Eat Before You Get Here!

Specialties Emergency

Published

WHY is it that as soon as people step one foot into the ER, they suddenly are overcome with hunger and thirst? Now I can understand if the patient is admitted and has been there all day and has eaten nothing. But I don't understand how when someone comes in at 10:30 at night they IMMEDIATELY ask for food and drink because they haven't eaten all day. They have had the entire day to eat.Its not my fault that they didn't eat at home. I don't know how many signs are posted stating "no eating or drinking until evaluation is complete". Then again we have I don't know how many RESTRICTED AREA signs and people ignore those too. The other day I needed to use a bedside table but there was a tray on it so I asked the young lady if she was finished. And she said(snottily)" THAT was lunch. I didn't even GET dinner, yet." She was NOT an admitted pt. Matter of fact she was discharged an hour later. Does this happen everywhere? :uhoh21:

Specializes in Emergency.

I HATE it when people pass up the McDonalds to come see me in the ED. All I have are saltines and maybe a can of Ensure. If you refuse those, then you are not "starving to death." Also, it's going to take a minute for you to starve to death considering you weigh about 350 lbs and I am confident you will not die from lack of caloric intake if you have to wait until dietary brings down whatever lukewarm sludge they throw together and ship to us whenever they damned well please. (What makes you think I have ANY control over them or any desire to have any control over them or the time to effectively communicate with these people, I don't know....) I haven't had time to eat all day either, so I don't particularly feel sorry for you as you have gotten to lay in bed, your urine isn't cramping in your bladder due to the foley, and you've had narcs. I, however, woke up @ 0530 today, drank a muscle milk on my way in, and have saved several lives on an empty stomache while working through a migraine that probably hurts me more than the "abominable pains" that you came in here for today. No, being "diabetical" doesn't mean you get fed whenever you want. If you at anytime were compliant with your insulin, then I may think twice. However, we have these fancy machines that analyzed your blood I took earlier and it showed your glucose is 379. So, I feel safe betting that your insulin from last year when you last got it filled is still sitting in your fridge untouched behind a gallon of full sugar Sunny D. Ergo, good luck getting me to call the cafeteria and nag for a tray for you, as I also need to call pharmacy and beg for the meds I ordered for the psych pt 1.5 hours ago, again, call the floor and beg a nurse to take report, again, and call CT to see if they are ever going to scan you so you can GO HOME and feast on your regular dinner of fritos, cheetos, ding dongs, ho-ho's, twinkies, and kool-aid.

Yes, I do feel better now.

I think the whole I need to eat as soon as I arrive in the ED thing is somehow related to the if I am strapped to a spineboard I am going to need to urinate within 4 mins of arrival to the ED.

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Specializes in ER.
I HATE it when people pass up the McDonalds to come see me in the ED. All I have are saltines and maybe a can of Ensure. If you refuse those, then you are not "starving to death." Also, it's going to take a minute for you to starve to death considering you weigh about 350 lbs and I am confident you will not die from lack of caloric intake if you have to wait until dietary brings down whatever lukewarm sludge they throw together and ship to us whenever they damned well please. (What makes you think I have ANY control over them or any desire to have any control over them or the time to effectively communicate with these people, I don't know....) I haven't had time to eat all day either, so I don't particularly feel sorry for you as you have gotten to lay in bed, your urine isn't cramping in your bladder due to the foley, and you've had narcs. I, however, woke up @ 0530 today, drank a muscle milk on my way in, and have saved several lives on an empty stomache while working through a migraine that probably hurts me more than the "abominable pains" that you came in here for today. No, being "diabetical" doesn't mean you get fed whenever you want. If you at anytime were compliant with your insulin, then I may think twice. However, we have these fancy machines that analyzed your blood I took earlier and it showed your glucose is 379. So, I feel safe betting that your insulin from last year when you last got it filled is still sitting in your fridge untouched behind a gallon of full sugar Sunny D. Ergo, good luck getting me to call the cafeteria and nag for a tray for you, as I also need to call pharmacy and beg for the meds I ordered for the psych pt 1.5 hours ago, again, call the floor and beg a nurse to take report, again, and call CT to see if they are ever going to scan you so you can GO HOME and feast on your regular dinner of fritos, cheetos, ding dongs, ho-ho's, twinkies, and kool-aid.

Yes, I do feel better now.

I think the whole I need to eat as soon as I arrive in the ED thing is somehow related to the if I am strapped to a spineboard I am going to need to urinate within 4 mins of arrival to the ED.

Oh my gosh that is sooo funny and soooo true. I was beginning to wonder if I wrote this myself in my sleep or something....hahahahaha, made my day.

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Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

Hmmmm, based on some of the requests I get from other floors about stuff that they can get elsewhere in the hospital, I am surprised THEY are not asking me to feed them too. Also, how many times have you scrounged in the lounge and found a bagel and some fruit or something, brought it victoriously to said hungry patient, only to have them say "I'm not hungry for THAT!" Too bad.

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Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

So very true. The other day I walked into a room of a patient to get vitals (never have been to this room before) and his 40 year old son, thinking he was really hilarious (fool), said out of nowhere: "Hi. I need a steak, mashed potatoes and a coffee." I answered without a delay: " well, then bring some for me too!"

I, frankly, felt insulted. I am wearing scrubs and a badge. Do I look like a waitress to you?

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Specializes in Too many to list.

As one of the shrinks on our unit would say, "this is not the Ritz Carlton!"

I usually ask the demanding ones, "do I look like a waitress?" Since I am wearing a long white lab coat over my street clothing, they have to admit that I don't, then they apologize for treating me like one. No offense to any wait staff!

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Specializes in ER.

Yes, this frustrates me as well. Another one is the families who attempt to bring food back to the room even though a sign with a big cross bar slashed thru it states no food or drink. Thy get huffy with you when you try to enforce the rule. I always suggest they eat it down in the vending lounge down the hall. We've sent people out of the ER arena when they bring food back. It can be quite a problem. Why do people think it's okay to bring food in anyway.....if you haven't eaten, go eat and come back. As far as the patient's go. We do have a refrigerator with prepared lunch meat sandwhiches, pretzels or jello/cookies packaged for patients waiting long periods of time in the ER. What gets us are the frequent visitors who just go to the frig themselves as they know where it's at.....The nerve!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

Ohh an don't forget the ones who have to pee as soon as they get here. Like they have been holding it for the last 6 hours until they walked into thier ER room, just so they can leave to pee.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
Does this happen everywhere? :uhoh21:
The time I spent in ER, mostly as a patient, I didn't hear a lot of requests, other than patients who were there an extended period of time (6-8hours) or those waiting on an admission.

As an ER patient, I've asked for food a few times, always when hooked up to Heli-ox for a vocal cord disorder. For some reason, being on that stuff makes me ravenously hungry, even if I'd eaten just before leaving for the hospital. The first couple of times it happened, I did ask for a sandwich. Normally they would not give patients food unless they were an admit or diabetic with a long wait time, but I guess it was the puppy dog eyes mixed with the perfect Donald Duck voice that won her over. :lol2: If I had to be treated now, I'd bring a granola bar or something small enough to fit in my purse with me.

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I had a pt come in tonight with, "big toe pain" and in TRIAGE stated, "how long til I get back there, Im HUNGRY!" I informed the pt that you will not be allowed anything to eat until you are medically cleared to do so by the doctor. A few long hours later after coming out of the box, Im rushing to a code and the same pt tried to stop me and tell me hey you..Im still hungry can I get some food now!! I looked at the pt and said go back to your room, we dont do that here.

It gets worse, so after the code, I checked on my other pts, and there the pt was "starving to death" and upset because pt was being discharged with the dx of "big toe pain" Yup, discharged pt without slapping the feed bag on first.

Ahh-gotta love them horrible customer service scores.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Yep, something to eat, drink and we tend to think the WARM blankets are something they come in for as well!

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Yep, something to eat, drink and we tend to think the WARM blankets are something they come in for as well!

The warm blankets are nice, but by no means at all necessary. They are comforting when you are scared or just not happy to be there (which I never am when I am in the hospital), especially in CT where it is COLD

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
what?????

when a pt has been around the block a few times, let them adapt...

i have been the pt several times so, i know what i'm talking about. if the kitchen is closed, so to speak, and u are ill, go to sleep!!!

i have worked nights forever and i don't expect any sucha thing.

go ahead and flame me (if it makes you feel better.)

i have to agree. if you're sick enough to be in the emergency room, eating is not an emergency. eat before you come, or deal with it.

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