Some Patients Can Be An Arm-ful
Australia, Hospital, Nurses, Patients, Perth, Silly, Western Australia | Healthy | April 5, 2018
(My mum told me about this, as I have little memory of it. I had a fall a few weeks ago where I dislocated and fractured my ankle, broke the leg, and tore the ligament. Now, I’m in hospital for day surgery in which I’ve had some pins removed from my ankle. I get wheeled into recovery. My mum and her best friend are waiting next to my bed while I wake up properly. The nurses are doing vitals checks every 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, I’m facing mum and her friend, and I’m still fairly groggy, so this intrusion of my sleep is starting to annoy me.)
Nurse: “Hello again. Sorry to wake you, but can I get your arm please, [My Name]?”
Me: “Ugh, fiiiiine.”
(The nurse checks my blood pressure.)
Nurse: “All righty, all done.”
(The next time the nurse starts to come over, my mum tells me
Mum: “Love, the nurse is coming over.”
Me: “Please excuse my back.” *turns over as the nurse approaches and raises my arm up* “Just take the arm.”
Nurse: “I’m sorry, what?”
Me: “Take my arm back with you to do checks so I can sleep.”
(My mum, her friend, and the nurse laugh.)
Nurse: “I’m sorry, hun; I can’t do that. We’d end up with so many arms at the nurses’ station, it would become inconvenient for everyone, especially those who the arms belong to.”
(I was discharged a couple hours later. I know checking vitals is very important, but at the time sleep was way more important.)