One Dose of Dilaudid, and the call light became a microphone for a 90s boy band concert.
Some shifts are quiet. Others… involve a surprise concert at 2 a.m. featuring a heavily medicated patient and the greatest hits of the 90s. This is the story of how one dose of Dilaudid turned our surgical floor into a backstage pass for Backstreet Boys Live: Post-Op Edition.
The Night It Happened
It started like any other night. I was doing rounds, handing out pain meds, and pretending my lukewarm coffee was still working. Room 315 had just come out of surgery—a routine post-op patient with manageable pain levels. He was sweet, polite, and grateful for every ice chip. Nothing unusual.
But then… I gave him a dose of Dilaudid.
Within 10 minutes, he transformed from a sleepy surgical patient into the frontman of a 90s boy band reunion tour. It started with a soft hum—barely noticeable at first. By the time I returned to check his vitals, he was belting out “I Want It That Way” at full volume, using his call light cord as a microphone.
The Concert Nobody Asked For
He didn’t just stop at one song. Oh no. We got the whole greatest hits album.
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“As Long as You Love Me” (dedicated to the nurses for being “absolute angels”)
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“Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” (directed at his IV pump, which had the nerve to start beeping mid-chorus)
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A heartfelt encore of “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC, complete with finger-pointing choreography.
Every nurse walking past his room had the same expression: “Is this real life?”
At one point, my CNA whispered, “Should we… stop him?”
To which I replied, “Honestly, he’s hitting all the notes. Let him finish.”
Family Cameos
The patient’s wife called during the concert.
When I answered, she said, “I just wanted to check on him. Is he doing, okay?”
“He’s… thriving. Currently performing live for the entire unit.”
Her response?
“Oh, that means the Dilaudid kicked in. He sings when he’s happy.”
Ma’am, he’s one encore away from signing autographs.
Nursing Realities
This is med-surg life:
One minute, you’re managing pain.
The next, you’re debating whether to start clapping along to a Dilaudid-fueled karaoke session.
It’s moments like these that remind us why humor is essential in nursing. Sure, you’re exhausted and behind on charting—but you also have front-row seats to the strangest and most joyful moments in your patients’ lives.
Final Thought:
To the patient in Room 315, thank you for the 90s nostalgia and the impromptu concert. And for all the nurses out there: if you ever hear a patient start humming after their pain meds… grab your earplugs or join the show. There’s no in-between.
Coming Soon in Med-Surg Mayhem:
Episode 4: Paging Dr. Google – The night everyone diagnosed themselves with a rare Amazonian parasite.
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