When Good Nurses Go Bad — How Not to Give a Shot

– Posted in: Elfie, Injuries, Life is Dangerous, This is Supposed to be Helpful, Worst Mom Moments

I saw this picture in our local paper yesterday. I laughed it off, but think I may have had a bit of a PTSD panic attack. My guess is that this lady either watched Psycho or took some sort of anger management/pumpkin carving class right before she came to work.

Reno Gazette Journal -- Nurse Jabs Baby with Flu Vaccine

When Elfie was 4-years-old, I took her in for a really nasty set of five shots. Five shots. I don’t know what freaking sadist came up with that one.

It goes without saying that I wasn’t looking forward to this visit. Four is a terrible time for shots. They’re young enough to not understand what’s going on and old enough to remember EVERYTHING.

I come from a medical family (dad — doctor, mom — nurse, husband — doctor), so I really try to not be a wuss about these things. I grew up hearing the mantra, “You’ve gotta hurt ’em to help ’em,” from my mother. It was how she managed to do things like give shots, change bandages, and get through a stint at the pediatric burn ward.

So I got Elfie ready that day, little thighs exposed, ready to get stuck — quickly and surely by the very experienced nurse who was of course as equally competent as my own mother was. My mother, who could give a shot that you literally didn’t even feel because she could make that sucker go in like butter.

The shots started. Elfie was amazingly brave. And then it happened. The plunger on one of the shots got stuck.

In that instance, the person in the room who should NOT have been panicking was the nurse. That…didn’t happen.

The nurse started flipping out. I mean FLIPPING OUT. She raised her voice, “I can’t get it to move! It’s stuck! It’s stuck!” And then proceeded, not to remove it, but to move the needle up and down in Elfie’s leg.

Ho. Lee. Shit.

I remember saying, “Pull. It. Out!” And she finally did. Elfie was a wreck. I was in that weird place where you have to stay super calm because if you don’t you’ll lose you marbles and someone will have to come pick you up like your husband or best friend.

There was some non-apology and a quick retreat to get another syringe. And I was trying to console Elfie, knowing she was going to have to get stuck again.

We left the office and went to Target. I think I would’ve bought her a pony. I kept saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I love you, I love you!” When she recalls that day (and of course she does), she mainly remembers being poked a thousand times and getting a toy.

We changed pediatricians after that.

Tammy and Elfie -- 2008

Mommy and Elfie in 2008

 

6 Comments… add one

Kimberly December 20, 2012, 6:44 am

That is ridiculous! A nurse should know how to react in that situation. Poor kiddo.

Funniest shot stories I have: When my uncle was little, apparently he was getting a shot in the butt and clenched his muscles so tight the nurse couldn’t get the needle out. She spanked him (other cheek) and he un-tensed long enough that she could pull it out.

When my brother was really little, he was getting a routine shot, and he started freaking out. It took my mom and multiple nurses to hold him down (and he was a tiny kid who wasn’t even on the growth charts until he was 10 or 11 years old). He started screaming, “Somebody call 911! They’re killing me in here!” and the nurse who was giving the shot was laughing so hard she had to collect herself before she could administer it.
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Tammy December 22, 2012, 7:02 pm

OMG. My dad broke a needle on his butt as a kid because he clenched. It must’ve been the needles back then!

Thanks for sharing — those are so awesome.

Rebecca December 20, 2012, 8:28 am

Oh my word. I would have lost my marbles right then and there. Our pediatrician let us always pick how many shots the kids received and they never had more than 2 shots in a visit. So much better. We received 2 at 4 years old and 2 more at 5 years old. Then we were done for the school required shots. Phew…but when do they start getting them again…boosters for this and that?
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Tammy December 22, 2012, 7:03 pm

I know — I think I must’ve been on more pain meds that usual or something and don’t remember. Because how I stayed that calm, I don’t know.

I want to say they get boosters at 10. But our doctor didn’t say anything the last time we saw her. So maybe it’s 12. I’ll have to check with the husband.

Ludicrous Mama December 20, 2012, 10:18 pm

My daughter is super sensitive, so we do just one shot at a time. It’s more work for me, but spacing them a month apart helped us both from freaking the hell out. At 4, she decided she’d rather get them all over with in one go, but I nixed that and we split the difference and did them in two visits. This is a girl who limps for a day if she skins her knee. No way was I letting her get too many shots in one day!
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Tammy December 22, 2012, 7:05 pm

That sucks. Poor kiddo. I’ve never heard of someone being that sensitive. But it doesn’t surprise me. People are sensitive to everything else!

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