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

Specialties Emergency Nursing Q/A

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 ?

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I'm just a student but on my ER rotation last week an elderly man came in at 4 AM because he hadn't pooped since

4 PM. :confused:

This seems to be a common one. Only in the ER since Aug 2010, but I have seen several pts. there with "No BM since yesterday/for one day/etc." On the other hand, I have seen people who haven't gone in over a week...

Not as interesting as all your stories, but we had a patient kind of like this in my ER rotation. He went to the primary care doctor before they opened without an appointment. The nurse said he could get see the doctor soon (like 30 minutes), but the doctor won't see him right NOW. Well of course, Dr. So-and-so knows me, tell him I'm here, I know he'll see me. They still told him to wait.

So, what's a guy to do?

He walks over to the ER to get his cipro ear drops instead. Of course, he's in the ER hours longer than he would have waited in the doctor's office.

Patient came to the ER because she took claritin for a runny nose and it dried her nose up. Patient was told that the medication was supposed to do that and the patient stated "I would rather have a runny nose because now I'm probably gonna die from dehydration". Of course, she had no insurance and she had just left her doctors office prior to coming to the ER. The doctor also told her that the medication did would it should do.

Specializes in Med-surg, ICU.

Patient came in the ER with an ingrown at 4am in the morning.

He said it was very painful.

Ahaha

Specializes in Med-surg, ICU.
Patient came in the ER with an ingrown at 4am in the morning.

He said it was very painful.

Ahaha

Fyi, the ingrown has (-) pus or bleeding.

Just a slight inflammation :)

Chapped lips-md informed pt there is no medical strength lip balm and to pick up some chapstick at walgreens

Male pt insists on seeing the MD because when he urinates "his urine makes bubbles in the toilet" pt dc'd home and informed it is normal.

Laceration to member from dry humping bed while having a wet dream. small cut noted to member. given wound care dc instructions and dc'd home.

mother brings 1 year old daughter with complaints of "hard clumps in nose" evaluation reveals boogers in child's nose. attempted to dc pt. mother throws fit. md informed mother that hospital staff will not pick her daughter's nose. instructed to apply warm moist rag to nose to loosen boogers.

21yo female to ED per EMS c/o no BM x 1 day. 16g IV inserted.. and labs drawn per md order. dc'd home with negative studies, informed people don't have bms everyday and to try something OTC if problem persists.

I have more, but it is past my bedtime.

Specializes in Peds ER.

I have more, but it is past my bedtime.

:bow:

More! More!

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

my husband was putting flea stuff in a tube on one of our cats when the tube split wide open and some of the med splashed up into his eye. he had his contacts in. i had him remove the contacts, rinse his eye thoroughly and go to the er. he was very indignant when they told him to toss his contacts (which i had already done by then.) he has been diabetic since he was eight and they called a specialist to check his eye.

while he waited in the waiting room for the specialist, a friend happened to walk through the waiting area. they talked as they waited. the friend, has been having prostate problems and was there because

he had an appointment with a surgeon who is only in town two days a week and sees patients right off the er. after comparing notes, the friend said he had seen his internist, who referred him to a local surgeon, who, in turn, referred him to this surgeon. my husband mentioned that dr.___ had operated on his foot in december and had been both knowledgeable and kind. friend is called, and my husband calls,

"don't worry. ;) she's great!":)

friend:she???:eek: she???:eek: omg!:o a woman?:eek::o oh %$#@!:D:eek::eek::crying2:

uh... we've done all sorts of things in the last century...:rolleyes:

Specializes in ER, ICU.

I have been an emergency nurse for many years and couldn't begin to pick the most ridiculous complaint. People just have no idea. A major portion of our business is completely ridiculous. ER's attract nuts. Personally, my favorite ridiculous visits are the performers. I am endlessly entertained by the people willing to fake seizures, strokes, unconciousness, and who knows how many somatic aches and pains. Fibro my ass.

Specializes in OB, Med/Surg, Ortho, ICU.

I had one come in to remove a tick. I looked at her when she said she wanted to check in and said, "You really want to pay $400 to have this tick removed when you can do it yourself fairly easily?". I don't know if she had insurance because she didn't check in, but at least she didn't say, "I have insurance, it doesn't matter."

Specializes in OB, Med/Surg, Ortho, ICU.

Ooo ooo... Forgot about this one. I was in our ED on exam room when I heard, "Wash my pecker, wash my pecker!". Apparently it's a very bad idea to get drunk, take off your clothes, and fight the cops because they mace you.....and it travels south.

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Ooo ooo... Forgot about this one. I was in our ED on exam room when I heard, "Wash my pecker, wash my pecker!". Apparently it's a very bad idea to get drunk, take off your clothes, and fight the cops because they mace you.....and it travels south.
:hhmth: That sure tickled my funnybone.
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