Ever have a Most Embarrassing Moment (MEM) in your role as "Nurse: Healer of All Things"?

My problem is narrowing the possibilities to only one.

The one that makes me laugh the most (and turn red at the same time) is one I can share only with other nurses. No one else really sees the humor in it.

I was (newly) working at a Family Practice office with a doc whose idiosyncrasies I hadn't yet learned. He sauntered out of a patient room with a pregnant woman and asked me to get her a Group B strep swab. He always had the women do their own.

I was in the middle of a phone call. It took me a couple minutes to get to it. When I had the swab in hand, I flung open the exam room door only to discover the patient, squatting, pants down around her ankles, swab up her privates, with a HORRIFIED look on her face! I stammered something like "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" and ran from the room.

Idiosyncrasy discovered: the doctor always asked every nurse he saw to do whatever task he wanted done. Quicker for the patient, lots of wasted time for the nurses ... occasionally embarrassing for both.

As it turned out, the patient and I were able to laugh about the event as soon as it was over. Call it a bonding moment. In fact, a year or so later, she invited me to a Pampered Chef party at her house! The others at the party may have known her longer and better, but she and I shared an experience more intimate than any of the others. :-)

My advice on embarrassing moments: Laugh at yourself.

Now it's your turn. Share your most MEM (or most recent) with us and let us laugh with you. Maybe we'll vote on the winner in a few weeks.

Related: Doctors, Embarrassing Moment, Learning