I've only worked in the ER a very short time but I still think this one is funny. City behavioral health facility sends pt to ER for hypertension, refusing to eat, refusing meds, potential self harm, etc. After EMS gives radio report and we wait for pt to show (ER was basically empty at the time), nurses, Drs, NPs, everybody, gathers round talking about how stupid it is that a behavioral health facility is sending us a pt for possible self harm. Pt arrives, somewhat combative, is physically forced by EMTs and security off ambulance stretcher onto our bed. Basking in all this attention, pt requires a convincing committee of at least five staff+Dr to get vitals (never does end up w gown). After vitals reviewed and declared fine, Dr asks me (clerk) to just order the guy a lunch tray so he'll get outta our hair. While tray is coming, pt requests urinal. Fine, except when lunch is brought, pt becomes aggressive again and expresses desire to throw used urinal on nurse and Dr. while Dr stands there 5 mins or so trying to coax him to eat. Dr leaves lunch tray until pt starts yelling about how cruel we are and don't want to help him get well, etc. When Dr. comes back to room to tell pt that he's doing just dandy health-wise, pt now does not want to leave. Private EMS called for transport back to psych facility, dx asymptomatic hypertension, pt refuses to get on stretcher and strikes at EMTs and cusses out security. Pt restrained and local police called by me. Officer at least 6' 7", military haircut, black uniform, shades, the whole deal.....comes through ambulance doors and asks 5 relatively short females where the problem is and why our security is not taking care of it. Security tells officer that pt is discharged and won't leave our facility; pt frightened into silence just by officer walking past room door. Officer goes into room and asks pt to move over to stretcher; pt refuses and whines and cries. Officer nods, handcuffs pt, pulls him onto stretcher, restrains him appropriately, un-cuffs him, leaves. Pt starts pitiful wailing like a four year old w/o teddy bear and is wheeled out ambulance doors again. (5 said females probably each separately checked out officer's veins........)

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LilgirlRN, ADN, RN

769 Posts

Specializes in ED staff.

Green poop

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TheGooch

775 Posts

jessRN465 said:
A mosquito bite

You laugh but some of us blow up like a balloon and the area turns all black and blue.

I've never had problems with skeeter bites until this past Summer(we had a rainy Spring).

I got bit by a mosquito and went to Target to ask the pharmacist what I could put on to stop the crazy itching because the hydrocortisone cream wasn't working. It was on my calf and by then it had swollen up, turned black,red and blue and was hard like a golf ball. She said it wasn't a skeeter bite but probably a spider bite and since it looked so nasty I should go to the ER so I went to Urgent Care instead. The doc said it probably was a skeeter bite and that he had seen some pretty nasty ones this year. He said it most likely wasn't infected but prescribed an antibiotic and said if it didn't get better in a couple of days to start it. Well it did get better but all the bites this Summer that I have gotten on my calf have swelled up and turn colors.

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Nurse Leigh

1,149 Posts

Specializes in Telemetry.

TheGooch said:
You laugh but some of us blow up like a balloon and the area turns all black and blue.
I've never had problems with skeeter bites until this past Summer(we had a rainy Spring).
I got bit by a mosquito and went to Target to ask the pharmacist what I could put on to stop the crazy itching because the hydrocortisone cream wasn't working. It was on my calf and by then it had swollen up, turned black,red and blue and was hard like a golf ball. She said it wasn't a skeeter bite but probably a spider bit and since it looked so nasty I should go to the ER so I went to Urgent Care instead. The doc said it probably was a skeeter bite and that he had seen some pretty nasty ones this year. He said it most likely wasn't infected but prescribed an antibiotic and said if it didn't get better in a couple of days to start it. Well it did get better but all the bites this Summer that I have gotten on my calf have swelled up and turn colors.

*sigh*

I remember thinking the last couple winters that were so doggone COLD would at least kill off many of those nasty blood suckers, then I learned that wasn't the case. In fact I think they said the weathee could have made it worse!

And all the rain this Summer....

That sounds like a nasty response to a creepy critter. Sorry you have to deal with that. :thumbdown:

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TheGooch

775 Posts

Nurse Leigh said:
*sigh*
I remember thinking the last couple winters that were so doggone COLD would at least kill off many of those nasty blood suckers, then I learned that wasn't the case. In fact I think they said the weathee could have made it worse!
And all the rain this Summer....
That sounds like a nasty response to a creepy critter. Sorry you have to deal with that. :thumbdown:

Thanks, I actually felt stupid going to Urgent Care but not so much when I left. A person can be allergic to their bites from what I've read.

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NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN

1,066 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

Called a pt in to be triaged. he stopped three steps from triage and yelled this chief complaint quote:

"F--- you, you f---ing c---!"

then walked out of the ED. I still have no idea why he came in.

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AmyRN303, BSN, RN

732 Posts

TheGooch said:
Thanks, I actually felt stupid going to Urgent Care but not so much when I left. A person can be allergic to their bites from what I've read.

When I delivered my oldest child one July, I had three or four large welted purple mosquito bites on my leg....one of the nurses asked me repeated questions about my home life...when I realized what she was getting at, I ended up telling her all about my other allergies. Kinda did look like I got pushed down a flight of stairs. My daughter is horribly allergic to mosquitoes too. When she was 2, I took her to the pediatrician because her eye swelled shut from two bites. New Hampshire mosquitoes are the size of Eagles.