The Bert Show
Episode: Vault: Is It A Thing For Nurses To Be Mean On Purpose?
Original Air Date: March 2, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show explores the provocative question: Do nurses (and other medical professionals) sometimes treat unpleasant or difficult patients with less care—or even with intentional discomfort? In classic Bert Show fashion, the discussion is lively, candid, and peppered with humor as the team listens to real confessions from medical professionals while also examining the human side of healthcare. Listeners are invited to call in and confidentially share whether this "mean nurse" phenomenon is truly a thing.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why the Topic? (02:24–04:08)

• The conversation is sparked by a recent news story: a doctor accidentally staples a patient's rectum shut. The hosts joke about whether such "mistakes" are ever intentional, especially with unpleasant patients.
• Quote (Bert, 02:24):
  “I wonder if there aren't nurses that will treat you just a little bit worse… Maybe just make you go through a little bit more pain than you really have to.”

2. Nurses (and Paramedics) Weigh In (04:15–08:01)

a. Human Nature in Medical Care

• Several callers (both nurses and paramedics) admit the temptation is real.
  • If a patient is rude, difficult, or comes in for what is perceived as a trivial complaint (like a stomachache at 3 AM), care can feel a little “rougher.”
• Quote (Fireman/Paramedic, 04:48):
  “The bigger the patient of how bad you act up with us, the bigger the needle is and the more we miss.”

b. Specific Forms "Revenge" Takes (06:00–06:28; 07:28–07:49)

• A nurse confesses that:
  • Mean patients get larger needles or less numbing medication for procedures when it would otherwise be offered.
• Quote (Nurse, 06:02):
  “You just use a little bit bigger needle. Or there’s a medicine we can give with a numbing medicine because it burns really bad… but the mean ones don’t get the numbing medicine.”
• Paramedics mention that offenders like drunk drivers or abusers get less gentleness.
  • Quote (Fireman/Paramedic, 07:28):
    “If you are a drunk driver … or a child abuser … they’re going to miss you more often, and it’s going to be the biggest needle they got.”

c. Old-School Tales (08:24–08:47)

• A nurse recounts a story from 30 years ago where ER nurses started an IV in the penis of a chronically drunk, abusive patient—underscoring that mistreatment, while extreme and rare, has happened.
• Quote (Nurse, 08:30):
  “One time when he was passed out, they started his IV in his penis.”

3. The Human Side: Burnout, Empathy, and Boundaries (06:35–07:12)

• Nurses stress they are human too: dealing with constant rudeness or abuse wears on them.
• Host Bert warns that these “gateway revenge acts” may be signs of professional burnout.
  • Quote (Bert, 07:01):
    “Applying a numbing cream that you know is going to sting is the gateway drug to leaving your profession. You will not be a nurse one year from now.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jen (02:49):
  “You’re the last one to get the food tray. You’re the one who gets the new nurse—‘Hey, Bert, welcome. This is Jen. She’s training, and she’s going to insert your catheter.’”
• Paramedic caller (05:02):
  “Oh, yeah… the calls you get at three o’clock in the morning for your tummy hurting, those are the main ones.”
• Melissa (07:17):
  “That’s a lesson we learn here: Be nice to your medical professionals, or they will torture you.”
• Nurse (08:30):
  “Not me, and it was not here, and it was about thirty years ago. But my brother… started his IV in his penis.”

Key Segment Timestamps

• 02:24–03:32:
  Introduction of the central question and early skepticism from the hosts.
• 04:15–04:39:
  First confessions from medical professionals on being less gentle with difficult patients.
• 05:44–06:28:
  Specifics on patient behaviors that trigger "rougher" treatment; what kinds of behaviors cross the line.
• 06:48–07:17:
  Discussion on burnouts and first-time "payback" confessions from nurses.
• 07:28–07:49:
  Paramedic shares about handling abusive or dangerous offenders.
• 08:24–08:47:
  Shocking anecdote of extreme ER nurse retaliation.

Takeaways & The Bert Show's Final Thoughts

• If there’s a lesson here: Respect is key. Politeness and empathy towards healthcare workers go a long way—not just ethically, but (as many admit on the show) for your own comfort!
• The hosts close with a laugh:
  • Jen (09:10):
    “If you're drunk in the emergency room, put on a cup, glue it—glue it to you.”
  • Bert (09:18):
    “Now you know why they don’t allow you to take pictures and video in emergency rooms.”

Summary:
On this Bert Show “Vault” episode, the team pulls back the curtain on a taboo topic—vindictive behavior from healthcare professionals. Multiple nurses and paramedics candidly confirm that unpleasant patient attitudes can occasionally impact the gentleness of their care. The hosts keep things real and funny, balancing the gravity of the confessions with their signature levity. Ultimately, listeners are left with a not-so-subtle reminder: Be nice to your nurses, or you might just end up with a bigger needle.