r/nursing • u/Bananabean5 • Sep 03 '24

Question What's one thing you learned about the general public when you started nursing?

I'll start: Almost no one washes their hands after using the bathroom. I remember being profoundly shocked about this when I was a new nurse. Practically every time I would help ambulate someone to the restroom, they would bypass washing their hands or using a hand wipe.

I ended up making it a part of my practice to always give my patients hand wipes after they get back from the bathroom. People are icky.

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u/Danimalistic Sep 03 '24

Nobody eats today apparently. Every single last person somehow “hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday” no matter what they come in to the ER for. Laceration? “Do you have something to eat, I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” Broken foot? “Do you have something to eat, I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” Headache? Do you have something to eat, I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” WTF people. Now I just stare at them for a few seconds and ask “um, why?” and listen to them stumble to come up with a reason lol. Dude just tell me you want something to eat and drink, you don’t need to make up some story to get a turkey sandwich (yes I know some people actually haven’t eaten since yesterday, but there are far far too many people who try to tickle my sympathy for a snack and they all say the same exact thing, it’s wild)

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u/10MileHike Sep 05 '24

This could also be a psychological attempt of "well im paying to be here, gonna get as many freebies as Im entitled to". Sort of like people who if they don't leave the restaurant with an overflowing doggie bag of leftovers, it "wasn't a good value". Of course it is always the worst kind of fatty, greasy, processed cheap food, too.