Drama Queens/Kings in the ED

I haven't been in the ED very long, but I have been there long enough to make a few observations. One of these observations is, I've seen several people come in making such a fuss, you'd think they were on their deathbed or something, and you think for sure, they've got to have a fracture, dislocation, or something seriously wrong. You work your tail off to keep them comfortable, assuming they must be in horrific, unimaginable pain. Often these folks have some friend or family member hovering and doting, catering to their every little whim. But when all the imaging studies and labs come back, there is nothing out of the ordinary at all. When they leave, they are quiet, and sometimes act embarrassed or apologize for their behavior.

Contrast this to the really ill person with cancer, CHF, or what have you, who quietly lays there, not asking for a thing, just wanting to rest quietly and try to feel better. It would be easy to forget about them in the shuffle, but you feel so much empathy for them and their distraught family members, that you make certain to poke your head in and offer warm blankets, assess their pain, and reassure the family. Or, they may be sick enough that they are your priority patient, and you spend all of your time in their room hanging fluids, giving medications, and monitoring their condition, all the while, you can hear the loud person down the hall calling out "NURSE! NURSE!" for another pillow or some juice.

As I ponder this phenomenon, it brings to mind the saying that there is an inverse relationship between how sick a person is and how much noise they make. I'm beginning to be convinced that there is a lot of truth to this, to the point where I'm integrating it into my nursing practice and making sure to peek in on those quiet ones as often as possible.

Thoughts?