Anonymous Doctor

I get a call from a nurse last night: "[Patient] is refusing to put on his oxygen mask. He's saying he doesn't need it, he's getting extremely aggressive and belligerent toward the nurses."

So I go see the patient, I try and calm him down. He insists no one told him he needs oxygen. he's breathing fine, but finally I'm able to convince him this is for his own good and it will keep him from having trouble during the night. So he puts on the mask.

I go back to write a note in his chart.

And I see it's the wrong patient. He doesn't need an oxygen mask. The patient three rooms down with a similar name needs an oxygen mask.

Oops.

Went in, woke the first guy up, took away the mask, apologized.

At least the mistake wasn't that we cut off his leg.