Monday, January 3, 2011

Early morning hospital rounds

I'm sitting at the nurses station, reading a chart. A nurse comes over.

Nurse Query: "Dr. Grumpy, I have a question on Mrs. Stroke."

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes?"

Nurse Query: "You ordered a head and neck MRA?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes."

Nurse Query: "So you want us to do a head and neck MRA?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes."

Nurse Query: "Now, the hospitalist ordered a brain MRI. So should we cancel that?"

Dr. Grumpy: "No. They all need to be done."

Nurse Query: "You want a brain MRI? Even though you're already doing a head and neck MRA?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes."

Nurse Query: "Do we need to do a neck MRI, too? Since we're doing a neck MRA?"

Dr. Grumpy: "No."

Nurse Query (walking away): "I'm sorry, but these orders are confusing."
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17 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    *head to desk*

    Tell me this is med/surg and not just a neuro floor.

    Wonder why she didn't ask you what the difference? I doubt you look like you bite.

    SkullCandy-->non doc/non RN, and I know the difference

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 9:40 AM

    Always listen to the Nurse, she knows something is not right there, she is really trying to pin it down. And what it looks like is that subjecting the patient to additional test may be problematic. Every Dr. who orders up an MRI should be required to have one , just so they are properly schooled.

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  3. OMDGJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    Why didn't she just ask you what the difference between the tests was?

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  4. staceyJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    If she asked the difference it would show that she didn't already know. She'd rather just remain ignorant and throw her hands up, then learn.

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  5. M2January 3, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    Anonymous 8:40 AM, I can't tell if you're being serious. If you are, please go read about why a brain MRI and head and neck MRA are entirely different tests.

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  6. terri cJanuary 3, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    DON'T let this nurse float to hospice!!!!!!! PLEEEAAAASSE!!!!

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  7. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    Well... at least she asked instead of just cancelling one.

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  8. ERPJanuary 3, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    Hello, McFly?!

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  9. OutreJanuary 3, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    M2,

    I think Anonymous 8:40 am must have had a bad MRI experience.

    The only time I had a bad one was when both techs were super bitches PMSing at the same time. I thought they’d chew my head off. I just put myself in a trance for the two hours. Though I guess I could say my hyperthermic reaction is a bad experience... no biggie unless the tech insists they put a sheet on me.

    MRA (of my brain) I’d like one just so I can do a 3D reconstruction of my vessels in my noggin and look. I’m a dork and before anyone gets concerned, I’ve done radiology post processing professionally for a while.

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  10. Community RNJanuary 3, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    *HEADDESK* moments like this make me a litle ashamed to be a nurse *sigh*

    xx
    C. RN

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  11. staceyJanuary 3, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    Don't be refusin' no perfusin'!

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  12. jJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:26 PM

    *Looks at medical abbreviations card bought on Amazon*

    MRI is pretty well known, magnetic resonance imaging in the big magnetic donut thingy.

    MRA = magnetic resonance angiography, so I guess they would inject contrast to get images of blood vessels in the area they are talking about

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_angiography

    Huh. Interesting.

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  13. DragonflyJanuary 4, 2011 at 2:44 AM

    MReverything!!!

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  14. staceyJanuary 4, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    MReverything!!!

    that would be an MRE....
    Meals Ready to Eat...

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  15. SaraJanuary 4, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    @j: you're right for the most part, even if not all MRA techniques require contrast injection (eg TOF doesn't).

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  16. The MotherJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    Nope. Not confusing. Confusing is 40 pages of govt forms in no particular order, all of which look exactly alike but must be in one exact order when transmitted.

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  17. jJanuary 5, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    Thank you Sara

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So wadda you think?