Every night around 3am the patient would call out and starting yelling “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”
Naturally, when a patient says they can’t breathe, one takes this very seriously. Something about oxygen being combatable with life and such… Well, after a couple of nights of this Actually, weeks of this. The patient has been on our floor for like a month. And this patient is rude, demanding and yells at everyone. All the time. It’s such a delight. I digress.
By the 2nd or 3rd night of this, I walk into the room and I was like “[patient name] what’s going on?
Patient: “I CAN’T BREATHE! Get the doctor on the phone, and do something about this.”
Me: “Ok. Why don’t you put your oxygen back on, and I will check your oxygen sats.”
Me: “Oh, well look at that. Your sats are excellent. Everything looks good.”
Patient: “EVERYTHING IS NOT GOOD. I CAN’T BREATHE.”
Me: “Why don’t we try your BiPap machine.”
Patient: “IT’S NOT WORKING.”
Me: “Ok. Well, I will call respiratory and get you a breathing treatment.”
Patient: “THOSE FOOLS DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING EITHER. I STILL CAN’T BREATHE.”
Again, keep in mind that this patient has been on the floor for A MONTH. This happens EVERY NIGHT. And the patient, who can’t get out of bed due to their condition and generalized weakness, is refusing to go to rehab or any sort of assisted living situation until they can take care of themselves. Frustrating to say the least…
Back to the story.
Me: “Patient, I’m not sure what else to suggest, but it’s clear by the way you’re yelling at me and the fact that your oxygen sats are fine that you are having no problems actually breathing. Why don’t you go to sleep? It’s 3 am.
