Category: LOL Moments

I was alone working the graveyard shift in the lab. I was told by the prior shift that there was a body in the morgue located just beyond the break room. I was minding my own business when all of a sudden I began to hear a strange sound that went "Thump! Thump! Thump!" I… Continue reading Morgue Noises

We meet all kinds of people in the ER. Some have OMG types of backstories that are almost hard to believe. This one guy didn’t need to say anything. He occasionally ends up in the ER with the same problem. He literally stabs himself in the belly when he gets so drunk and wasted. One… Continue reading Steak Knives and Syringes

I was on my morning rounds when coming to an elderly lady all tucked up under the duvet (comforter). I presented myself and asked to collect her blood. This was a few years ago, so I don't remember what came first - the moist hand (could be from just being warm under the duvet ...)… Continue reading Bedside Confession

One night, I went to the ER to draw some labs on a patient. While I was in the hallway to the ER, I noticed that my shoelace was untied. Trying to tie my shoelace, I then put my drawing tray on top of a stretcher that was covered with a white sheet, and was… Continue reading He Probably Died Happy

I ran into a coworker at the grocery store. We were both checking out at the same time, but she was in the next line over. We were both a little startled at recognizing each other and I bleated out …. “I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on” … meaning her street clothes. You… Continue reading Grocery Store Encounter

This happened before CLIA was implemented. At that time, lab techs do whatever they want in the lab—eat, drink, smoke, etc… including taking kids to work. I was one of them—I took my 3-year old kid at work. It was just that one day when I could not find a babysitter. I was a single… Continue reading Chocolate Agar

I was on attachment in a lab setting on a rural area. I was helping with phlebotomy and received this male patient. He had RPR, FBC and AFB auramine request from the doctor. I collected blood and then gave him a specimen jar so that he can bring the sputum the following day. Immediately when… Continue reading Hold Your Spit

In the 30+ years I've been doing this job I have been called a lot of names. In the hospital I work in, we have a Senior Behavioral Unit. Last week I had drawn blood on a VERY sweet man. The nurse came in to weigh him while I was labeling my tubes. For some… Continue reading New Name

One day we received a clotted sample for a CBC so naturally I have to call the floor to have the patient redrawn. The new tube came with a note in the bag that says, "Please spin slowly." I turned around once and said, "Okay, done!" My coworkers didn't find that as amusing as I… Continue reading Please Spin Slowly

I had labs to draw on a 10 year old girl and called her name to have her come in the lab. She looked at me nervously and said her mom was in the bathroom and asked if we could wait. Of course. (No way am I drawing blood on a child without a parent… Continue reading It’s Not That Bad