Monday, January 20, 2014

Weekend on call

On Saturday night I was at the nurses station, writing a note. A demented elderly man kept calling for his daughter, (who'd gone home for the night).


Patient: "Dana! Dana! Dana!"

Nurse: "Morris, Dana went home. She'll be back in the morning."

Patient: "Dana! Dana! Dana!"

Nurse: "Morris, Dana's not here. You're okay, and she'll be here again tomorrow."

Patient: "Dana! Dana! Dana!"

Nurse (in deep voice): "There is no Dana, only Zuul."


at

12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 20, 2014 at 4:24 AM

    Awesome!

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  2. CatbirdJanuary 20, 2014 at 4:31 AM

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

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  3. ronstewJanuary 20, 2014 at 10:38 AM

    That is the kind of Dr Grumpy story that starts the week off right!

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  4. bobbieJanuary 20, 2014 at 1:43 PM

    But had the pt. been slimed???

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 20, 2014 at 6:01 PM

    Oh, lmao! The deep belly kind...that nurse rocks!

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  6. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2014 at 11:12 AM

    To make fun of someone with dementia is cruel and inappropriate. I hope none of the people reading and responding to this EVER have a relative with such a terrible disease. I hope they never end up suffering from it themselves, and have a "nurse" (and I use the term lightly) make them the centre of a joke because they can't be bothered finding a solution to the problem. Treat people with respect; treat them with the respect you'd want for yourself and your loved ones no matter what your state of physical and/or mental health. I read here regularly, but this time I have to say: not funny Dr Grumpy.

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  7. bluetoothbuddhaJanuary 21, 2014 at 12:50 PM

    Dear Anonymous @ 11:12 AM,

    So why are you "reading here regularly," where Dr G makes "inappropriate and cruel" fun of all his other neurology patients?

    Come on, it's all in good jest. I mean, if we docs and nurses didn't have these little gems to snicker at, we'd all go stark raving.

    However, I agree with you in that I didn't find this one funny either. Whoever makes fun of the Ghostbusters? Ibee will be cracking jokes about Beetlejuice next.

    That's how you start the slow slide towards dissing Star Trek.

    Shudder.

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  8. DVMJanuary 21, 2014 at 3:34 PM

    Relax, Anonymous. The joke wasn't being made at the expense of the patient. It was simply a recognition of someone calling the name Dana. I might have made the same joke if I heard a coworker calling out for someone named Dana a few times, or if I heard a kid on the playground calling their friend Dana repeatedly. Doesn't make it workplace harassment or child abuse. You're off-target here.

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  9. MooseJanuary 21, 2014 at 10:40 PM

    Better than what the demented patients always screamed when I was in the hospital -- "Help! They're attacking me! Get out of here! Who are you? HELP! CALL THE POLICE!"

    All. Frikkin. Night.

    And I challenge the Anonymous Coward, who wants to whine about making an innocent joke in a stressful situation, to define what the "solution" the nurse should have come up with.

    Claim she was Dana? Great, lying to your patient is such a good idea.

    Get the patient medicated into a stupor so he no longer notices what's around him? Sure, except that the elderly typically don't handle such medications well and it could hasten his death.

    So what do should be done, Anonymous Coward? Because I'll tell you this -- those of us who actually have and have had to deal with relatives with dementia, and don't hide behind anonymity to admit it (or claim it), know that sometimes you need a little humor to offset what is sometimes non-stop stress in a no-win situation.

    In conclusion, bite me.

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  10. tbunniJanuary 22, 2014 at 10:15 AM

    Right on, Moose! And thank you to all the others who defended that nurse. Both my parents died after long bouts with Alzheimer's disease. Let me tell you - you either learn to find whatever humor you can in the situations or you loose your sanity, too.

    My father saw squirrels (cute ones) and my mother said "I don't remember forgetting anything!" Did I laugh in their faces? Of course not! They are my parents, and deserving of respect. Do I still chuckle over this stuff? You bet I do. And I hope that when I develop Alheimers (chances are very high I will) that my son can find something I do or say to help him to keep his sanity.

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  11. Frantic PharmacistJanuary 26, 2014 at 11:29 PM

    This chick is TOAST !!!!!

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  12. PiperChristianFebruary 11, 2014 at 2:24 AM

    In a perfect world, Morris' response to that would have been, "My, what a lovey singing voice you must have!"

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So wadda you think?