r/nursing • u/kpsi355 RN - ER 🍕 • Mar 29 '22

Nursing Hacks What’s a little white lie you tell the completely confused patient?

I’m always telling the cirrhosis dude his truck is in the shop. Then I tell him his buddy dared him to “shoot” his lactulose and give him a sprite chaser.

1.0k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

343 comments sorted by

View all comments

346

u/eggo_pirate RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Mar 29 '22

We can't go home tonight. Big winter storm, they closed the highway.

Your clothes are down in laundry, as soon as they're done, we can get dressed and go.

"Son/Daughter" already called, said they got stuck at work, they'll take you home in the morning.

I need help with the laundry, can you help me fold these towels?

Gotta get to sleep, big day tomorrow.

So many more

367

u/andishana RN - ICU 🍕 Mar 29 '22

I was doing the folding towels thing with a patient at the nurse's station one night when she finally got frustrated and just hollered "Can't anyone here do their own fucking laundry?"

193

u/eggo_pirate RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Mar 29 '22

I love that. I tried it with an older guy (90s) and he flat out told me no, that's women's work, he'll be out in the garage, call when supper is ready.

88

u/[deleted] Mar 29 '22

A good alternative (but not sure how feasible it would be in institutions) is having someone sort bolts into a tackle box or something with lots of slots. Do not try with the ones that put everything in their mouth.

67

u/ranhayes BSN, RN 🍕 Mar 29 '22

Had one ask when she was getting paid.

121

u/[deleted] Mar 29 '22

My grandad was a wanderer high falls risk in his nursing home, but when he was younger he was on the committee that was in charge of the home. He was awful when sundowning so they would ask him for help sorting out the towels. A few days later he said to my dad "They expect so much from me with all these jobs they are making me do, I think they forget that I'm older now and I'm just not fit to do all this physical work like before."

2

u/kate_skywalker RN - Endoscopy 🍕 Mar 29 '22

😂😂😂

54

u/50shadesofPuppies Mar 29 '22

Had one confused, fall risk on med/surg that finished folding the basket of towels I gave her. I took it out in the hall and shook them all up, brought it back and said "I'm so sorry, but they just gave me some more. Mind folding these?". She gave the loudest sigh and said "Fine, but you're going to have to pay me overtime for this".

4

u/qxrhg BSN, RN 🍕 Mar 29 '22

Sorry, elevator is out and we're on the 23rd floor. I'll let you know when they get in fixed