Whats your biggest pet peeve working in the ED?

Specialties Emergency

Published

Id have to say my biggest pet peeve is when someone hands you a medicaid card as they pull it from their Louis Vuitton handbag with bling on their hands after having rolled up to the ER in their Mercedes Benz! After that I'd say when someone comes to the ER for a UPT. Dont they know they are available at the dollar store now adays?

Specializes in ER.

The 10/10 abd pain while playing Solitaire on cell...the woman bringing her kid in for a pillow line on her face, asking for a 3 day excuse from work.....the guy telling you to push the Fentanyl "really fast" because you're not giving him enough...poorly staged 10/10 shoulder pain with a novel of narc fills whose girlfriend screams at him at the door for "not getting the right sh*t"......the cranky old nurse who tells you the registration clerk knows more about triage than you (after she b*tched that I should have taken the earache who arrived 10 minutes before the 4 week old with projectile vomiting)...

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.
I know some places have all private rooms, but I'm tired of hearing "I need a private room."

Whenever I head that from a pt, I would say, "No problem. We will keep you out here in triage until a private room opens up. It might be a couple more hours, but at least you'll have your private room." I turn to another pt..." Hello, Mr johnson, a hallway bed opened up, so I am going to take you back now." Wouldn't you know, the previous pt is suddenly fine with having the next hall bed after seeing the other dude get rolled back before her.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.
I chart what they say and if it is over 10 I leave it blank and make a comment

THEN I FLAAC score their pain(typically its a 0) and make sure to write a note in the interdisciplinary not as to summarize my findings...very useful if behavioral med gets involved...

I love this post so much I want to hug it!!

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
Whenever I head that from a pt, I would say, "No problem. We will keep you out here in triage until a private room opens up. It might be a couple more hours, but at least you'll have your private room." I turn to another pt..." Hello, Mr johnson, a hallway bed opened up, so I am going to take you back now." Wouldn't you know, the previous pt is suddenly fine with having the next hall bed after seeing the other dude get rolled back before her.

Had a woman come in EMS, because her husband and brother were freaking out, turns out to be just a bit too much ETOH on board. Had a zone closed, so technically there were some rooms empty (that they could see), but, they got a hall bed. Gave her antinausea meds, CXR, and a liter of NS. Family angry that she went into the room for a BP (couldn't get the roll around to work), then back in the hall. I know, poor customer service report! There were reasons for it though.

UPshot of the story, the husband kept saying while I was giving them their discharge "but we aren't getting charged for an ER room are we!!??" Explained the charges were for 1) a medical screening for emergent conditions by a qualified ER doctor, and 2) for emergency dept care which I was and had been providing. He shut up, but there went my Press Ganey score.

Any ideas where the general consensus came into play that an ER will run every test imaginable to find out what's causing your ailment, will than fix said ailment and make you completely pain free before you leave?

I hear a lot of people talk badly about a hospital or ER and refuse to go back based on xyz complaint and it usually rings back to 'I went there for xyz and they didn't even do anything about it.'

Is there a scripted phrase you guys use when your explaining plan of care that helps people understand you are evaluating for life threatening conditions and not refusing to do things for Pts?

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Is there a scripted phrase you guys use when your explaining plan of care that helps people understand you are evaluating for life threatening conditions and not refusing to do things for Pts?

Various versions of: "Fortunately, you are not having a medical emergency today."

Various versions of: "Fortunately, you are not having a medical emergency today."

Very true.. I just don't know how to explain it to people in a good way without sounding cold. Any time I hear someone complain about any hospital I try to rationalize with them.

I know it's very frustrating as a nurse and a pt. I don't seem to have the answer they want to hear when it sounds like a nerve issue, you need MRI and doc follow up and they don't understand why we're not giving them an MRI.

I hear a lot that we are 'worthless' because they don't leave with the diagnosis or fix for their issue

Various versions of: "Fortunately, you are not having a medical emergency today."
I'll say something along the lines of "we rule out things that will kill you or cause serious harm today. Managing chronic illnesses or diagnosing long term problems is best handled by your PCP who knows you and can provide continuity; it's beyond our scope in the ED."

When people get told to follow up for an MRI on discharge I often get asked why we're not doing it and I explain that it's not an emergent procedure.

I've also said "we're not X specialists. We can find and fix emergencies related to X but for problems like yours with X you're best served by following up with the X specialist for further diagnostics."

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Any ideas where the general consensus came into play that an ER will run every test imaginable to find out what's causing your ailment, will than fix said ailment and make you completely pain free before you leave?

TV shows. ER, Gray's Anatomy, etc.

Everyone gets fixed, even if they have some obscure zebra disease, before the end of the shift.

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Pet Peeve:

When families send in or drop off their non-English-speaking elderly and then refuse to stay around to help us communicate with them.

When families do the right thing and stay the course, I be sure to thank them profusely and explain what a service they're providing to their loved one. Said families often express surprise at my gratitude and then amazement when I explain how often families fail to follow through.

1 Votes
Specializes in LTC, Family Practice, Meg/Surg.
Pet Peeve:

When families send in or drop off their non-English-speaking elderly and then refuse to stay around to help us communicate with them.

When families do the right thing and stay the course, I be sure to thank them profusely and explain what a service they're providing to their loved one. Said families often express surprise at my gratitude and then amazement when I explain how often families fail to follow through.

I really appreciate when they stick around also, but don't you have translator phones available for when they leave?

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