ER Pet Peeves

[ERERER]

Omigod, i was just browsing through another forum that listed pet peeves. It was so good, but so big. I was trying to browse through for ER stuff. It's great!!! Let's start our own!!!

---TANGLED CORDS I start out every shift untangling monitor/BP/pulse ox/call light/pumps/IV tubings and assorted other things

---PATIENTS WHO ARRIVE BY AMBULANCE and immediately have to have a BM. What is it about EMS that scares the SH** out of them???? and then...

---I HAVEN'T EATEN ALL DAY. big surprise, neither have I. as a matter of fact, i probably havent' had a lunch break in 3 years of 12 hour shifts

---BEDSIDE COMMODES with various aging urine/BM's at the bedside.

---LUNCH (and dinner) TRAYS still in the rooms at 7pm

---GARBAGE all around the garbage can

---IV TRAYS not restocked. of course, nights does nothing but crochet. even tho statistics show the busiest time to be 8-12 am.

---GRANDMA'S AND GRANDPAS soaking wet. bet you it wasn't YOUR grandma

---VISITORS who come to the station to tell you what their family member needs (urinal, bedpan, water, attention). Please tell me, how did these people pee on their own at home????

----GREAT BIG DISPLAYS OF EMOTION about patients who are obviously in the ER from neglect..... prescriptions not filled, not bathed in weeks, clothes in tatters, dehydrated and starving. BUT NOW!!! my MOM IS SUFFERING, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT??????

----BABIES WITH HIGH FEVERS IN TRIAGE. doesn't anybody buy Tylenol any more????

I could go on and on (and I am, in my pea brain), but i want to hear from YOU GUYS TOO!!!!

[Nurse-o-Matic]

1. Patient's temperature reads 98.4 and patient insisting this is a fever for them since thier norm is 95.

2. Patient complaining of back pain/ rib pain, etc. refusing to wear a gown for examination.

3. Adult patient with spouse who answers all questions for them.

4. Patients who can't recall any of the meds they take or thier allergies. "Umm....I'm pretty sure that medicine started with a B....."

5. Patients who come in the day of an event they need to be at and demand that we cure them and get them out the door in plenty of time to shower and get dressed at home. I had a woman once with SOB that refused to allow us to remove fingernail polish to check an o2 sat!

[jenna_rn]

OK The 10 allergies....LOL.... I SO AGREE WITH YOU!!!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

So, when these people want tea, boxed lunches etc., you don't actually have to get it for them do you?

[babynurselsa, RN]

UMMMM only if I get a written physician order.

With some of the FF crowd who are there solely for a meal and nap I do not feed. I will get them a cab pass to the shelter whence they originated, they can feed them. That is what all of those United Way funds and all of the other fund raising campaigns are for. I have no problem taking care of sick people regardless of their pay source or lack of. I do have a problem stretching already thin resources for persons that DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE ER.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

We also get the "are you busy" phone calls. I WANT to ask..... would you like a reservation??

I actually have done this. And, no, I did not want a reservation.

I got bitten by a wild raccoon while on assignment. It was a very deep and extensive wound and in an area of the country where there was an active outbreak of Rabies. While I was not in immediate danger of dying, there was a need to get prompt medical attention for antibiotics and gamma globulin/rabies vacination. And as rabies cases are treated through the ER (public health/animal control issues) and not generally through a local MD, I reported there. I did call ahead to make sure that the ER near me had the time to see me, rather than to go to one that was overwhelmed with more critical cases. It seemed a prudent thing to do, not a rude one.

[menolly_33]

I have no problem taking care of sick people regardless of their pay source or lack of. I do have a problem stretching already thin resources for persons that DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE ER.

I so agree with you. Too bad we can't demand big screen tv's, jewerly, and cars that cost more that my mortgage in payment. Could have a really outstanding yard sell Oh well, just a dream.

If a patient calls to ask if we are busy, I always answer yes, even if every bed is empty. Because if I answer no, and by the time they get there we have gotten busy, they are pissed off. If I answer yes, and when they get there we are not busy, they are very happy. This way everybody is happy. My theory being if they can wait until we are not busy, IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY!

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

4. Patients who can't recall any of the meds they take or thier allergies. "Umm....I'm pretty sure that medicine started with a B....."

Oh lordie, that was me!

:imbar But I really AM quite barfy when I take that antibiotic that I think has an "X" in it, but I'm not sure because that was about 15 years ago and it only took 2 doses before I got violently ill. My doc should have the records. But I truthfully do NOT remember the name of the med.

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

6. Female patient with "migraine" accompanied by husband or SO, or mother, sometimes all of the above.

As a female that has migraines, why wouldn't you want someone with them? When I have a bad one, it would be dangerous for me to drive myself.

Things I appreciate: Good managers, great co-workers and doctors that listen. Happy ER nurses week to all.

I second this!!

[menolly_33]

As a female that has migraines, why wouldn't you want someone with them? When I have a bad one, it would be dangerous for me to drive myself.

I wasn't talking about the people with a real migraine, but the hyper drama queen that must have an audience with her to truly appreciate her performance. I have actually caught one peeking under her closed eyes, covered with a cloth, to make sure she had everyone's attention, she then immediately returned to her moaning and crying. I would never make fun of a true migrine sufferer, I've seen a lot of those, and it's usually very obvious that it's a migraine. unfortunately, everyone that comes in with a headache calls it a migraine, even those laughing with friends, and eating chips and drinking a soda. I have lots of sympthy for those that really need the ER, but those that waste our time and resources are one of my pet peeves.

[grammyr]

I am a migraine sufferer and my co workers know that if I come to the ER with one that something is bad wrong. I have meds at home for this and 90% of the time they work. The problem with some people who tell me that they have migraines is that they are telling me that their pain is a 10/10 and at the same time asking me how my family is doing and if we have been busy. Had one tell the doc that if she had known he was there that day she would have made him a pie before she came.

If I am in the middle of a full blown migraine it hurts to whisper let alone carry on a 10 minute conversation about someone's family or what kind of pie they like!!!!!

[flashpoint]

I'll admit I have called to see how busy the ER was before I went...when I had mono, I had the most horrible sore throat, fatigue, N/V, etc...I called my doctor at home to see if there was anything he could advise over the phone and he told me to go to the ER for lab, etc...it was a weekend, the clinics were closed, and we didn't have urgent care at the time. I didn't think I was dying or anything, so if they were slammed, I wanted to wait until things calmed down...I ended up with an IV and spent the night, so I guess I was sicker than I thought, but still didn't have any life threats...

[Aneroo, LPN]

I'm almost afraid to post these, just b/c of the "Well I did this one time, and you shouldn't think this" responses...Oh well. Never stopped me before.

1. "You should have it in your records." Although modern tech has brought us far ahead, we're not yet connected with every doc's office in the county.

2. Lady comes in for foot pain (via EMS, of course), with her gallon ziplock bag of goodies that includes vicodin. Have you been taking your medicine? Well no Sh*t sherlock, of course it's gonna hurt if you don't take your meds!

3. Person in triage who leaves w/o treatment after waiting an hour. Said they didn't want to wait that long, would come back around 3am when it was less busy. So um, that means you're gonna go BACK thru triage and registration, no guarantee we aren't busy, and you're still gonna be in pain the WHOLE time!

4. "I'm out of my pain/antipsychotic and just moved here, haven't found a new doctor yet". Don't you think you should have thought of tha BEFORE you ran out of your medicine? We're not a pharmacy.

5. "Momma hasn't eaten all day". Well, your mother is on a machine to help her breathe- that's a bit more important than food right now. Secondly, your mother weighs 400 pounds. I don't think skipping a meal is gonna starve her! Thirdly, I haven't eaten all day either.

6. People who snap their fingers or yell "Hey you!". Im a person, I'm your nurse. I can handle you hollering "Hey nurse", but barely. You will get called out on it if you yell "YO!" towards my direction. Treat me with respect if you expect the same.

7. After the doc has been in to see a patient (here for a toothache at 1am) and already told them what meds they're getting a script for, I'm giving d/c instructions and they say "I can't afford the medicine". Could you have told the doc that when he told you this?

8. "I couldn't get to the store to get my BP meds"- How did you get here? "My friend brought me" And your friend couldn't take you to get your medicine? Silence....

9. Fake anxiety attacks

10. EMS that is stationed 20 minutes south that gives you two minutes warning on a code blue. The driver also has access to a mike, let him call the hospital while you pound a chest.

11. The teen c/o abdominal pain that is getting mad she's not gonna be out in time to order chinese food.

12. "I'm here for a pregnancy test"- Well, here's a buck and change. The dollar store sells them now.