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30 Things Healthcare Workers Say They Will Never Do After What They Have Seen
Working in healthcare can be extremely stressful. The demands of the job, limited resources, long hours, big expectations, lack of support, and gruesome experiences leave their mark.
Content creator ‘Tribe Nursing,’ an emergency room nurse, recently went viral online. He asked doctors, nurses, EMTs, and other healthcare workers to share all the things that they’re refusing to do or buy because of the traumatic things they’ve seen while on the job. You’ll find their insights and stories below.
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#1
Former EMT, I refuse to not have my dog secured in the car, for her safety and mine. She rides in a crash-tested crate.
RELATED:
#2
CHIROPRACTORS! People need to know that the person who started it was a con man😭
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
There was a spate of deaths of babies in Australia from chiropractic 'adjustments' which led to them being banned from practicing on children under two in 2019. This temporary ban was lifted in 2023 and then reinstated in 2024.
#3
Hair down near machinery or fast moving parts. Seen a lady get her scalp removed from her long hair getting caught in machinery at work.
UnclePanda 1 day ago
Metal lathes especially. They have great momentum and spin far faster than human reaction time. Do not look up 'degloving.'
According to one study, depression, burnout, and stress are extremely prevalent among emergency department (ED) physicians. Between 15.5% to 19.3% of ED workers were found to have depression, 18% to 71.4% dealt with burnout, and 19.5% to 22.7% experienced stress.
These factors led to lower job satisfaction, less compassion satisfaction, less life satisfaction, and higher intentions to quit emergency medicine. In other words, the stress of the job has profoundly negative impacts on these workers’ private and professional lives.
#5
Fireworks
UnclePanda 1 day ago (edited)
Age 6, 4th of July, brand new neighborhood, hiding in the bushes, we watched our drunk new neighbor, beer in one hand, cigarette in mouth, light an original M80 in his other hand with the cigarette in his mouth, fumble and recover the beer, and then realize he still needed to throw the M80. I'm pretty sure we watched him blow off a few fingers, but we ran like we'd just sent a baseball through a plate glass window and 'didn't go over there no more.'
#6
I’ll never look at alcohol the same after seeing end stage alcoholic liver cirrhosis. I’ve cut it completely out of my life.
UnclePanda 1 day ago (edited)
I worked in a mental ward and we had a patient who lived in full-on delirium tremens. Watch that for a bit and you lose all interest in exploring that end of alcohol use. Imagine an old Vincent Price style horror film where one of the victims is driven beyond exhaustion by fear and terror, to the edge of breaking down, and getting stuck there, shaking, shivering, gibbering at things nobody could see, moment after moment, day after day...
Meanwhile, another study found that the key sources of stress and distress for general practitioners (GPs) are related to emotion work, practice culture, and work role and demands.
Namely, GPs are required to manage and respond to violent or confrontational patients. They also have to deal with collegial conflict, bullying, isolation, and a lack of support in the workplace. And they have to worry about making potential mistakes, complaints, appraisals, inspections, and their finances.
#7
Orbeez, small magnets and pill batteries
Upstaged75 1 day ago
Button batteries are super dangerous for little kids who put things in their mouth. Many have died from it - they start burning the esophagus as soon as they get swallowed.
#8
those damn electric scooters
Fred 1 day ago
In the UK it's a requirement that one be pedalling an electric bike for the motor to be activated, and that powered assistance cease when the speed reaches 25 km/h. Otherwise the thing counts as a moped and has to be taxed and insured. One is not allowed to ride electric scooters on a public road, though people do it all the time, sometimes at alarming speeds.
#9
3rd year psych resident…..I will never use chat gpt due to the amount of psychosis episodes I’ve seen it induce in many patients 😭 very random but it’s scary!!
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
I have heard so many bad stories about people who used it as a therapist!
Do we have any Pandas working in healthcare in the audience with us today? What are some of the biggest challenges and daily sources of stress for you at work?
What have been the most traumatic things that you’ve personally witnessed, and how has that affected your habits and purchases? If you feel like sharing, feel free to do so in the comments at the bottom of this post.
#10
Texting while driving
TheGreaterDebater 1 day ago
God these people need to burn in hell. I honk obnoxiously loud every time I see these f*****g bastards. Scums of the road.
#11
cosleeping. i don’t bash moms who do it but me? seen too much.
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 1 day ago
Isn't it associated with a higher risk of SIDS? As well as the risk of overlaying- I wouldn't ever risk it.
#12
I’ll never push someone in a pool.
#14
Never forget your safety glasses when doing DIY and pruning ,etc. It's not just for work.
#15
Watching kids on quad bikes without helmets 🥺
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
Even with helmets and roll bars, kids have died. There is no reason I can see for kids to be using them at all.
#16
i’m a vet assistant in tech school and a retractable leash for a dog
kikinlivi 1 day ago
I've used them for years. No issues. It never even occurred to me that there could be an issue. Even now, hearing this, I can't picture what might happen with one of these that might not happen just as well with a short piece of rope and lack of common sense/ coordination.
Becky Samuel 1 day ago
If you get it wrapped around your fingers or hand and then the dog lunges forward unexpectedly you can get some very nasty injuries and rope burns. Because of the laws of physics, if your dog runs to the end of the leash rapidly you will not be able to stop it from flying out of your hand. If the catch isn't put on correctly or slips, or if you have the dog on too long a line (as so many people do) then there is nothing stopping your dog from running out into traffic and causing an accident.
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fly on the wall 1 day ago
The responses posted seem to me more about the person holding the end of being the problem than the leash. Pay attention to what you are doing!
Peeka_Mimi 1 day ago
That's a nightmare. I've had my dogs clothesline me and send me straight to the ground.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
I have a Belgian Malinois and I have a 30-foot-long "scentwork leash" that I only use when he's doing scentwork/ranging away from me in a closed environment. I am aware of his location, movements, and the leash at every moment whenever he's on this leash, as I want to make sure he doesn't get tangled, and so I can pull it back in quickly if someone is approaching/etc. It's a tool rather than his everyday leash, and he's definitely sometimes 16 feet away from me when we're doing scentwork XD But it's in a controlled manner in a controlled environment. I use a normal 6-foot leash for walking XD I'd never use a retractable leash.
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UKGrandad 1 day ago
"i’m a vet assistant in tech school and a retractable leash for a dog" Helluva trick! Are you Stretch Armstrong?
Billo66 1 day ago (edited)
I identify as more of a harness kind of thing.
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Veronica Jean 1 day ago
These are leashes that retract or extend up to 15+ feet. There is a wheel inside. Retractable leashes teach dogs bad habits, can break, or the base can get stuck and make you not realize your dog is still attached to say, your car. Happened to my family. It will haunt me for life. Dog lived but just barely.
Load More Replies... Kelly Scott 1 day ago
In the city, I walked my dog on a 6ft leash. He had longer leashes for tracking. But out in the parks and other open spaces, I walked my dog on two 100ft canvas ropes attached to each other, for a length of 200ft. People, your dog isn't Lassie and won't know by osmosis how he's supposed to behave on a leash. YOU, as the owner, are responsible for teaching him. Don't complain if he takes off on a long leash or a retractable leash and hits the end of it. Don't complain if he wraps you up in his leash. Walking on a leash is something a dog should learn on a 6ft leash with some obedience training. Don't make it his fault you can't walk him on a longer leash.
Glen Ellyn 1 day ago
My city has an ordinance that mandates 6-foot leashes, and bans retractable leashes, but too many people still use them.
Laura Slade 1 day ago
Dreadful things, especially for a fast accelerating breed like a greyhound
Fred 1 day ago
Dogs should be taught to walk to heel. There are obedience classes for that, and the dogs actually enjoy doing it right in the company of other dogs; once they've learned they do it right when out for a walk with the owner. I see so many dogs straining at the lead, which is no fun for either dog or owner.
Crystalwitch60 1 day ago
These things do my head in so bloody dangerous ! dogs can run in to traffic , to many in this village use them incorrectly ie allow them to be ling n basically uncontrolled pfft
#17
NEVER DRIVING DRUNK the amount of sad situations and bad traumas I’ve seen...
Chich the witch 1 day ago
Drunks should be sent to ride along with an ambulance or FD. "Here, put these gloves on and pick that /those up" Probably wouldn't work on half the useless f***s, but I can dream.
#18
high heels 😭
SkyyCaramba (he/him) 19 hours ago
I wear them once in a blue moon, but never more (mostly cuz of the x-rays I've seen)
#19
Home births…as a nicu nurse
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
This depends on the regulations in place. What is really dangerous is these 'free births' influencers are promoting where women see no one during pregnancy and either give birth alone or with an untrained person in attendance.
#20
At this point, pretty much everything
#21
Steak off a grill cleaned with a wire brush… not a trauma but seeing how close that wire got to his carotid through his throat 😳
#25
Pediatric nurse here: batteries
#26
Single engine aerobatic planes (Doctor Killers). Seen two crashes in my lifetime.
General Anaesthesia 1 day ago
Is it the number of engines or the instant catastrophic deceleration?
#27
ceramic wax burners, I never listened to the warning then I fell asleep on the sofa after lightning one in the kitchen. fire alarm woke me. it had exploded and the fire was already pretty big.
#29
Balloons and orbeez are not allowed in my house
Lady Eowyn 1 day ago
Had to look up orbeez: Expandable water toys (also grow-in-water toys or grow monsters) are novelty items made from a superabsorbent polymer. They are toys that expand after putting them into water for anything from a few hours up to several days, depending on size. They shrink in saltwater or when exposed to air. They are made from polymers that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to their own mass.[1]
#30
car journeys with a full bladder
#31
E-anything. E-scoot. E-bike. Nope nope nope.
#32
Eat large marshmallows. Irreversible airway obstruction
David Paterson 1 day ago
According to a coroner. Death by steak is quite common. Irreversible airway obstruction.
#33
baby walkers
Becky Samuel 1 day ago
It astonishes me how many parents push their precious babies out into traffic or between parked cars like they're testing the water for sharks.
#34
Anything Styrofoam
Chich the witch 1 day ago
Dissolve it in gas, smear it all over yourself and light it up?? Just have to use your imagination I guess :p
#36
I honestly would say a car but as humans we use them daily as a girl who has had a lot of car accident patients my anxiety has become really bad when I drive . Got so bad I have dreams of dying in car accidents.
#37
Anything flammable, burns scare me soo bad I’ll never light a grill or anything like that
#39
A pool. Those drowning patients never make it 🫠
Skywitness 1 day ago
I swim 4 days a week. All my kids can swim. We are in a neighborhood with many backyard pools. The 24 hour a day hazard (plus the expense) means we will never have a backyard pool. I know several people who just got fed up with their pools and filled them in. It made them happy.
#40
Working in E.R. has made me push back my car seat as safe as possible. The alleged damage from frontal airbags is unbelievable.
Lady Eowyn 1 day ago
I am very, very short. I have to have the seat almost as forward as it will go, otherwise I can reach neither the steering wheel or the pedals.
#42
Meat grinder. Had a 3 year old end up with an above elbow amputation because they were left unattended with one
#43
NO CLAW CLIPS WHILE DRIVING
#45
As a nurse the most simple thing I refuse is over medicating my kids. I do not have a cupboard full of assorted meds. We run out to get Tylenol if we can’t naturally cool a fever first and Benadryl on hand just incase. That’s it
#46
Crocs, as I tripped once running to a crash call. Never again.
Daisydaisy 1 day ago
Crocs are fabulous in the garden but definitely not for running in. And not safe when wet
#48
Monthly contact lenses
Giraffe Sitter 1 day ago
LASIK was the best money I ever spent. I never want to deal with contacts ever again.
#51
Eating canned foods without cleaning the can before
Holly Reed 1 day ago
You must clean the can before consuming the can... deep! … 🕉 ommmmm. 🍄🧘♀️🤯😵💫
#52
Bouncy Castles and Trampolines. Literal guarantee of broken bones and head trauma..
#53
Hard lollipops, like Chuba Chups for kids (or adults too really!)
#54
Snowblower, Trampoline, ATV, Horses, Ortho surgical nurse
#55
Convertibles
#56
Shop vac. Had a patient that had her leg nearly amputated because her shop vac exploded
#57
I never Carry any aerosols in my car . I never leave phone chargers plugged in but not in use. Tragus piercings are also a no.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Does that mean they never use anything that’s an aerosol, or do they buy, use and throw it way at the shop, or just walk home?
#60
Pork scratching 🤮
Auntriarch 1 day ago
That's not pork scratchings. And I will continue to chomp those little nuggets of deliciousness thank you very much
#61
E-Scooter, motorbike, skateboard, fireworks, glass/metal straws, trampoline, dogs, four wheelers…
Peeka_Mimi 1 day ago (edited)
Dogs?? Dafuq?? You can train dogs and I should know I've had them my whole life. I currently have 5 of them.
#62
popcorn, i avoid nail guns, energy drinks, .22 pistols, seatbelt is low and snug, and i still drive an automatic with two feet.
Peeka_Mimi 1 day ago
You're not supposed to do that with an automatic. That's an accident waiting to happen.
#63
A real Christmas tree
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What do you think ?
Holly Reed 1 day ago
Standing in my crocs, munching popcorn and large marshmallows, I feel like slicing some potatoes on a mandolin to serve with pork scratchings. Sipping my energy drink I realise I am busting for a wee, but there is no time, as I have to fix an ariel on my roof(where is that ladder?) Putting supper in the pressure cooker, I inadvertently pop a hard candy lolly in my mouth and turn on board panda…….. 💀
Trillian 1 day ago
This is a weird mix of things that are obviously dangerous and things that only completely paranoid people consider dangerous 🤷♀️
alchemilla vulgaris 1 day ago
but if you had to put Ariel (the Little Mermaid) on your roof, I'm sure that could be terribly dangerous too. That lass, her pals, and her family can be slippery... not to mention the risk of water damage to the property!
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David Paterson 1 day ago
That's not the message. The message is that everyone (me included) is incapable of accurately assessing risks.
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Holly Reed 1 day ago
Standing in my crocs, munching popcorn and large marshmallows, I feel like slicing some potatoes on a mandolin to serve with pork scratchings. Sipping my energy drink I realise I am busting for a wee, but there is no time, as I have to fix an ariel on my roof(where is that ladder?) Putting supper in the pressure cooker, I inadvertently pop a hard candy lolly in my mouth and turn on board panda…….. 💀
Trillian 1 day ago
This is a weird mix of things that are obviously dangerous and things that only completely paranoid people consider dangerous 🤷♀️
alchemilla vulgaris 1 day ago
but if you had to put Ariel (the Little Mermaid) on your roof, I'm sure that could be terribly dangerous too. That lass, her pals, and her family can be slippery... not to mention the risk of water damage to the property!
Load More Replies... David Paterson 1 day ago
That's not the message. The message is that everyone (me included) is incapable of accurately assessing risks.
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