Lloyd had been a registered nurse for six years, and as a lieutenant in the United States Navy he was the charge nurse on this particular day in the pediatric ward. Things had been running smoothly and his shift was almost over. He had only a few more items to take care of before he could call it a day.

There was a 12 year old boy in Room 243 recovering from a tonsillectomy who needed his PRN Tylenol; and an 18 month old in Room 247 who had been spiking fevers off and on with very concerned parents keeping watch. He needed to speak with the parents of the 18 month old, so he assembled the necessary items on the med cart for the corpsman to handle the Tylenol dose for the boy in Room 243.

Lloyd looked at the cart; one Tylenol suppository, tube of lubricating jelly, sterile latex gloves and sanitary wipes, everything was in order. He called over his corpsman and gave him the cart, patient’s name and room number and order to administer the medication.

Thirty minutes later after having assured the fretting parents, he passed the med cart on his way to the nurse’s station. Something didn’t seem right; he went back and looked at the cart. One open and empty Tylenol Suppository package, one used sanitary wipe, latex gloves still in sterile packaging unopened and lubricating jelly tube still sealed shut.
When the Lieutenant asked the Corpsman if he had given the boy in Room 243 his meds, he responded with “Yes, Sir.”

(You choose which ending is the truth, and which is fiction).

1. “I did feel bad for him though Sir.” stated the Corpsman. ” Why?” asked the Lieutenant. ”He had an awfully hard time swallowing the Tylenol given because his throat was so sore from the tonsillectomy.” Lieutenant Lloyd shook his head in amazement, and determined in his mind to give his corps staff a refresher course in the proper administration of Suppositories.

2. “I did feel bad for him though Sir.” stated the Corpsman. “Why?” asked the Lieutenant.
“He refused to use the latex gloves and jelly when I told him where he would be putting the Tylenol. I figured that he was old enough to make that decision, and told him to wash his hands well afterwards.” Lieutenant Lloyd shook his head in amazement, and determined in his mind to give his corps staff a refresher course in their being proper administrators of Suppositories.

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