I never, ever went to ER when I was a kid

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

I've been twice in my life...once when I was about 20 months old my parents brought me because I stuck M&Ms up my nose. They were told that they'd melt and I'd be just fine, which was the case. I can understand why they brought me though...new parents and they were nervous. 2nd time I was 25 years old and got an awful corneal abrasion at my friend's house. I couldn't see for four days out of that eye, so I think it was a worthwhile trip. Thank God no residual deficits.

anukis

7 Posts

I've gone to the ER only a few times, a couple times for chest pain (I felt like I was dying) which luckily turned out to be nothing (that I know of) and another time for a deep cat bite late at night (no stitches, but they soaked my hand in iodine and gave me antibiotics). But I've heard about going to the ER for HAs and runny noses... fortunately, most of the HA and rhinitis cases that come in are just that but as nurses (physicians as well) need to treat each case as though it could be an emergency. You don't want to be the person that turns someone away only for them to have an actual serious case later on down the road.

sandyfeet

413 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Never as a child, twice as an adult: one visit vomiting BRB (turned out to be ok) and another for for sudden onset RLQ pain (ruptured ovarian cyst). The second one happened right before I started nursing school and my nurse was wonderful! His name was David and he was so positive and easy-going, even when telling me about delays or why I still couldn't drink water. He was one of the influences on how I do my care today.

Worst peds visit chief: crying baby(now resolved).

ADeks

132 Posts

Specializes in Current: ER Past: Cardiac Tele.

Only three times. First time I cracked my head open after falling out a large heavy wooden chair and said chair fell on my head. No loc, lots of blood and a head lac. No stitches though and no ct. I was 5/6 so I can see why my mother got nervous. My second and third time were for broken arms that needed a splint. We lived in a rural town at the time and walk-in clinics weren't a thing back then.

I feel like parents are training their kids to come to the ER for minor problems. The young healthy patients who get the flu. Mothers always tell them "you just need an iv to get some fluids to get better." Your child is miserable because of the flu! All we did is gave them some Tylenol/ibuprofen and 1L of fluids. I think this is also why we see young 20 year olds coming in by ambulance for the simple flu. It just boggles my mind. Stay home and eat some chicken soup!

psu_213, BSN, RN

3,878 Posts

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

That's what I want to tell people....if you (or your child) is just a little sick (for example, a simple cold), the ER is the worst place to be. Why expose yourself to all these germs just because you want your/their cough x2 days checked? Then again, customer services scores prevent me from telling anyone that. Heck, why would we want to help people be healthier when it comes at the expense of decent PG scores later??

And don't even get me started on kids crawling on the floor (or worse!).

nrsang97, BSN, RN

2,602 Posts

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I had only been a few times as a kid. I know I went once as a baby because I didn't sleep for days (No such thing as urgent care back then). I had been given actifed and it kept me up for like two straight days. My mom didn't know that was the cause. She was a new mom, out of state from family and friends and she and my dad were tired and didn't know what to do. The other times I went I was being checked for broken bones or had trouble breathing.

My brother went and ended up admitted with pneumonia when he was 8. He was camping with my dad and they went home and he was hallucinating. Otherwise it was for broken/suspected broken bones.

I have taken my son a few times when urgent care was closed because he was sick. Once with RSV, and another time with a high fever I couldn't break.

mcdebb

51 Posts

My sisters and I never went to the hospital either as kids. HOWEVER, there was a time I should have gone. I was playing baseball with neighborhood kids and I was the catcher. I was too close the the batter and got hit in the face with the bat. It broke my nose and I was knocked out for about a 1/2 hour I was told. I woke up vomiting and still did not go to the hospital. I started getting sick all the time and it took 18 years (1989) before anyone figured out it... it is Simple Partial Seizures. Because I do not black out... it confused doctors. So, If I had gone and received the proper test.... I may have been able to get some treatment that MAY have been able to help my condition. Plus, so may primary doctor's offices are worried about malpractice that their response is go to the ER.

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Three times as a child --

1) At 9yo for a sprained ankle (I'm guessing it was a grade 3 sprain? I was on crutches for ~3 weeks and have had joint instability ever since) at 8pm (no urgent care clinics in town).

2) At 12yo for appendicitis at 7pm on a Sunday after all-day vomiting and deteriorating to the point that I could not extend from the fetal position (no urgent care clinics in town).

3) At 17yo for suspected finger fractures after fingers were shut in a car door (no urgent care clinics in town).

I've taken my 14yo son just once so far (knock wood) -- at 8yo for tonsillitis with multi-colored exudate at 9pm on a Saturday night (no urgent care clinics in town).

And one time I could have taken my son in but didn't -- he was only 3yo (way before I was a nurse) and had been diagnosed with bronchiolitis by the pediatrician on Wednesday, then on Friday evening he was lethargic with shallow and rapid respirations. I stayed up all night long just watching him breathe and checking his color, and took him to the pediatrician first thing in the morning (pneumonia).

I probably should have taken him to the ER the night before when he first became lethargic with shallow respirations, and I would have if he became SOB or cyanotic, but I'm another of that generation that treats illnesses with "fluids and rest and let it run its course", and he was still drinking enough that his pee was still light, so I took care of him myself. His treatment was only delayed by about 16 hours, but I think I aged a decade that night, just watching and waiting to see if my baby was going to keep breathing or not.

chrty_knox

49 Posts

Never went to the ER except for once...... i had abd pain @ 6/7 y/o and I had two older sisters who recently had burst appendixes. I ended up with a Uti. I grew up with mustard paste for a chest cold and codliver oil and homeopathic remedies for sickness. Unless we were really really sick we weren't going to the hospital. Unless my kids are showing signs of serious illness or resp distress they stay home or see a their PCP. I had a freind text me at 1 am to ask f she should bring her child in with a temp on 100.8 and no other symptoms . I am a slow going mom to bring my kids to the Dr, Sniffles and mild fever have not been a reason.

ComeTogether, LPN

1 Article; 2,178 Posts

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

One time, when I was 7. Snapped my wrist in half, compound fracture. That was it, though. ;-)

kp1987

400 Posts

A few broken bones and meningitis are the extent of my ER experiences as a kid and an adult. Baffles me when people use the ER as a walk in clinic

Specializes in Education.

I went to an ophthalmologic ER with severe eye pain and light sensitivity once. And that was only because I was a good two hours away from my regular eye doctor.

But beyond that, I've never had a medical emergency that required an ER visit.

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