A Generation of Wimps?

[EDNewbie]

Is is just me, or is anyone else seeing more and more patients in their late teens to early 30's that are a bunch of wusses? I mean relatively minor ailments (nausea/vomiting for 1 day, headache, cough/congestion, back pain) and these pts act like they are at death's door! Enough drama for a year's worth of Broadway shows. I'm not referring to any pt with serious or chronic illnesses. I mean stuff that is really minor, that should be addressed with a routine PCP visit, but instead they end up in the ER. Inevitably they get the million $ workup (labs, Xray, CT, etc.) only to be discharged with DX of "gastritis" or "muscle strain." I just worked a 4 day stretch and easily half of my pts fit this category. What's going on?!

[Vikingkitten]

One of my favorite wimp stories: Large, dirty Biker type, Tats everywhere, including "Thug" on the knuckles of both hands, crying and holding Wife's hand while I put an 18 Ga. IV in! Priceless!!!

The other thing, similar to this thread, happened to me a few years ago as a Traveler. Started running into problems with new hospital assignments, where they had an extensive list of pre-requisites, including all the usual Childhood immunizations. Well, guess who had most of those diseases as a child, at home, and never saw a Doctor? Had to offer to send one hospital a "Note from my Mommy!" to prove I had those diseases. The hospital is long gone, and the family Dr. at the time died years ago. Any other verterans run into something similar?

[TraumaNurseRN]

I know I am not the only nurse who feels this way. I get so frustrated with the abuse of the system. Chronic pain, sore throats, vomiting and diarrhea. Now granted, there are exceptions to each of those things I listed and many others. But why is it so easy for people to think they should come to the ER for this? I always ask, have you tried anything over the counter...response is always a resounding ...NO...I ask why not?......UH, duhhhhh I cme to the ER instead.

I have never hesitated to say, you realize this is an EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RIGHT? I get the looks, sure.....(But I make my point) I know it doesn't change anything, but it makes me feel good...hahahaha.

And when I discharge them I give them their papers and send them on their merry way to the nearest pharmacy where they coud have gone hours earlier and been back at home for hours watching Jerry Springer:banghead:.

[Heather56]

First I would just like to say I am not under any circumstances advocating alcohol or drug abuse.

However, that said, we see alot of young people in the ER who are experimenting. There are some times of year where it's particularly bad such as the first week of University/College. The ambulance arrives transporting a drunk, puking young lady and her almost as drunk but, thankfully, not puking boyfriend/date. He didn't know what to do with her. Or it's transporting a very drunk fellow and is closly followed by a group of friends who, again, are almost as drunk. He was having trouble walking so they called and ambulance.

The other classic vists are the "I just smoked some marijuana and now I feel weird, I just did some cocaine/crystal meth and my heart's racing, I just did some heroin/sedation and I feel like passing out." My response "and what did you expect to happen?"

[Altra, BSN, RN]

First I would just like to say I am not under any circumstances advocating alcohol or drug abuse.

However, that said, we see alot of young people in the ER who are experimenting. There are some times of year where it's particularly bad such as the first week of University/College. The ambulance arrives transporting a drunk, puking young lady and her almost as drunk but, thankfully, not puking boyfriend/date. He didn't know what to do with her. Or it's transporting a very drunk fellow and is closly followed by a group of friends who, again, are almost as drunk. He was having trouble walking so they called and ambulance.

The other classic vists are the "I just smoked some marijuana and now I feel weird, I just did some cocaine/crystal meth and my heart's racing, I just did some heroin/sedation and I feel like passing out." My response "and what did you expect to happen?"

Right again ...

Disclaimer: not advocating substance abuse in any form, and yes I'm speaking in generalities.

But those of my generation who *experimented* generally expected to (and hoped to) get messed up and did not seek medical attention for an evening gone awry.