Whats your biggest pet peeve working in the ED?

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lagalanurse

55 Posts

Ok I have another one. I'm beginning to really dread pts with abdominal pain. I can't even tell you the last pt I had with that complaint that actually had something wrong with them. And then they pitch a fit when we tell them nothing is wrong with them. I would like to give them the following discharge instructions--"next time you get a tummy ache, chug a little Pepto and sit on the toilet until it resolves itself".

I mean--at least TRY to take a good poop or something before you take an ambulance to the ER.

I know I'm beating a dead horse.....

Specializes in Peri-operative, M/S, ER, SCU.
I have two of them (at the moment).

When pts have that beloved abdominal pain and report nausea too--and the spend the whole time spitting into a bin. Really? Spitting? It doesn't make me think you are sicker.

When the doc won't give you any more pain medication and they get mad at ME and start treating me like I'm keeping it from them.

Oh and I guess I have a third too. Pts that do the huffing and puffing--right in my face! Again, it doesn't make me think you are sicker of you blow in my face with your moaning.

Ughhhhhhh. It was a long day.

Duh. You know we nurses are too stupid to know the difference between spit and vomit. Gosh. Can't you SEE how sick they are? Smh...

hodgieRN

643 Posts

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

OMG! I hate it when they spit! They say "nauseated" and then hock back and spit in the emesis basin. I understand doing it after you vomit b/c it in the mouth, but if you are just spitting and growling...gimme a break.

ImKosher

370 Posts

A patient experiencing a real seizure wouldn't respond to a sternum rub for one thing (atleast not during a grand mal). Or simultaneously carry on a conversation.

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

One would also not simply open one eye to see if anyone has noticed them violently shaking in the wheelchair.

Music in My Heart

1 Article; 4,109 Posts

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

From tonight: A grown man screaming when I put a 20 in his AC... screaming.

I had another man screaming, literally, from the pain in his arm... maybe a mild cellulitis... The attending finally said, "Sir, I have people with their whole arms cut off who don't scream like this. You need to stop now. I'll be back when you can control yourself."

Hooray for attendings with the cajones to stand up to jerks.

lagalanurse

55 Posts

Another one from yesterday. A pt who opened the cabinet, got a bedpan, put herself on the bedpan, poured the urine into a specimen cup and then called me to say it was ready. I was like, "ma'am, the bathroom is next door. You don't have to use a bedpan. I can help you get to the bathroom." she told me she was too weak and when she has to go, it needs to be quick. I told her that she really needs to try and get to the bathroom instead and there really was no reason to use a bedpan if she was able to actually get up and get it herself.

She made me want to bang my head against the wall.

lagalanurse

55 Posts

From tonight: A grown man screaming when I put a 20 in his AC... screaming.

I had another man screaming, literally, from the pain in his arm... maybe a mild cellulitis... The attending finally said, "Sir, I have people with their whole arms cut off who don't scream like this. You need to stop now. I'll be back when you can control yourself."

Hooray for attendings with the cajones to stand up to jerks.

OMG. I had one the other day that I nicknamed *ussy boy. He was 22 and screamed like a little girl when I removed the tegaderm. He was literally in tears. Really????

Sassy5d

558 Posts

OMG. I had one the other day that I nicknamed *ussy boy. He was 22 and screamed like a little girl when I removed the tegaderm. He was literally in tears. Really????

It's just nice to know that I've seen literally EVERYTHING (well, ok, almost everything) mentioned on this thread... It's so funny that it doesn't matter where in the world you are, ER life is universal

Music in My Heart

1 Article; 4,109 Posts

Specializes in being a Credible Source.
It's just nice to know that I've seen literally EVERYTHING (well, ok, almost everything) mentioned on this thread... It's so funny that it doesn't matter where in the world you are, ER life is universal

One of my oft-repeated comments: "Same patient, different face."

when someone is discharged after a status dramaticus event and is so "sick" they are unable to put their own socks back on and whine for help. ugh.

Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
when someone is discharged after a status dramaticus event and is so "sick" they are unable to put their own socks back on and whine for help. ugh.

That was me yesterday. Guy said he couldn't even tie his shoes. I wanted to be like "wow, how do you function in society?"

lagalanurse

55 Posts

I had a lady the other day ask me to feed her husband. I almost asked her if her arms were broken, but found a better way to say it. Her husband could have fed himself for that matter.

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