,E,D,Lea,Fya, and Jkb. Of course he signed for them.

I think I'm missing something. Why did the patient receive 2 B Pos units?

[John C. Staley]

It is a wonder that ANY patient actually makes it out of the hospital...I have always told everyone I know that if they have a loved-one in the hospital for any reason to make sure someone is there with them 24/7 to verify EVERYTHING being done....IV solutions, medications, etc etc. It is a crying shame to be so paranoid, I know, but I have have seen so much stupidity that I guess it has warped me!

!!!!!!

Not so very long ago I really got on the bad side of one of the Nurse administrators. We were discussing one particularly stupid act accomplished by one of her stellar nurses and I made the comment that; "Any time a patient leaves the hospital alive it's inspite of us not because of us!!". She was not pleased but then she is a stellar example of the Peter Principle.

:faq::faq:

[L106]

Ouch!!! As I've recently told Malcolm yesterday, I bet you didn't make it to the finalist list of that Nurse administrators' "Favorite Person of the Day" award!!

Not too long ago, someone accomplished a stupid act (as you say), or perhaps demonstrated incredibly poor judgment in a situation. When investigated, guess who the individual was? Yup! The Nursing Director of the Department. (Makes you want to throw in the towel, doesn't it?)

[jcdayaz]

Had one just yesterday, patient seen in the ED with warfarin toxicity and GI bleed. Patient family informed the ED staff that she had history of antibodies. Patient transferred to the floor, where she continued to go down, her Hgb got to 4.1. Her admitting wanted blood (which she did need) and needed it now. So he called to inform me that he wanted to give the patient 3 units of blood and to get him 3 O negs ready since the O negs dont have any antigens present. Long and short he got 2 B Pos and 1 B neg. The patient it turns out has a C,E,D,Lea,Fya, and Jkb. Of course he signed for them.

Patient outcome?? Those are some VERY serious antibodies....which you don't need me to tell you.

This story sounds bad, VERY bad for the patient!!!!!

[jcdayaz]

or perhaps demonstrated incredibly poor judgment in a situation. When investigated, guess who the individual was? Yup! The Nursing Director of the Department. (Makes you want to throw in the towel, doesn't it?)

There are many days I have considered "throwing in the towel". It seems sometimes we continually beat our heads against the proverbial brick wall and make no progress whatsoever!!

I must confess, however to being saved by the number of times I have aided in saving a peron's life. There is no better feeling for me, and I am assuming all of us, than to know you made a difference.

[jcdayaz]

Here's a real "Just for Fun" one.... I worked second shift in a hospital Blood Bank for 8 years. I was the only blood banker on this shift. I could get some help from non-blood bankers if I needed it. This was in a large transplant hospital for a region of 4 states in the US. To get to the story....I was working a liver transplant one night and after around 50-75 units of products ordered I was getting overwhelmed. Duh, when it goes bad it GOES BAD!! Anyway, our floater (limited blood bank experience) returned from his dinner break I told him immediately I needed help right NOW!! He was eating a popsicle upon his entry into the lab. After I told him I needed his help right now he put his popsicle in the FFP freezer. (Don't tell anyone). After the crisis situation was over he took his popsicle out of the FFP freezer and placed it directly on his tongue!! Well, guess what happened??? Yep, it STUCK THERE!!! We eventually got it off....but there was blood involved!!!! Even warm water wouldn't loosen the popsicle.!!!!!

[jeanne.wall]

Not so very long ago I really got on the bad side of one of the Nurse administrators. We were discussing one particularly stupid act accomplished by one of her stellar nurses and I made the comment that; "Any time a patient leaves the hospital alive it's inspite of us not because of us!!". She was not pleased but then she is a stellar example of the Peter Principle.

Following a very inept question from a nursing supervisor, a technologist blurted out the question that has become the standard response - How many IQ Tests did you need to flunk to get your RN? It truely has become the most used "under your breath" or "behind closed door" response to let off steam. It really seems true, although from the other side the RNs do things I wouldn't want to do - just hope every one makes it out alive, so to speak.

[L106]

How many IQ Tests did you need to flunk to get your RN?

Oh, how cruel!!! (And hilarious!!)

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Carrying on the "cruelty" theme, a long time ago now, when I was working in the Blood Bank at Westminster Medical School (sadly, no longer in existence), the Professor in charge of Surgery was Harold Ellis (a very famous surgeon in the UK, but something of a crusty personality at times).

He was renowned for some of the comments he made in people's references.

One was,

"This doctor has worked entirely to his own satisfaction during his time with me."

And another was,

"This doctor informs me he was my House Officer for the past 6 months."

Ouch!

Mark you, if you did get a good reference from him, I am told you were "made" for life!

:eek::eek:

[John C. Staley]

You can believe this or not but I have been know to ask Nurses on special occasions where it was obvious that the thought process was nonexistant; "While in your first year of Nursing School did it hurt very much when they drilled the hole in your head and sucked out half your brain?"

Obviously I was never nominated as "Favorite Lab Person of the Year" by the nursing staff.

:chainsaw:

[adiescast]

We had someone just yesterday (I don't know if it was a nurse) call the blood bank and ask about blood. The tech told the caller that we had 4 units ready for the patient. The caller responded "Call us when we can come get the blood." What part of "we have 4 units ready" did they not understand?

[L106]

You can believe this or not but I have been know to ask Nurses on special occasions where it was obvious that the thought process was nonexistant; "While in your first year of Nursing School did it hurt very much when they drilled the hole in your head and sucked out half your brain?"

Obviously I was never nominated as "Favorite Lab Person of the Year" by the nursing staff.

:chainsaw:

If you say that you said it, John, I believe you. (But it is hard to believe that you survived all these years to make it to retirement!)

Donna

[PammyDQ]

Speaking of "cruel"...As a young college student I was supplementing my income as a phlebotomist, my first laboratory job. Obviously it was policy to wake a patient before drawing their blood. One day I went into a patient's room (a regular room, not in ICU, that was right next to the nursing station) and he was apparently sleeping. "Mr. W...I'm here from the lab, time to get your blood drawn" I exclaimed a few times, raising my voice a bit louder each time "Wake up Mr.W", with no effect. (I know what you're thinking, and no, he wasn't expired). So I go out to the nursing station to let them know I couldn't arouse him...and chuckling, the nurses informed me...Mr.W was in fact, in a coma. Gee thanks a lot for allowing me to entertain you during my busy morning run!

[jeanne.wall]

Speaking of "cruel"...As a young college student I was supplementing my income as a phlebotomist, my first laboratory job. Obviously it was policy to wake a patient before drawing their blood. One day I went into a patient's room (a regular room, not in ICU, that was right next to the nursing station) and he was apparently sleeping. "Mr. W...I'm here from the lab, time to get your blood drawn" I exclaimed a few times, raising my voice a bit louder each time "Wake up Mr.W", with no effect. (I know what you're thinking, and no, he wasn't expired). So I go out to the nursing station to let them know I couldn't arouse him...and chuckling, the nurses informed me...Mr.W was in fact, in a coma. Gee thanks a lot for allowing me to entertain you during my busy morning run!

My first lab job was washing glassware – showing my age there – but I did graduate to phlebotomy later in the summer. I can remember working morning collection rounds long after obtaining both my MT and SBB and was working as the Blood Bank Supervisor (nothing exempted you from morning rounds), I was able to wake my patient. Introduced myself and was preparing to draw the patient’s blood only to be asked how much longer I’d have had to go to school to be a nurse! As kindly as possible, trying to leave a good impression for clinical laboratorians everywhere, I explained that I would need to give back 3 years of education and a certification exam. I was still shaking my head when I returned to the lab and I think the patient still wondered why I would do all that “extra†work and not be a nurse.

[jcdayaz]

You can believe this or not but I have been know to ask Nurses on special occasions where it was obvious that the thought process was nonexistant; "While in your first year of Nursing School did it hurt very much when they drilled the hole in your head and sucked out half your brain?"

Obviously I was never nominated as "Favorite Lab Person of the Year" by the nursing staff.

:chainsaw:

I am laughing right now! Love this one!! Did you manage to keep your job?

[jcdayaz]

The tech told the caller that we had 4 units ready for the patient. The caller responded "Call us when we can come get the blood." What part of "we have 4 units ready" did they not understand?

UUUGGGHHH! Why must we battle on a daily basis to interact with healthcare "professionals"????? There doesn't seem to be anything "professional" about a large majority of them!!!!!!!!!!!!

[John C. Staley]

I am laughing right now! Love this one!! Did you manage to keep your job?

I usually managed to make such comments witha smile. Generally when they were made the person I was making them too recognized the level of "***** up" they had been involved in and realized that complaining about my attitude would only get them into more trouble.

Also, keep in mind I've been married to a nurse for 34 years. It wasn't until she stopped being a floor nurse and became an educator that she came to realize the truth of my statement; "They just don't get it." usually applied to patient identification.

I one time had an L&D nusrse tell me that it was impossible for her to transfuse the wrong blood to the wrong patient whether they had any identification or not!! There was no reasoning with her so I finally told her that she was playing in my world now and she would play by my rules.

:blahblah:

[BankerGirl]

Speaking of "cruel"...As a young college student I was supplementing my income as a phlebotomist, my first laboratory job. Obviously it was policy to wake a patient before drawing their blood. One day I went into a patient's room (a regular room, not in ICU, that was right next to the nursing station) and he was apparently sleeping. "Mr. W...I'm here from the lab, time to get your blood drawn" I exclaimed a few times, raising my voice a bit louder each time "Wake up Mr.W", with no effect. (I know what you're thinking, and no, he wasn't expired). So I go out to the nursing station to let them know I couldn't arouse him...and chuckling, the nurses informed me...Mr.W was in fact, in a coma. Gee thanks a lot for allowing me to entertain you during my busy morning run!

I had this (almost) same situation many years ago, only it was the patient's roommate who finally said to me,"Honey, I think her family would appreciate it if you could waker her up, but she hasn't woke up once in the week that I've been here." The patient seemed to be snoring and everything! Her snorts would change when I (gently) shook her, just like my husband's do. I never realized that patients in a coma could snore! Unfortunately the patient died three days later.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

I had this (almost) same situation many years ago, only it was the patient's roommate who finally said to me,"Honey, I think her family would appreciate it if you could waker her up, but she hasn't woke up once in the week that I've been here." The patient seemed to be snoring and everything! Her snorts would change when I (gently) shook her, just like my husband's do. I never realized that patients in a coma could snore! Unfortunately the patient died three days later.

PLEASE, will you teach my wife how to "shake gently"? Sometimes when she bashes me when I'm snoring, it's a wonder I don't end up in a coma!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eek::eek:

[BankerGirl]

Well, Malcolm, I'm not sure my husband would say that I shake him gently either. I start that way, but it never seems to get the desired result, so I end up punching. That usually elicits a scowl from him. I think that I might receive more than a scowl if I punched a patient, though.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Well, Malcolm, I'm not sure my husband would say that I shake him gently either. I start that way, but it never seems to get the desired result, so I end up punching. That usually elicits a scowl from him. I think that I might receive more than a scowl if I punched a patient, though.

Well I agree that making a patient scowl might be against the rules, but, in my case, I'm just too darn scared to scowl!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eek::eek:

[jcdayaz]

PLEASE, will you teach my wife how to "shake gently"? Sometimes when she bashes me when I'm snoring, it's a wonder I don't end up in a coma!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eek::eek:

Ha Ha....there are times I would like to not SHAKE my husband awake, but use a baseball bat instead!!!!! I think I like your wife!!!

[jcdayaz]

I can remember working morning collection rounds long after obtaining both my MT and SBB and was working as the Blood Bank Supervisor (nothing exempted you from morning rounds), I was able to wake my patient. Introduced myself and was preparing to draw the patient’s blood only to be asked how much longer I’d have had to go to school to be a nurse! As kindly as possible, trying to leave a good impression for clinical laboratorians everywhere, I explained that I would need to give back 3 years of education and a certification exam. I was still shaking my head when I returned to the lab and I think the patient still wondered why I would do all that “extra†work and not be a nurse.

WOW! So it sounds like a universal phenomenon that nurses are considered "smarter" than we are!!:mad::mad:

Could there be ANYTHING further from the truth???:mad:

[TimOz]

I hope this makes sense but it should if you have ever met a Kiwi (New Zealander) with a typical North Island Accent. Watch Flight of the Concords if you want to hear something close.

I had a Kiwi colleague phone me to ask if some reagents were OK because (I will try to spell what she said phonetically) "There was no slucker puck in the chully bun".

After about 5 minutes of confusion it turns out that a "flexible gel cold pack" in NZ is called a "Slicker pack" for reasons unknown. A "Chilly Bin" is a brand of insulated cooler that has become the generic name for styrofoam insulated cooler. Say it with their accent and it is very humourous.

By the way, they also tend to call a road speed bump or speed hump a "Judder bar". I like that as it is descriptive and omamatopoaeic.

Considering both NZ and Australia have very similar origins, ethnic makeup of the Caucasian invaders, history and (theoretically) speak the same language it is amazing how fast that language can diverge.