What was the MOST ridiculous thing a patient came to the ER for?

And did you have to treat them?

I am just curious. Your stories always seem to either crack me up or shake my head in amazement.

Thanks for sharing ?

[rph3664]

Not a nurse or anything like that but my friend's father once had her put on a psych ward when she was 16 because he and his wife read her diary and found out she had sex with her boyfriend.

How long ago was this? There was once a time when you could just drive up to some psych wards, say, "I want this person admitted" and walk away even if the person had nothing wrong with them.

If it was more recent, there may have been more to the story, suicidal behavior being the most likely.

[TheEmmyRN]

I had a gentleman come in because he didn't have a bowel movement the day before and he felt like he had to have a bowel movement. I asked him how often he usually had BMs had he said every other day. . . the doctor ordered an enema. I came in to give the enema and the Pt said he didn't need it because he had a BM already. He had it BEFORE the doctor came in. I asked if he told the MD that when he came in examine him. . . . he said "no because he didn't ask me"

YOU ARE HERE FOR CONSTIPATION WHY WOULD THE DOCTOR ASK YOU IF YOU HAD A BM WHILE YOU WERE HERE!

Really!?

[roses1130j]

Just last night I had a pt brought in by the police for SI via Facebook. An acquaintance of the pt was surfing his Facebook and saw a suicide note post. The pt said it was his girlfriend whom made the posts and he was not at all suicidal. Not only was is the most bizarre CC I've ever seen, it was also the fastest D/C. The doc was in the room all of 1 minute and wrote him up for discharge, the guy was very embarrased and made us call the cop who brought him in for a ride home...next thing you know they will be putting Facebook in the textbooks. LOL

[Christy1019, ASN, RN]

Several Weeks ago---

A gentleman, in his mid 60's...

-Constipated for several days

-decided to attempt to disimpact himself....... wait for it......

WITH A VIBRATOR.

-the vibrator got stuck.

bwahahahaha.

another good one from a couple weeks back--- (i didn't have this patient, but i just saw the general complaint come up on the waiting screen)

"13 F

Possible worm in lady parts"

what the...

just had a man last night that c/o constipation x 2 days so he attempted to disempact himself with a HANGER! ***** luckily did not perf his bowel, however would not follow instructions to keep the fluid in after a fleets enema and 1min after giving it i see his butt naked self running down the hallway to the bathroom, with a trail of enema dripping out behind him lol. maybe we should add fleets enema to the list of crap we should hand out at the door along w/preg tests, birth control, condoms, and tylenol lol

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

:rotfl::rotfl:Good idea.

[mkblakley07]

I haven't spent a whole lot of time in the ER, but the one that stands out the as the most ridiculous was the man who brought his child in because (s)he was dirty and wanted it documented that (s)he was dirty. But he had already bathed and groomed said child, so the child wasn't dirty. Not that there was anything we could've done about it anyway...

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

I haven't spent a whole lot of time in the ER, but the one that stands out the as the most ridiculous was the man who brought his child in because (s)he was dirty and wanted it documented that (s)he was dirty. But he had already bathed and groomed said child, so the child wasn't dirty. Not that there was anything we could've done about it anyway...

:rolleyes:

[flashpoint]

I haven't spent a whole lot of time in the ER, but the one that stands out the as the most ridiculous was the man who brought his child in because (s)he was dirty and wanted it documented that (s)he was dirty. But he had already bathed and groomed said child, so the child wasn't dirty. Not that there was anything we could've done about it anyway...

Was there a custody case involved? We once had a mom bring her three boys in so we could count, document, and photograph their mosquito bites. Dad had taken them camping and she was mad about it...and was trying to get full custody.

[indigonurse]

Pregnancy tests cost $1.00 at the dollar tree store (retail). Maybe someone could get the pregnancy crisis people to pitch a tent in front of the ER to catch these folks.

[Fribblet]

Pregnancy tests cost $1.00 at the dollar tree store (retail). Maybe someone could get the pregnancy crisis people to pitch a tent in front of the ER to catch these folks.

You can't take a home pregnancy test down to the medicaid office as "proof" that you, indeed, do not believe in using any sort of birth control.

One must have your pregnancy documented by a physician in order to start collecting checks. This is why they come to pee in the cup again and again and again. If they come to the ER, their existing medicaid will pay for the test and the free van ride home. Otherwise, they'd likely have to make an appointment to see an OB-GYN and pay a co-pay, and that would just be absurd.

[rph3664]

I've mentioned this already here, but I believe that some women come to the ER for a pregnancy test because they believe they can get an abortion there if they are indeed pregnant.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I've mentioned this already here, but I believe that some women come to the ER for a pregnancy test because they believe they can get an abortion there if they are indeed pregnant.

I don't see why or how that they get that idea.

Even when I was a teen, when people were less conservative, I knew a lot of young women with "conception issues" and none of them would have gone to ER for that reason...even then, they knew better. Plus it was much easier to get a free pregnancy test at a place that did provide that. And I was not the most savvy teen.

It is pretty noised about that ERs, especially being hospitals do not generally provide that. Now D&C post a botched home or illegal attempt, maybe. But those indeed are emergency issues for hemmorhage or sepsis.