Wear a helmet when you ride your bike. Look both ways before crossing the street. Be extremely careful when frying food in hot oil. There are plenty of things we do every single day that could end in tragedy if we ignore the safety rules seared into our brains. But there are also some things that you should probably just avoid point-blank, unless you want to take a trip to the hospital.
Healthcare workers on TikTok and Threads have recently been discussing activities that they would never let their loved ones partake in, due to what they’ve seen. We hope this list doesn’t unlock new fears in you, pandas, but it is a good reminder to always take your safety seriously. Good luck making it through to the end, and be sure to upvote the warnings that you think more people should hear!
#1
Former peds nurse and also child of parents born in the 1920s: I would never let anyone I love forgo vaccinations.
Image source: nancygalelee, CDC
#2
Psychologist here – no sleepovers!
mentallyawbused:
Be careful where you send your kids with, unless you know the family personally but even then it’s risky because majority of cases are from people they’re close with. My mom would let me sleep over my best friends house only because she was a single mother. No men around.
missjp.30:
I worked as a forensic nurse, no sleep overs. And just what I witnessed boys are not protected, even if the law is involved.
Image source: user9785454287812, Richard Stachmann
#3
To be honest if people knew how toxic alcohol is and what it does to the body, they’d never drink again.
mdsnurse2298:
Honestly? If you really wanna know, the answer is drink alcohol frequently. I work in a SNF. Chronic alcoholism causes far more disease and disability, more early nursing home admissions and more [fatalities] at a young age than all other causes combined.
Image source: itsjustme824, cottonbro studio
#4
Urologist here – I never let my kids play any contact sport without wearing a cup.
I’ve had to repair damaged or remove shattered testicles from kids who haven’t worn their cups during a practice or game.
CUP UP!
Image source: BallsMD, Alex Khoury
#5
Energy drinks. I’m in Cardiology and they are not good for your heart.
user221824878:
Energy drinks. As a paramedic I’ve seen too many young otherwise healthy people go into crazy rhythms because of them. Had a couple in straight up A-fib. No way.
Image source: wild_wanderlust, Ketut Subiyanto
#6
NICU nurse…water births or home births.
Image source: ashleybenefielmch, Yan Krukau
#7
Continue to prolong their lives when quality of life is poor. At a certain point it just becomes cruel.
Image source: alabasterink, DC Studio
#8
My dad worked in the ER, made me promise to never buy my kids a trampoline. I never did.
Image source: robinsimmonsbauguess, freepik
#9
Be sedentary. I see far too many relatively young people almost immobilized and out of breath doing simple tasks because of weight and inactivity.
Image source: robbiejsock, fentonroma143
#10
Ride a skateboard/bike/skates without a helmet. We took care of a coworker-nurse’s son who was severely brain damaged after a skateboard accident. Heartbreaking.
Image source: deborahemgee, Jan Kopřiva
#11
Chiropractor manipulating a person’s neck. I have seen 2 occasions where a person ended up in our ICU after this. Both times, they needed surgery to repair the damage
Image source: nachi_rn
#12
Live in states with 6 week abortion bans.
Image source: cothrans024
#13
Orbeez are a huge no in my house.
Image source: wildly.eclectic, Heru Dharma
#14
NEVER NEVER put a loved one in a nursing home.
Image source: carlettalucasyahoocom, Jsme MILA
#15
I work in ophthalmology. Exercise bands are a no go.
Image source: k.a.long22, Gustavo Fring
#16
NO CLAWCLIPS WHILE DRIVING!
Image source: katkramer, İlknur Çelik
#17
EMT here. Feet on dashboard. Just don’t do it. Please.
Image source: toshiastable
#18
Not wear seatbelts… no sir in my car you will buckle up.
Image source: pattygreen61
#19
Eat a fruit roll up that’s rolled up. Let’s just say if a kid gets choked, it’s almost impossible to get an airway.
Image source: cbookaddiction
#20
Accept medical advice from social media influencers who have affiliate links in bios, courses or supplements to sell, advertising that they found the big secret that the evil powers that be have kept from you but if you pay them, then they’ll give you the goods.
Image source: theodicy
#21
Blue swimwear (it blends in with the water and makes kids almost invisible to lifeguards).
Image source: kitster700
#22
Trauma nurse here, I’d agree with the donorcycle theme. The quickest, most critical trauma I’ve ever had was a donorcycle down. The pedal took out his abdominal organs and left them on the highway.
Image source: nursecross
#23
Taking any medication/supplements not FDA approved or gas station THC. The amount of patients I’ve seen in psychosis from anything unregulated is insane.
Image source: bowling_for_amanda
#24
Forensic pathologist here. It’s best to say ‘no’ to: smoking, [illegal substances], donorcycles, ATVs, chiropractors, ‘wellness’ grifters, home births, bed-sharing with babies, not wearing seatbelts or helmets, ignoring mental health issues, ignorning chest pain, refusing vaccines, firearms in the home, running from the police, dismantling safety devices, running back into a burning building, engaging with unfamiliar dogs, pools without gates and alarms, elderly people on ladders…the list goes on and on.
Image source: sisyphus8
#25
As an acute care nurse i would say don’t self neglect. I support my loved ones to understand the importance of taking ownership of their own health decisions and care. Drink water, exercise, be kind to yourself and others. Chase peace, hydration, nutritious food and good company.
Image source: saraanncham
#26
Ride in the back of a pickup truck, wash cars with a toddler, or ride ATVs. For reference I was a heart transplant coordinator and these were situations that were donors. I also can’t abide kids in a boat without a life jacket or being pulled on a sled by any motorized vehicle.
Image source: danafkay
#27
No alternative (quack) medicine for cancer.
Image source: wink56
#28
Do NOT use the hand dryers in the bathrooms.
Image source: dani.dior88
#29
Driving while intoxicated or tired.
Image source: kaitlyn🌺
#30
Pediatric NP here. Water beads, button battery toys, balloons, always wear a helmet. Never let anyone watch your kid around water— you always watch them yourself or other parent.
Image source: thechelseaedit
#31
My daughters was a nurse during Covid and told me if we get Covid never let the hospital put myself or husband on a vent to breath.
Image source: scarlett.buchholz
#32
Never take off immediately at a green light, the extra 3-5 seconds u wait can save your life!
Image source: yola_2027
#33
Leave the house without saying I love you.
Image source: steinpsu
#34
My dad (paramedic ) we weren’t allowed to do a lot of things lol. Nothing that goes fast, trampolines, wear a hair tie on my wrist, swim at anyone’s house, no feet on the dash, never drove behind log trucks. The list goes on.
Image source: brittannybauman
#35
Social Worker- We will not own a pool ( I need to be present when you go swimming), my house will not be near a pond, No co sleeping, No sleepovers at others houses. No joining youth groups. Alarms on my doors Button Batteries Gone!
Image source: ridethepeacetrain
#36
Rule #1. Get a 2nd opinion.
Image source: kafir1003
#37
Toddlers eating marshmallows. Impossible to get out of the airway. Ask me how I know.
Image source: jaymiedae
#38
Purchase united healthcare.
Image source: dozy598
#39
Work in healthcare.
Image source: jennann513
#40
Buy a young driver a fast car…..particularly a male. Just look at the stats if you don’t believe me.
Image source: jude3976
#41
Anesthesiologist here – I tell folks not to use a wire brush on their grill.
caittdaltt:
The wires can come out of the brush, and you can ingest them when eating and they can get lodged in your throat.
Image source: aarbear21
#42
The scooters.
Image source: kajtheviking
#43
Upstairs windows stay locked. Always.
Image source: haylie_anderson2020
#44
Go to a hospital owned by HCA or ascension. Or any hospital owned by a corporation for that. You are there to be a profit. Nobody cares about you except for your nurse who is overworked and underpaid and certainly has an unsafe patient load.
Image source: natbirdrn
#45
Be a full code. For context, my dad is a PA who taught me about code status when I was young. So I’ve been DNR/DNI since I was in my 20s. And then I worked in the ICU and now I try to educate everyone in my life to what being a full code actually means.
Image source: _joeyrae
#46
Grey or silver cars.
dinajunebuck:
The color makes it harder to be seen in rain, snow, fog and super bright lighting conditions. Always have headlights on.
Image source: loudel83
#47
Be in a car without a seatbelt. And making sure babies are properly strapped in a car seat, many leave the straps too loose.
Image source: depalley
#48
Pharmacist who’s worked in the ED at a level 2 trauma center. I have several:
– No motorcycles or activities you’d do at Glamis. A bike may stop, but the eyeballs keep going.
– Don’t get stupid drunk. Maybe no alcohol at all.
– Don’t stick an arm into an industrial dryer before it’s stopped rotating—sheets and towels will wrap around it and essentially twist it off.
– Always be aware of where your eye is in relation to an agave plant or trim the ends of your agave.
Image source: ylayn
#49
Pediatrician here. ATVs. Refuse vaccines. American Football. Chiropractors – ESPECIALLY for babies and children. Respect Dr. Oz 🤮. Drink raw milk. Home birth. Listen to anything RFKJ has ever said. Refuse sunscreen…the list goes on.
Image source: elephantbluebell
#50
Be in the hospital alone for any extended period of time. While the staff caring for someone does their best, their is little to no mental stimulation or conversation. Nevermind that the doctor will show up ONCE a day and it may be your only chance to ask questions, understand the plan, etc. No one, even someone alert and cognizant, should be there alone.
Image source: katstie
#51
When you get your blood drawn for lab work, insist on having the phlebotomist/nurse/tech label it with your name RIGHT THEN AND THERE. You’d be appalled at the unlabeled and mislabeled specimens the lab receives. At best, you have to have your lab work repeated. Worst case: your results are filed under someone else’s name.
Image source: hilarieshea
#52
Make sure you really WANT to be pregnant and raise children.
Image source: mumto2monsters
#53
ER Doc here: a LOT of my business is from [illegal substances], alcohol and gravity. The first two are easier to avoid
Image source: marymax99
#54
NO ELDERLY MEN ON THE DAMN ROOF! Call a roofing company!
Image source: mlesskinner
#55
Former healthcare worker (music therapist) and current teacher. I don’t put pictures of my kids on social media, ever.
Image source: musicval85
#56
I wouldn’t let my 6’4”, brick solid son play football, even when coaches begged. When a college coach said “Son, I will let you walk on and teach you this game and see that you get a scholarship,” my son said: “Sir, you haven’t met my mother. Not gonna’ happen, but thanks.” So many other things, as well, but football spinal injuries are so pointless.
Image source: call_me_kerrin_morris
#57
I’m not in healthcare but dated a nurse. She came over after a shift crying her eye out. Car wreck. Said a patient was an organ donor and she was instructed to let him fight on his own. He didn’t make it. She Told me to remove organ donor and I did. That was over 10yrs ago.
Image source: partyzover
#58
Pharmacy Tech – let adhd meds be a LAST resort. Especially for your child.
Image source: thesamuraijaxon
#59
Back surgery unless it’s severe. There’s never just one surgery.
Image source: im_niab
#60
I’m a social worker and I’ll say: let teenagers become fully peer centric. They still need their parents and parents have to work at maintaining the connection. Teens aren’t grown enough to raise each other and they need the adults in their lives to avoid some pit falls.
Image source: linneajosie
#61
Donate their eyes. I’m a big proponent of organ donation and one of my kids donated a kidney. But I’ve warned all of them and their spouses- I’ll haunt them if they ever donate my eyes or theirs!
Image source: riuttapascal
#62
Cardiac sonographer here – not let parents think sudden cardiac arrest couldn’t happen to their kid just because a doc (or urgent care) signed off on that sports physical. Every kid who has [passed away] from SCA had a sports physical on file.
Image source: feathernwinds
#63
Walk barefoot in the airport or airplane.
Image source: zaydad2
Follow Us
