ER Pet Peeves

One of the Financial Counselors who works in our E.R. told me about a guy who regulary calls an ambulance in order to get Maalox. And, once he gets admitted, he wants to be waited on hand and foot.

Needing Emergency Care is one thing, but this is pure abuse of our already overburdened Health Care System.

I work in a Planetree hospital that lives and dies by the Press-Ganey survey.

Of course we get it for them!

Chip

...Tatooed, nose, tongue, eyebrow & navel-pierced people crying traumatically over blood draw/IV/injection...

Oh yeah....People who cough loudly without covering their mouths right in your face to "show" you how sick they really are.

I wish that Press and Ganey could have those surveys stuck where the sun don't shine(I'd be happy to put'em there without benefit of KY) Sorry, I know this post is slightly off topic but when I saw the post about Press Ganey I couldn't help my self.

The doctor who gives the hydrocodone to the drug seeker. Makes the rest of our lives miserable.

The triage nurse who rushes the dramatic but noncritical patient back just because she doesn't want to deal with them.

Cardiac patients,or any patient, who have to ask their spouses what medicines they take.

Females that know asking for a simple pregnancy test will get them a long wait so they add the complaint of abdominal pain. Then they get a full work-up and a "free" ultrasound picture to boot.

Patients who are making out with their SOs as you go to discharge them. Guess that back/belly/tooth quit hurting after they got their magical narcotic strip.

Patients who say, "You don't know what a migraine, UTI, backache, cold, etc. feels like". Yes I do honey and I still drag myself to work.

The pt c/o shoulder/back/elbow/nostril pain requesting Dilaudid IVP

The ED staff family member bypassing triage and taking up a room "for a quick assessment of A, B, or C"

The drunk college kid begging us not to call his parents

The drunk HS kid crying because we did

The LTC dumps who are dehydrated with a UTI - last time I checked, IVFs could be given in a NH

The pt. screaming of ear pain...one look w/ otoscope reveals a live cockroach...irrigated out and still alive...pt asks for spec. cup to "take him back home"

the "worst headache of my life" with his IPOD blaring

the mother screaming at the staff for making dehydrated 2 y.o. cry with IV start

the intern who things he/she is hot sh#@ and attempts to order the 30 yr veteran nurses around during a code...as if they don't know how to do their jobs and YOURS too!

I love the ones who come in with the sniffles and want antibiotics....or the ones who are constipated from not having a bowel movement that morning.

All I can say is, bless each and every one of you ER nurses. As I nursing student I've been able to observe many different areas of the hospital. The ER nurses are a special breed!

****** ER nurses who think we're idiots when we send/call report on subacute patients!!!!! Why do they think they're so much better? Why can't we be nice to and support each other?