Today, I was taking a patient's blood pressure, and listening for his pulse with my stethoscope. I couldn't hear anything, so I adjusted the cuff and tried again. Still no pulse. He pointed out that my stethoscope was the wrong way around and sneered, "You been smokin' the reefer, boy?" FML
Collection
Autumn: Leaves and Laughter
When the leaves fall, the laughter rises. Discover autumn stories as crisp as dried leaves!
Today, a patient at the hospital where I work asked me if he and his son could light up a joint. He was on oxygen, and serious. FML
Today, as I was reviewing my EMS textbook, I decided I would practice taking my own pulse. I started with finding my femoral artery with no success. My mom walked in on me while I had my hand almost up my crotch, muttering to myself, "Why don't I have one?" FML
Today, at work as an EMT, I was telling a panicked patient that I would be taking her vital signs. I inadvertently said that I would be taking her vital organs. FML
Today, I was at a bar and met this great guy. He was going outside for a smoke and I wanted to go too. Since I don't smoke, I decided to borrow one of my friends cigarettes as an excuse to go outside with him. As I was lighting the cigarette, he pointed out that I was lighting the wrong end. FML
Today, I was working at the hospital and it was very busy. Unthinking, I told a patient in a wheelchair to "sit tight" while I checked on something. He mocked me for the rest of his stay. FML
Today, during my first day as a medical intern in a new ward, I was performing a rectal exam. My supervisor thought it would be funny to burst into the room and scream, "Who are you?! You don't even work here, you pervert!" FML
Today, I went to work as a home health-aid, and found out that my client turns his hearing aid off on purpose because he can't stand my voice. FML
Today, while working at a nursing home, I was alone in the station and figured I could sneak one out. It wound up being very loud, and I could hear the faint snickering of a patient in the next room. Every time he saw me for the rest of the day he would burst out laughing. FML
Today, I was working at a daycare. There was a 6-year-old boy pretending to be my doctor, holding a little, plastic thermometer. He then, without warning, quickly shoved it deep into my ear. The last thing I heard was his giggle. I think I'm deaf. FML
Today, I had to inform my midlife-crisis husband that the "weed" he had "scored" from his "dealer down the pub" was actually just a lot of mixed herbs. He refused to believe me and smoked it anyway, I mean, I'm only a chef in a restaurant, what do I know about herbs? He's still coughing by the way. FML
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Top comments
grumpybr 13
If you had to have your patient teach you how to do your job, maybe this is not the right field for you.
SomeRandomGuy15 18
Well, that kind of thing happens to everyone... Although I would be slightly worried if I was your patient.
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Comments (120)
DocBastard 38
For those of you wondering, I think I've taken a manual blood pressure 5 or 10 times in my career. We have automatic ones that are practically idiot-proof. But there ARE stethoscopes with dual-sided bells, and everyone who owns one has put the wrong side on the patient innumerable times.
Asia_Breezy 9
Gotta love your patients :p
fksfsdhfsdfh 26
Just a mistake! Everybody makes them!
InfamousLastWord 9
YES it was an honest mistake, we've all established that. BUT what I don't understand is why everyone who believes the patient had the right to be concerned, keeps getting thumbed down. Isn't that just as appropriate of a response as OP making an honest mistake?
InfamousLastWord 9
I didnt say anyone said anything, I was referring to the thumbs down they were getting. And of course the patient shouldn't have been rude, but that's probably one of the nicer things OP's heard working in the medical field. As goes with any profession that deals with people on a daily basis, actually...
CharresBarkrey 15
How can they get thumbs down if they didn't say anything?
teemooegan 9
Oh shut up, some of you act like you've never made a silly little mistake before. Cut the guy some slack! doesn't mean he should give up on being a doctor.
tne201992 12
Thank God you're not a surgeon!!
toon_girl 12
It's an easy mistake to make for several reasons, one being that the bell and diaphragm could have been turned so it was set to listen to the other side (several of my colleagues find their stethoscopes 'don't work' if they've been left out at home and their children have been investigating), or, they may have been doing upper chest sounds before this patient and autmatically used the bell. There's also the fact that, when you're under pressure, it is easy to make minor mistakes because you're focussing on getting the major things right. I think the problem with the comments saying the patient is right to be concerned is that, yes, he has the right to be worried, but not the right to behave the way he did. I find it hard to believe that the patient's never made a mistake before.
TheChelseaSays 34
Sounds like someone needs to go back to anatomy and physiology class.
drkrissy1331 12
I think OP meant that they had the ear peice in backwards.... Easy mistake to make....you cant hear as Well and of course it is uncomfortable- so its something they would have figured out.
tarickman 13
Clear!!!