Superstitions can be found in many professions, including nursing. With Halloween just around the corner, here are four nurse superstitions:
1. Never Say the ‘Q’ Word:
Many nurses avoid saying “quiet” during their shift, especially in an emergency room or intensive care unit. It’s believed that mentioning a quiet or slow night will jinx it, causing an influx of patients or emergencies.
2. The Curse of the Full Moon
It’s said that the full moon can bring out the strangest cases and behaviors in patients. Some nurses believe that the hospital becomes more chaotic during a full moon, with an increase in admissions and unusual incidents.
3. All Things Come in 3s
Many healthcare professionals believe in the superstition that events come in a pattern of threes. For example, there may be three codes in one night or three babies born in one day; it all occurs in threes, or so the superstition says.
4. The Unlucky Rooms
Many units have certain rooms deemed to have “bad energy” for whoever is admitted to the room…often related to scenarios involving dying. Even though room assignment is random, some nurses believe a room can hold unlucky or bad energy for anyone staying in that room.
It’s important to note that superstitions are often based on tradition and personal belief rather than evidence or logic. While some nurses may follow these superstitions, many others do not take them seriously and prioritize evidence-based practice and patient care. In the healthcare profession, the focus is always on providing the best care for patients, and superstitions are typically not taken seriously in professional duties.
