Years ago, most hospital units had no permanent charge nurse. The staff nurses took turns being in charge, and the charge nurse also had a full patient assignment.
One night, I was working and role-playing at being the charge nurse when another nurse stopped me. The patient in 2418 was being belligerent and uncooperative. She had called the doctor but had gotten nowhere.
I donned my charge nurse persona and walked confidently into the room. The patient was a man in his early seventies. I introduced myself and explained that he was in a semi-private room. I asked him to stop yelling out at the nurses. It was disturbing his roommate, who was cowering in the next bed with his sheets pulled up to his chin.
I showed him his call light and how to use it.
The man listened silently. He reached out to me slowly with one hand. Puzzled, I stood there wondering if he wanted to see the picture on my name tag.
He grabbed my right boob.
He didn't even care what my name was!
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