Things you've had to do to get care done...

14 There was a little blind and nearly deaf guy admitted to the nh I was working at. His family had him at home, and really tried to take care of him, but he was like a little x-ray in a gown, with decubs everywhere, and getting worse. PT was dealing with wound care, but he had some sort of irritation to his penis. OK....deaf and blind guy, and I've got to put ointment on his penis. I certainly didn't want to go in and flip his gown up and start lubing him up...

I went in, and let him know I was there- and that I had ointment for his penis (voice raised and slower than normal). He says "What?"....a bit louder "I've got salve for your penis'...... " WHAT?"..... "I"VE GOT SALVE FOR YOUR D*CK"...." O-KAY"..... I then had to go out to the pod (20 patients' rooms per pod with a sitting area and skylight) where one of the regular visitors was sitting with her loved one.... She just looked at me and smirked, then cracked up....

Sometimes ya gotta say it so they understand, even if it's not correct by 'Tabers'...
I agree. Nurses are the bridge between the health profession and the public. Frequently, the doctor walks away and the patient did not understand one word. We need to talk the talk in the patient's language. For me, one example is teaching a young low-educated couple about pelvic restrictions.

This reminds me of a story my professor told us. She is a Pediactric NP and was interviewing a teen girl. She asked the teen girl when was the last time she had sex. The teen girl said" Its been a minute" My professor looked at the girl and said " It has not been a minute you are sitting right in front me" She later found out that a "minute" is slang for a long time. Ofcourse me being 22 I knew what the teen meant , it was too funny.I agree that you have to use terms the patients are familiar with. I hate the word tits but sometimes that is what they understand.

Long ago when I worked in the med surg unit of a psych hospital we had one elderly patient who would not walk anywhere (day hall, shower, etc.) but would willingly dance. So, to get him where he needed to be I would waltz with him down the hall, then maybe a two step back.Visualize if you can (remembering the era) me in a starched white shirtwaist uniform, white hose, etc, dancing down the hall with a tall, skinny bald old man in hospital pajamas!

Quote from xtxrnSometimes ya gotta say it so they understand, even if it's not correct by 'Tabers'...

When I was a CNA, had a lady with Alzheimer's who could be quite salty with her language. Well, nurse needed to get a cath UA, so she brings reinforcements (because this lady can also be quite combative.) We go in the room, and the nurse is telling her what we're doing, what we need her to do, and lady keeps saying, "What?" So I solved the situation. "[Insert name here]! Show us your pu$$y!" She spreads her legs and says, "You want to look at this??" Things then went just fine.

Quote from woohWe go in the room, and the nurse is telling her what we're doing, what we need her to do, and lady keeps saying, "What?" So I solved the situation. "[Insert name here]! Show us your pu$$y!" She spreads her legs and says, "You want to look at this??" Things then went just fine.

Well, I personally would have stopped at the word p***y. For the women, I would refer to it as "down below." Most every one of them understood what that meant.

Yuck, I just barfed

Years ago, I worked at a university with a large international student population. Had to do rectal cultures on a gentleman from China who wanted to work in the cafeteria. There was a powerful language barrier ... three attempts to explain the procedure verbally produced a lot of blank looks and a tube of urine. I finally drew a stick figure, complete with the appropriate effluents from urethra and rectum. When I pointed to the fluid and said "pee" and shook my head "no", he seemed to understand. Then I pointed to the solid waste and said "feces" he looked blank. When I used the tos-violating expletive, he got it! And got the culture properly. By the end of the visit, we were both laughing uproariously ... lucky he was so good-humored about it all!

I couldn't use the word pu$$Y to a patient. Down south, your vagina (as old people seem to think they only have one hole down there) or something. I think I would stutter on the P word. lol

LOL

A bit off topic, but reminded me of something.....I was looking after an 89 year old Jewish grandmother on the evening shift. The MD had ordered Premarin vag cream for her at HS. So I filled the applicator, went in to the pt and explained to her what it was and why the doctor had ordered it. Asked her if it was okay to administer the med and she said yes. I inserted the applicator full of cream and she smiled and me and said "Wow. I haven't had anything in there for a long time....." Good thing she had a sense of humour because I couldn't keep a straight face.....