A Headache is not an emergency

nursej22, MSN, RN · Jun 19, 2016

I have gone to the ED for an ear infection, knowing full well I would get the eye rolls, but for me, this was 10/10 pain. I had been to my PCP the day before, who had said, "wow, that looks bad, but it will feel better once it ruptures."

It ruptured in the middle of the night, and I felt like some one had poured molten metal into my head. I drove my self to ED in the middle of the night, tears streaming down my face, and shuddering with what felt like spasms in my ear. After obvious eye rolls from nurse and MD, they irrigated and scooped out gobs of pus, "wow, that looks bad." They asked why didn't I just do this at home, and scoffed when I said didn't have anything to irrigate with, let alone any docusate to instill first.

The pain returned at home, and I got a bulb syringe and just kept irrigating the yuck out every few hours for another day.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2016

Then wait how long until I finally get seen? There aren't multiple doctors at my PCP. There is 1 NP or PA there so the next opening isn't for a little while. So no, I wouldn't be able to see my PCP on Monday.
Sorry not sorry I go to the ER because the walk in clinic doesn't take my insurance, I can't get to see a doctor or practitioner in a timely fashion & I don't want my issues to go unresolved until I can get seen.

I guess I just disagree. Perhaps it's our instant gratification culture... we can no longer hold off a few days to be seen for non-emergent care?

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2016

I use to think that way but now that I have Medicaid & the walk in clinic in my town doesn't take it, what am I suppose to do? Drive 2 hours out of my way to a walk in clinic that takes Medicaid?
I went to the ER last night & was diagnosed with an ear infection. Are you telling me that I should've waited until Monday to see my PCP? I think we both know that, that's a bad idea. I don't have the money to pay out of pocket if I went to the walk in clinic.
I hope now you have a better understanding as to why some people use the ER that way. By the way, there was no one in the waiting room & it took me all of 30 minutes from waiting room to discharge.

Yes! You should have! You don't need to treat the majority of ear infections in adults....

AJJKRN · Jun 19, 2016

Just think if all of the "non-emergent" cases were to stop, staffing would decrease, people could and probably would be laid off or just lose their job all together...hmmm...job stability would be one good reason for me to take a Pt with a headache and smile about it. Breaking up the acuity would seem to be a good thing too...

I get it, it can clog the ED up when traumas, ROMI's, CVA's, etc come through but I would much rather get my hours in and have a paycheck with differentials and have paid leave for when I want a vacation instead of needing to job hunt to get my hours somewhere else.

If my Level I didn't see all of the non-emergent cases it does every year then the staff would probably be cut in half simply because the daily census wouldn't justify the current amount of staffing. More hands on deck when it really hits the fan seems like a win-win situation to me. To each their own though.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 20, 2016

I guess I just disagree. Perhaps it's our instant gratification culture... we can no longer hold off a few days to be seen for non-emergent care?

I guess I just like being healthy & if anything is going wrong near my brain I want it fixed sooner rather than later.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 20, 2016

Yes! You should have! You don't need to treat the majority of ear infections in adults....

Well I guess since I have had the throat/ear pain for awhile & was prescribed an antibiotic, the doctor felt differently.

stephatron289 · Jun 20, 2016

Well I guess since I have had the throat/ear pain for awhile & was prescribed an antibiotic, the doctor felt differently.

I'm in the same boat. I was also diagnosed with an ear infection this, and dealing with pain is not something that I "don't want to treat," especially if I have to stick something in my ear, something like a stethoscope, for example.

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

Well I guess since I have had the throat/ear pain for awhile & was prescribed an antibiotic, the doctor felt differently.

If you had it " for awhile" it should have addressed elsewhere than the Er...we can argue back and forth but this misuse of our medical system when compiled all together is a huge issue. I'm glad your earache was addressed ....I just wish you had used a non-acute modality to do it.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

If you had it " for awhile" it should have addressed elsewhere than the Er...we can argue back and forth but this misuse of our medical system when compiled all together is a huge issue. I'm glad your earache was addressed ....I just wish you had used a non-acute modality to do it.

I think part of the problem in situations like this is getting in to see someone. Often times, by the time you actually get an appointment, it's four or five days after you've called and the ear infection (in this case) is starting to heal. So you get no treatment and no medicine. If it doesn't fully heal, it's going to come back.

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

Perhaps in some places.... Where I work we will get you in same day.... And this behavior still happens. ( or they make an appointment ... No show..... And then go to the Er )

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

Perhaps in some places.... Where I work we will get you in same day....

Where I go to the doctor, sometimes it's four or five days. And with the way some health insurance plans are, it's cheaper to go to the ER than to the doc in the box.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Jun 20, 2016

Settling in for this thread. I have pizza tonight! :up: