My job really is fun most of the time. My patients can say the funniest things sometimes. The other night a patient on our floor was walking around the hallways at 4am because he couldn’t sleep. I asked if he was tired. His answer? “About as tired as you are tall.” (For those of you who don’t know, I’m only 4′ 10″.) My reply was to laugh and say “Then you must not be very tired.” As I walked around the corner the charge nurse for the shift was laughing and said that little interaction was one of the funniest things she’d heard in a while.
And a question to throw out there… I recently read an article addressing this question and was wondering what you guys thought… Are gift cards a good idea or a cop out? Personally, I like them for those hard to buy for people who you just can’t figure out the right gift to give. But I can see the argument that they’re cop out and taking the easy way out. Yes, I’m sitting right there on the middle of the fence. lol
Brooke's Musings 
Gift cards ….okay, it’s like this, we — you and I — were raised to say “thank you” when given a gift, even if we didn’t mean it. When I was 16 I was given a ruffled pink polka-dot dress with frilly-lace trim and a humongous bow in the back. I hated it — and I said thank you very sweetly.
After 49 years of sweetly saying thank you to other people’s idea of what should suit me (but doesn’t), I would rather get a gift card. One from Starbucks would make me really happy. There are others however, who feel that if you loved them you would know the exact perfect thing to get them, and that gift card means you don’t really care.
So, for those people who share their hopes, dreams, wants, desires and dress sizes, buy a gift, for everyone, gift card. And, rather than giving the generic gift card, be creative. How about a prepaid gas card? Starbucks — that’s still a luxury. Book store cards always make me swoon. Prepaid movie tickets might be nice, too. You just buy general seating for any show. Most theaters sell them. Or pay for a couple of months of Netflix as your gift. Easy, yet still thoughtful.
And how come you don’t visit my blog anymore? Hmmm? You missed both the Egret pics and the beach I have up now might just make you wish you lived on the opposite side of your Pacific water line.
I loved your nursing story! I think that gift cards could be great because then the person can choose what they want whenever…meaning it doesn’t have to be right now….you could have Christmas in June if you saved your gift card! So, I think it might all be in the eyes of the beholder. Me, personally, would LOVE them! :)
Great story! My mom is an LVN at a severely handicapped high school. Brings me back to our old dinnertime stories. Unrelated to crazy patients, but have you read “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”? I reviewed it on my blog and it might be right up your alley. It is an incredible book that really makes you rethink the “vegetative” patient and the relationship between caregiver patient.
http://mindgrazing.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-by-jean-dominique-bauby/
Jason – Oh, I’ve not heard of that book but it does sound like one I’d enjoy. I’ll check out your review of it.