Hospital or Hotel?

Here are a few pictures of patients' doors I encountered while rounding last week. I got a good laugh out of them. Before you look at these, you must understand that a majority of the leg work in an academic hospital happens between 6am and 8am, and nurses really need to be checking on patients through out the night. Also, when we're changing your long-acting insulin, it behooves you to have your blood sugar checked in the middle of the night (traditionally at 3am).

(by the way, that "shooting star" is really a "falling" star and means the patient is a fall risk... just another reason to leave them totally unattended all night!)

All in all, though, that was pretty tame and understandable. Who wouldn't like a good night's rest while trying to recover from an illness serious enough to land you in the hospital? This next one, though, is priceless.

If you're having trouble reading the signs, they are as follows:

"DO NOT ENTER BEFORE 7:45AM!!!"

"NO UNNECESSARY VISITORS! - INCLUDING CLERGY"

"DON'T KICK PT [patient] SHOES UNDER BED"

"KEEP DOOR SHUT AT ALL TIMES!!!"

That stop sign is actually there because he is on contact precautions. They must think his crabbiness is catching.