Do you have RT Deja Vu?

As I was performing an EKG on a patient the doctor asked the patient who her family practitioner was, and the patient said, "Dr. Pepperhead."

A minute later I was typing in my information on the EKG machine and I asked, "Who's your family doctor."

"It's Pepperhead," the patient politely said.

The RN said to me, "And she already said it."

"What?" I asked.

"The patient already said who her doctor was.

"Now that I think of it, I did hear you ask. I guess I have selective hearing

Along with selective hearing, I also have:

1. Selective hearing.
2. Lack of attention.
3. Habit of asking questions automatically at that point in the procedure.
4. Burnout
5. Brain infarct
6. Exhaustion
7. Combination of the above
8. Selective hearing

Chances are the reason I ask repeat questions is #7, or simple exhaustion from working nights

It's funny, but many times I find myself asking the patient the same questions, especially late into my shifts.

It's funny, but many times I find myself asking the patient the same question, especially late into my shifts.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" I say.

"No." Says the patient.

I proceed to wrap up the nebulizer and put it away, then say, "Is there anything I can get for you."

"No," says the patient. "I'm fine."

I do the same with EKGs. We need to put reason for visit on the EKG when they are done in ER. I ask, "So, are you having chest pain?" The patient says, "Yes." A moment later, as I'm typing in the information , I ask habitually, "So, are you having chest pain."

"Yes," the patient says.

I ask the question the second time, and then I feel a sense of deja vu.

It's funny patients, nurses, or even doctors don't make fun of me regarding this as often as I make fun of myself. Am I alone in doing this?

Perhaps we can call this situation RT deja vu, and add it to our RT Lexicon.

RT Deja vu: When an RT asks a patient the same question over and over again. When an RT askes a patient the same question over and over again."