When we find ourselves in the hospital, it’s best to just listen to the doctors and nurses and do exactly what we’re told. They’re the experts, right? 

Well, one woman who had a hard time getting comfortable following a car accident recently shared a story on the Malicious Compliance subreddit detailing how she managed to freak out some fellow hospital visitors. Below, you can read the full tale, as well as some of the replies amused readers left her. 

After being in a bad car accident, this woman found herself laying in the hospital in a neck brace

Image credits: Alexisrael (not the actual photo)

But when she took getting comfortable into her own hands, she made the mistake of accidentally scaring some people passing by

Image credits: DC_Studio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: astrakanimages (not the actual photo)

Image credits: shmartyparty

“Health care professionals know more than you do. Do as they say, not as I did!”

To learn more about this specific situation, we reached out to the Reddit user who shared this story, Shmartyparty, and lucky for us they were happy to have a chat with Bored Panda about what inspired them to tell this tale. “I love the sub r/MaliciousCompliance, and a story I read on another sub reminded me of this. I thought people would enjoy it, and they did!” they shared with a laugh. As for why this nurse was so annoyed with the OP, she supposes that she was just having a bad day. “It was stupid busy in the hospital at that time, so I can only imagine the pressure she was under,” Shmartyparty explained. “I didn’t take her actions personally, on the contrary, I felt bad for taking her attention away from other more urgent matters.”

The OP also told Bored Panda that she wouldn’t be surprised if dead people have been left in hospital hallways on occasions, both purposefully and accidentally. “However, I don’t think it would be anyone’s first choice or that it happens on a regular basis. At least I hope not!” she added. And as far as Shmartyparty’s actions in the hospital, she says she doesn’t regret putting the blanket over her head, but she does regret not calling the nurse over and explaining her issues. “She likely could have grabbed something nearby for me to throw over my eyes,” the OP said. “Instead, I was trying to take care of myself without being a burden, which backfired horribly on me.”

Shmartyparty also shared her thoughts on the replies her post received. “The comments that really had an impact on me were the ones describing neck injuries that I never knew existed, like internal decapitation. Eek! Also others who shared their own neck injury stories. If I end up in a neck brace again for some reason, I won’t be complaining or trying to take it off, that’s for sure! I also learned that protocols and neck braces are much different now, so there are neck braces that are much less barbaric now, thank god!” She also left us with some words of wisdom, “PSA: Health care professionals know more than you do. Do as they say, not as I did!”

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Despite how common automobile accidents are, being involved in one can be incredibly traumatic

Being in a car accident can be extremely frightening and traumatic. And while driving is a part of many of our daily lives, and something we often don’t give a second thought to, it’s important to understand the risks that we take every single time we get in the car. In the United States, 5,250,837 car accidents occurred in 2020, meaning they’re taking place every minute of every day. Thankfully, this woman walked away from her accident without any injuries that were too severe, but according to the World Health Organization, about 20-50 million people around the world suffer injuries from car accidents every year. So when being checked into the hospital, regardless of how a patient is feeling at the time, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The most common injury that occurs from car accidents is whiplash, followed by minor injuries like strains, sprains, tissue damage, bruises and broken bones. A driver or passenger may not immediately realize that they’ve experienced whiplash, as they can also be in shock following a traumatic accident, but because it’s so common, it’s wise to provide them with a neck brace until they can be properly examined. Some of the symptoms of whiplash, which usually develop within a few days of the injury, include neck pain and stiffness, worsening of pain with neck movement, loss of range of motion in the neck, headaches, tenderness in the shoulders, upper back or arms, tingling or numbness in the arms, fatigue and dizziness. Some people might also experience blurred vision, tinnitus, sleep disturbances, irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems or depression.

Image credits: Artyom Kulakov (not the actual photo)

Many experience whiplash following an accident, so it’s better to be safe than sorry when treating patients

According to Health Central, neck braces can be one of the most important tools when treating whiplash. These braces provide support to an injured neck while the soft tissues, which typically support our necks without any help, take the time they need to heal. Typically, a whiplash patient will be required to wear a brace for at least two to three weeks, but a doctor or nurse will determine exactly how the brace must be worn, including for how many hours a day and how to handle necessary activities such as showering. However, not every single person who has experienced a car accident needs to be given a brace. In fact, it can sometimes do more harm than good.

Dr. Golab’s Chiropractic explains on their cite that two 2021 studies found that being given a cervical collar following whiplash is not always necessary. The first study found that 85% of patients who were given a soft cervical collar within 48 hours of a car accident were 4 times more likely to find themselves back in the emergency room within 3 months of their initial visit following the accident. The other study, which included 5,000 patients and examined various methods for treating whiplash, found that spinal manipulation techniques, with a reduction in neck brace use and x-rays, were actually more effective in detecting grade a whiplash cases.  

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Image credits: DC_Studio (not the actual photo)

And once they’ve been checked into the hospital, it’s important to ensure that patients feel comfortable

Being a nurse is incredibly stressful, and it’s understandable for this nurse in particular to have run out of patience, while there were no rooms available and no shortage of patients coming in. However, being admitted into the hospital is also anxiety-inducing, and it’s important to help patients feel as comfortable as possible. According to Etactics, a comfortable patient recovers faster and has better health outcomes. This allows them to check out of the hospital faster, so more patients can be treated, and provides better PR for the hospital itself. Plus, once a patient is satisfied and relaxed, they are much less likely to bother their nurses. 53% of nurses admit that answering call lights is an interruption to their necessary duties, and only 52% say that these calls actually need attention from nurses. If they ensure that their patients are taken care of before leaving them to tend to other responsibilities, they can save themselves time and energy in the long run.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this hilarious act of unintentional malicious compliance in the comments below, pandas. How would you have reacted if you thought you stumbled upon a dead person in the hospital hallway? Feel free to share your reactions to the story, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring malicious compliance in a hospital, we recommend reading this piece next!    

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

Amused readers applauded the woman and shared similar experiences, so she joined in on the conversation

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Others chimed in with their own thoughts and noted the importance of the neck brace

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