A woman is in one of my rooms, and her oxygen saturation keeps dropping into the mid 70s. Every time I go in, she is still on the oxygen I placed on her, and her numbers rebound. Suspecting foul play, I watch her from where she can’t see me. As soon as she thinks I am gone, she takes it off.
I go in and confront her, and she complains that it dries out her nose. I point out that it is humidified oxygen. She then tells me that she doesn’t want to wear it. I present her with a choice:
- You can wear it or
- refuse to wear it, and when you pass out, we will put a tube down your throat and a machine will breathe for you, or
- Sign out against medical advice
Those are your choices. The next words out of her mouth were “I want to speak to your boss. You are rude.”
I responded with “I am trying to keep you alive. I make no apologies, but let me go get the charge nurse.”
The charge nurse walked in and told her “You are not going to be taking off that oxygen.”
She went online and gave the hospital a one star review and specifically named me as being mean.
People, I swear.
6 Comments
Carrie · November 8, 2024 at 9:14 am
F***ing women.
Every. Single. Time.
Southernborne · November 8, 2024 at 9:33 am
I just can’t understand those people. I just had an incisional hernia repair, followed all instructions, but was still pretty rough. Can’t think what I would feel like if I ignored instructions.
WallPhone · November 8, 2024 at 10:29 am
It’s human nature to reject the first explanation/alternative outright, so always offer a less pleasant one first (_less pleasant_… not the extreme intubation).
I’m no medic… But maybe something like a intranasal application of KY jelly.
When that’s rejected, say “Ok, how about we first try adjusting the humidity level.” Then you crank a couple knobs back and fourth as placebo then ask for her to evaluate if it helped.
MiniMe · November 8, 2024 at 12:07 pm
Was her name “Karen?”
SoCoRuss · November 8, 2024 at 12:58 pm
That’s why we should just let the weak and stupid do weak and stupid stuff. They will kill themselves in some way and the gene pool gets better.
Remember you cant argue with stupid. At least she didn’t light up a cigarette in her room.
I seen 3 house fires in our area this year from morons on oxy that still smoke while using it. Unfortunately 2 survived. Now they will probably sue someone for them being a moron.
Stealth Spaniel · November 8, 2024 at 1:27 pm
Entitlement on full display-I want what I want and your education be damned. You can NEVER get these people to think clearly, precisely, or in a selfless manner. It’s the burden of our times. Medical professionals do what they do 24/7-even in the home-so follow their advice and live another day!