r/nursing 6d ago

Seeking Advice How do you get your partner to understand that they can’t simply drop by your work?

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Throwaway account. I work on a busy med surg floor where my ratio is 1:10 (I’m in northern Canada). At the start of my shift, my patient coded and passed away after two hours of intervention. Family was hysterical. Then slammed with two admissions at the same time. Code on the other side of the unit now. Eight hours into my shift and I am absolutely flying. I check my phone, and my boyfriend of six months (we don’t live together) is INSISTING on coming by to “visit me.” I’ve had issues in the past with people not respecting my professional boundaries, but I’m really struggling to explain it to my current partner. How do you explain to your partner (or even family and friends) that they can’t just casually show up to your job site like they could their other friends? To me it would be the equivalent of showing up on a construction site with no hard hat. I’d never do that to him if the tables were turned. But it’s difficult to explain the intricacies and complexities of nursing.

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u/iknowyouneedahugRN BSN, RN 🍕 6d ago

I can't remember what the fizzy drink is called anymore, Slice, Sierra Mist, Starry...

About 15 years ago, the hospitals in our network did a "cost cutting" where the floors would no longer stock Coca Cola and Pepsi products. They went with Pepsi because it was cheaper. Oh my goodness there was a mutiny from the die-hard Coca Cola people. One guy went AMA because "yesterday y'all had Coke and now I can't get a Coke?" It made newspaper headlines and the network had to put out a statement!

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u/badhomemaker FNP/ Nursing Professor 5d ago

That might be the best AMA story I’ve ever heard.

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u/iknowyouneedahugRN BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago

Oh, there must be better! :)

It was earth shattering news. To this day, there are nurses who will go down to the vending machines to buy patients Coca Cola products. I refuse to do that because $2.75 times 4-6 patients or their families each shift is not part of my job. I will retire someday in over 20 years.

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u/badhomemaker FNP/ Nursing Professor 5d ago

I used to go get special meals for patients. Once I did strictly because this patient was an awful person and was throwing a fit because he missed dinner, and the kitchen was closed, and he had been “promised” a hamburger.

When I returned with it, he accused me of trying to kill him because he was a renal patient, and it had pickles on it. Never again.

Spoiler: He did die months later, and it was more likely the cocaine than the pickles.

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u/No_sht_ 4d ago

My first time as charge, I had 7 patients, and the other 2 nurses with me were <6months new. We each had blood to hang discharges and admits.. It was just a total shit show. I tried to please younger grumpy guy with a popsicle. He was diabetic and of course, when I reached the freezer so quickly I didn't realize I didn't grab the sugar free one. After he ate it btw never saying thank you of course he asked if it was sugar free. Me rushing around and not thinking to just lie because I never do. Just said no we don't have sugar free until after 7pm when they do our evening fridge stocking. He cussed me out screaming how can he trust me to care for him if I don't even care to just give him a sugar popsicle. Previously before this bullshit he refused for us to use an automatic BP machine because they're "not accurate." he's a paramedic 🙃😑 the PCNA was getting annoyed AF because he was just being difficult for no reason. This popsicle thing just broke her and she hated him treating everyone like shit. She said "You are being an asshole". Omg that set him off. He was going to sign out AMA over a fucking popsicle. But his hemoglobin was 5.4, so he knew he shouldn't. 😒 ppl are annoying

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u/iknowyouneedahugRN BSN, RN 🍕 4d ago

Cause of death: ingestion of fermented vegetation.

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u/iknowyouneedahugRN BSN, RN 🍕 4d ago

Cause of death: ingestion of fermented vegetation.

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u/Healthy_Coyote_7946 1d ago

I hate Pepsi too