Let’s face it: You interact with each of your patients a LOT during a typical day (it’s…er…kind of the job description!). And while you’re busy making your patients more comfortable and putting them on the road to recovery, they often start to develop a real emotional connection with you—which some can’t help but take a little too far!
The 10 funniest ways your patients have said “I love you!”
1.
We have continuous pulse ox telemonitors, and I noticed that a patient’s oxygen sats were dropping. I went to his room to find his nasal cannula out of his nose. He said, “Are you here to rescue me?” I replied, “Something like that. Your oxygen levels are dipping a little low.” He then said, “Well, will it be mouth-to-mouth?” I couldn’t help but laugh as he winked and put his cannula back in his nose.
—Crystal K.
2.
I had a patient, a little old man, whose bandage I changed. After I initialed it and wrote the date, he said, “You forgot your phone number!” LOL! Then he asked how he was supposed to call me for a date.
—Laura D.
3.
I once had a patient tell me, “Because you have been so nice to me and because you treated me like a real person, I will kill someone for you if you have anyone in mind.” WOW! I think he would have…and NO, I didn’t take him up on it!
—Marie S.
4.
A patient gave me a charm bracelet because we shared the same birthday. The next day, she beat me with her purse for stealing it….
—Ariana D.
5.
Upon learning that I would be his nurse overnight, my 88-year-old male patient said, “That’s great! I haven’t spent the night with a redhead since the war!”
—Shari H.
6.
An 85-year-old straight female patient declared to me, “I love you! You’re so beautiful, I think you and I could have a beautiful family! You’d make gorgeous babies! Will you marry me?” I said yes, just to make her happy.
—Cahmbriel C.
7.
I once had a patient tell me he loved me. Before I could even respond, he punched me in the eye. Just another day in the life of a psych nurse!
—Jacqui T.
8.
A little old man patient asked for a cup of coffee, and I asked if he wanted sugar. He said, “Honey, just stick in your finger and swirl it around. That’ll make it sweet enough!”
—Jackie H.
9.
While working at the VA in North Carolina, I was rotating through the psych unit. A patient came up to me, telling me he loved me and wanted to go home with me and be my “little piggy.” Hmmmm, yes, I received many “oinks” from my fellow nursing friends!
—Teresa R.
10.
I was helping a young man with a head injury with a max assist transfer. I supported his ischia as he came to a full stand. I think he forgot what he was doing halfway through and misread the situation, because he closed his eyes and tried to kiss me. He had the most romantic expression. The worst thing was, I couldn’t let go of him. Time for a verbal cue!
—Diane R.
What’s the funniest declaration of love you’ve ever received on the job? Share in the comments section below.
This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.
most of those ‘loves’ are pretty demeaning and disgusting.
One of our regulars was brought into the ED for his post-alcoholic bender again. I had cared for him several times before, so he knew me. He was in the monitoring phase before we gave him a cab ride back home and sitting in the doorway to his room. I passed him a couple of times on my way to see my other patients when he started to call out to me with each pass. The ED was full and we had stretchers lining each open wall space, so it provided some entertainment for our patients and family members. One pass, “Suzaaaaaaanne!” Another, “Suzaaaaaaaanne, I love you!” Quick pass, “I love you!” A stop a RN station, “I don’t care if you’re fat!”
I once had a 9 year old boy with Down’s syndrome say to me. “I like you KJ. You’re my favorite nurse. When I grow up, I want to marry you.” Not wanting to hurt his feelings and knowing that children with Down’s syndrome don’t have a mean bone in their bodies, I replied with “Thank you, but I already have a husband.” Not easily deterred he came back at me with “That’s OK, because by the time I’m old enough, you won’t want him anymore anyway.” He was right!!
I was a school nurse in an elementary school and several of the students thought of me as “The Doctor”. One little boy looked up at me one day while I was caring for one of his friends and said”Do you like being the Dr.?” I replied”yes, it’s OK” then he replied but “how about those babies?”
I guess he was under the impression that I delivered babies(in my spare time of course)! I just love the innocence of children.
I was in a room working with a 70s male I’d taken care of for a few shifts. We had a good joking relationship. I heard someone in the hall trying to call me over vocera. I shouted, ‘I’m in bed 1!’ After which he immediately shouted, ‘She’s not yet, but I’m working on it!’
I worked a night shift on a long-term care unit. I went to give a man in his late 70’s his medicine. I said, what the plan for the tonight? Without missing a beat, he said “what did you have in mind”? I set myself up for that response. I laughed and told him I was going finish see other patients, try to keep everyone alive, and go home. He said, ” oh”. That was cute, it made my night.
I worked in LTC for over 20 years, I once had a client with dementia, an adorable elderly man, who would ask me to leave my husband for him. I always showed him my ring and told him ” If you buy me a bigger ring and a bigger home, I’ll think about it”. He would gasp and say things like ” That’s not real!” and “Oh, I can’t top that!” We often played cribbage, he cheated like crazy but we had so much fun! Many times, as his dementia worsened, I was the only one able to calm him, get him back to sleep or get him to eat a little something. When he passed away his devoted daughter brought in small tokens of thanks for the unit staff. We all cried with her. Most were bags with “thank you” cards and candy, but when I opened my bag and took out a paperweight diamond ring we held each other and laughed and cried.
I work LTC. We have a sweet little old guy. He calls me his daughter (I’m not; but, we do resemble each other). He always greets me with oldie song “Hey, Good Lookin”. Then, says I sing because I love you.
My wife was in labor with our first child and having a rough time of it. Her OB anesthetist came into her L&D room, placed an epidural catheter which promptly gave her relief. With tears streaming down her face she told him, “Oh, thank you. I owe you a steak dinner…and I’ll have any of your babies!”
I’ve been taking care of a former 23-weeker preemie at home since he first came home. Trach, vent, gtube, you name it. Gradually he has outgrown all supportive measures. Recently he put his arms around my neck and said”I love you Miss Sharon”. I could not stop my tears. I will remember that moment forever.
I was helping an elderly male patient shower. He was a jokester, which I am as well. So I told him, “You can tell your friends you showered with a 40-year-old today.” Without skipping a beat he says, “Honey I am telling them you are 38, they won’t know the difference!” 🙂
I worked in a small rural hospital in Wyoming. My patient was a cowboy in every sense of the word. Whenever I would enter the room he would begin singing a “cowboy” love song, or something he might sing by the campfire at night. I have to admit, that experience has a special place in my heart.