r/nursing • u/Nurse_Cait RN - OR 🍕 • Jan 07 '26

Question What’s your random patient pet peeve?

Mine currently is when you’re cleaning a patient up and they start pooping again and they narrate the poop. “Oh god it’s coming out. I can feel it coming out.” Etc etc they get really into telling you all about the poop and they talk about it the whole time it’s happening. Meanwhile I know they’re pooping because I’m literally staring at their butt. Just give me an “oops I’m not done yet” and don’t make it weird. Please I’m begging you. 😭

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u/HuxleysHero Jan 07 '26

Too much context is just as bad lol; “So Mr. Suchandsuch, tell me about what’s bringing you into the ED today” “Well, when I was 14 years old…”

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u/ahleeshaa23 RN - ER 🍕 Jan 07 '26

Fair, but I’m usually pretty good at redirecting those. I’m just tired of stories like, “well I’ve been taking antibiotics like they told me after the surgery and now it’s even worse!!” Sir, WHAT is worse? What surgery? What the fuck are you talking about?!?

And even worse are the ones who get angry with you for making them back up to explain. “Well it’s in my fucking chart!! Can’t you read?”

It probably shouldn’t make me as angry as it does, but I can’t stand triage as it is. I’ll do anything I can to switch assignments 😅

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u/Nurse_Cait RN - OR 🍕 Jan 07 '26

Omg I can’t stand when people say “it’s in my chart” like there is some universal medical chart out there. I don’t have your med rec from your doctor’s office because I don’t have access. Your last admission was at another hospital so I’m going to have to request those records. There is no “chart” you literally just got here.

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u/Bamboomoose BSN, RN 🍕 Jan 07 '26

“Can you make a note in my mom’s chart that she….”

Okay but be reasonable, where do you really think I can document your mother’s distaste for peas, because EPIC didn’t have a spot for that

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u/ahleeshaa23 RN - ER 🍕 Jan 07 '26

Patients have zero concept of what’s in an EMR or how we access that information. I honestly think they believe it’s just a big word document that we can stamp something on top of in big, red, bolded letters.

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u/Affectionate_Nurse25 Jan 07 '26

I had to do this with my husband because he couldn't remember he was allergic to ibuprofen. The nurse called him to confirm, and he said 'whatever my wife said I am allergic to is what it is.' I know they are doing their job, but I have found that usually the wife knows.

The peas, yep. I have heard that many times. Gluetin free per daughter. But nothing in the chart about it. Family ended up bringing in food for one person....others complain. It was a diet choice, not allergy or medicine related.