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 ?

and do 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 :)

The Dad, who brought his kids to the ER for their school vaccinations. School was starting the next day and the children would not be allowed to attend until they were up to date on the immunizations.

The problem was that Dad had all summer to get them vaccinated, and kept putting it off. He was really P.O.'d when the ER staff told him they do not do school vaccinations in the ER and to call the clinic in the AM.

Specializes in med-surg.

We had a patient present to the ER with a piece of aquarium tubing stuck in his member; he had been advised to do this by a "physician" of questionable reputation. Needless to say, this gentlman spent a long period of time as a patient and almost lost his member to the infection. "always ask for a second opinion if you are uncomfortible (ouch!) with the first!

Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.

17 yo came to ED with "blue legs". Had been worked up at another ED and they couldn't find out what was wrong. She felt so bad she had her dad bring her to us. I looked at her legs and swiped them with an alcohol wipe, the blue came off. She swore she hadn't worn any new jeans or pants. She still felt bad, poor baby, so we had a doc see her and street her. :rotfl:

Man called 911 for stubbed toe at 0300. Poor medics climbed out of bed to bring him into us, he had to find his own way home. :uhoh3:

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Lady came in by EMS for chief complalnt of a "Black Tongue"

Dx pepto bismal over usage

Our hospital is just the block opposite of the university campus.one morning, one male 21 yo nursing student is rushed to E.R. for attempting suicide . he has his wrist lacerated for a futile attempt.He kept on crying so loud and kicking so hard and we can't talk to him.I called his parents on the phone from the number his classmates gave to me.But before that, I tried to interview his best friend gal on what might had led him to decide taking his life.I got nothing for one that is reasonable.So as I tried my way on giving advises and leading questions to one of his pal, I observed that the more he cried louder and kicked stronger even after a dose of one ampule diazepam. So I had a very hard time telling him not to do it because many times I also put back the mattress in its place because it also fell down on his kicking it. ?And just before the time I want to give up maybe close to an hour his parents arrived.And informing t hem what happened and I asked them if they might know of something that might have caused him that decision. His mother immediately replied, "Brotherhood" what do you mean brotherhood? I asked her back. You know that guy your talking to, I said yes,They have a year gay relationship and he doesn't want to let go beacause the guy opted for an opposite relationship in which the girl is also in the room.All the doctors and E.R personnels are shocked of the development of the history taking. Because both of them are with a star struck quality t hey are both handsome and on the level of some of the celebrated star here in the philippines. I didn't know of what has happened t hat even all floors has come to know about it and that a lot came down to E.R. even some of the ambulatory patients just to give them advice and the E.R. was just like theres a party going on. It is a very weird thing to see. What it seemed to be so weird an incident happened has help the student a lot to stand straight and go home like nothing happened at all.

I'm sure everyone has about the same story. But just about two weeks ago we had a person call the ambulance to bring them to the ER for a broken fingernail, now I am not talking about I ripped the nail out of the cuticle thing. I mean literally had broke a fake fingernail. I know it can be painful but come on, a ride in the ambulance and then an ER visit. Man they just kill me sometimes... Then wonder why it takes so long to be seen. I have many, maney more

Medi Cal patients come in to the ER because, according to them, they don't have a copay, but if they visit their physician they have a copay.

-Mark

Anything can be a suppository if enough force is applied.

Ya know--this almost seems reasonable, when you consider that they are on a fixed income and struggling with poverty (I know, I KNOW, there are the ones that are struggling with the choice of whether to buy crack or cigarettes, not how to stretch a loaf of bread and a can of tomato soup to feed 5 kids.....)

Medicaid should change the co-pays like HMOs do: my own (Kaiser) charges a $5.00 co-pay to see your PCP. Go to the ER though, and you must pay $50.00. Makes one think twice about abusing the system, or it certainly should.

When I was in the Navy in the '70s, , and people used the ER as a convenience clinic (mostly dependents and their babies for "fever and vomiting"--never active duty people, who could be on their deathbeds before they'd see a doc--) they put up a sign one year that said:

"Is this a TRUE EMERGENCY?"

It then listed various TRUE EMERGENCIES.

Last line said, "If this was a TRUE EMERGENCY--You would not have had time to stop and read this sign."

Sure enough, people who read it (not all, mind you, but a fair number) looked at each other, turned around and left, apparently realizing that they should call and schedule an appointment during regular clinic hours, instead.

Don't know if that would work in today's health care arena, but might be worth a try.

I had a stone removed when I was 21 that I couldn't pass and the horror of it all is that they had to take the stone out through cystoscopy and to this day I still have stress incontinence (with sneezing and coughing). I had two other stones, the next at 23 and then at 25...fortunetatly i was able to pass those as they were smaller. Now they do this great thing called lithotripsy.....thank goodness I haven't had anymore yet....the worst pain in my life. I've been drinking a lot more water every day and I think this has helped.

Now why in the world would you even think that it would be silly to go to the ER for that? I had a kidney stone years ago. It was probably the worst pain I ever felt in my life!
The Dad, who brought his kids to the ER for their school vaccinations. School was starting the next day and the children would not be allowed to attend until they were up to date on the immunizations.

The problem was that Dad had all summer to get them vaccinated, and kept putting it off. He was really P.O.'d when the ER staff told him they do not do school vaccinations in the ER and to call the clinic in the AM.

Ya know, when I first read this one I thought...man what are people thinking!?

But at least they are "lay people"...

Had one of our attendings come down last week...

Asked if we had "Tetorifice...and those other shots" (and those would be....?)

I said, yea, we have Tetorifice...did you get hurt?

I thought maybe he wanted a "free" TD...but "those other shots"???

Oh no...he's not hurt...

His kid is going back to school...

Can we give him his boosters...and will the ER doc sign his physical?

And his sports physical form?

Are ya kiddin' me or what!!!!!????!!

My favorite "brainiacs" are the self inflicted wrist lac's that come in the ED and ask "will it hurt when the doctor sews this back up?":rotfl: And will he please numb it first?

Can not forget the drug seekers that come in and tell you flat out that they are allergic to everything, except...NARCOTICS (BIG SHOCKER!!!)

Then you always have the "I only had 2-3 beers story, and their ETOH is 296. The chest pains that have never used drugs but show positive for cocaine, benzos and pot.

I am sure all ED's are similar when it comes to "ridiculous visits". What is so upsetting is that it takes away time from patients that are truly sick and need help.

Specializes in ER, PACU.

A few weeks ago, we had a young guy walk into triage at 0300 stating that he just left another nearby hospital because he was waiting 4 hours, and that he was "severely injured" and needed to be seen right away. This guy proceedes to tell the triage nurse that he was walking down the street after leaving a restaraunt with his girlfriend and "some guy" just walked up to him and punched him in the face. He says "I fell down so, according to my girlfriend who is a med student, I must have a subdural hematoma". (Guy denies even hitting his head, but says "I must have a brain bleed if I got punched and lost my balance"!) This guy had absolutely NOTHING on his face or his head, nor had any scratches on him at all. Not even a hair out of place. This guy just kept rambling on and on about "the bleed in his brain" ect, when the triage nurse went to our "No BS" attending and told him to quickly see this guy so we dont have to fully triage and treat him. This guy then starts to tell the attending the story, when the attending cuts him off and asks his only question he needs to know: "why did you get punched out?". The guy becomes insulted and then starts to yell, when the attending then says "now I see why you got punched out". Takes a quick look at the back of the guys head, sees that there is nothing there and tells him to get the hell out of his ER. :rotfl:

When I heard all of this happen, I swear, I almost peed my pants!!!

Young lady called and stated that she was seen over a month ago and had lost her RX for Vicodin. After cussing out the clerk she asked me if I could call her vicodin RX in (guess she was looking for a sucker) I said Nope..she said F%* You!....I just laughed...because we have caller ID with names...

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