Mr. Sleepy

I know it is a necessary part of medicine but I do feel bad for patients that pre-rounds and rounds tend to be early in the morning. This particular patient was being treated for hepatic encephalopathy and not getting quality sleep due to seizures. Come 8am rounds we have to wake him up, and part of the exam is to document how oriented he was given his diagnosis.

Attending: Mr. Sleepy, how are you?

Mr. Sleepy: (snore)

Attending: Mr. Sleepy. Wake up. (gently shakes patient)

Mr. Sleepy: Huh, yes. Hi.

Attending: How are you?

Mr. Sleepy: Tired.

Attending: Yes, do you know where you are?

Mr. Sleepy: The hospital.

Attending: Good, and the month?

Mr. Sleepy: Huh, oh, September.

Attending: Well, today is October 1st so I guess that was a trick question.

Mr. Sleepy: (snore)

Attending: (gently shaking him) Mr. Sleepy, who is the president of the United States?

Mr. Sleepy: ..... (sigh, grunt).... Osama ..... (snore)

(The various residents and students is the room start laughing. Luckily Mr. Sleepy is undisturbed by this and continues to snore lightly.)

Attending: Ok, Mr. Sleepy, just don't say that to anyone else.

Mr. Sleepy: (snore)

(The Attending does a quick exam and we move on to disturb the rest of the next patient.)