A Headache is not an emergency

floridaRN38 · Jun 20, 2016

I was thinking it might be nice to visit Mexico in the near future. Send me a list of names.

Lol!!!

ixchel · Jun 20, 2016

If it was busy I would've gone home since as a nurse I know better than to clog up an already busy ER. But since there was no one in the waiting room & only 1 person in the ER, I was not as concerned.
No, my PCP does not have an on call line. [emoji107]ðŸ¼ I wish I was joking about how horrible the doctors in my area are. My son had an appointment today & the wait was 3 hours. Since there are so few doctors but so many patients, it's hard to get in the same day unless someone cancels.
ETA: When I had real insurance I use to go to the walk in clinic for minor things. But since I have Medicaid because my husband lost his job, it's not that simple any more. Thankfully I haven't needed to see a doctor this whole time, until now.

AND!!!!!! Thankfully government jobs have fairly decent insurance. I hope this gets better for you quickly!

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 20, 2016

No clue. I wish I knew!
My best theory is he's used to feeling like crap. (Isn't that awful?) His frequent infections result from allergies and his stupid Vape. (Guess I should be glad he's stopped cigarettes, although the Vape hasn't decreased his ear infections any.) He's also tired of being told, "you're fine, it'll go away on its own." They seem to be 50/50 on that prognosis. Today's I agree with because the fluid is clear, and the inflammation is so minor.

I know, so many people just get use to feeling like complete crap so it's just their normal. Ugh, I hate vapes. Hate hate hate.

AND!!!!!! Thankfully government jobs have fairly decent insurance. I hope this gets better for you quickly!

It should. DH starts the academy on the 27th so we will have income & then insurance after that. I like the government job much more than the oil field job. We will finally have a steady job with no threat of benefits being taken away.

ixchel · Jun 20, 2016

I know, so many people just get use to feeling like complete crap so it's just their normal. Ugh, I hate vapes. Hate hate hate.
It should. DH starts the academy on the 27th so we will have income & then insurance after that. I like the government job much more than the oil field job. We will finally have a steady job with no threat of benefits being taken away.

Is he county or state?

Our state BCBS policy just spent over $85,000 on my back. The benefits are good!

Kssrn404 · Jun 20, 2016

Migraine sufferers need help right away. It's not a life threatening emergency, but their suffering is profound.
If a simple headache sufferer gets you this irrate, maybe another type of nursing would be more up your alley? You get a lot of clinic stuff in ERs. Either people are poor planners or they can't get appointments with PCPs. It is what it is, better not to let it bug you.

I used to suffer from severe migraines. was under the care of a neurologist too. When all of the meds she gave me to take failed to work and I was going blind I would go to the ER under her advice. I would get DHEA, if that didn't work morphine or dilauded. I wasn't drug seeking or misusing the ER in any way, but I was treated as a drug seeker. Really sad. Sometimes a migraine just needs an opiod to stop the pain signals and reset. This is how my neurologist explained it to me.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 20, 2016

A headache can be an emergency. Migranes can make someone non-functioning--especially those that are not "traditional" in nature.

But most importantly, a stroke, an aneurism both of which are time sensitive and life threatening. Tick borne disease has a headache as a main symptom. Can cause life long damage. Some can have headaches as a precursor to seizures.

Or take the case of a BFF of mine. Kept coming to the ER--all "normal" migrane type diagnosis. Finally pleaded to get an MRI. Brain tumor and dead 2 weeks later....

So don't judge--that's not what a nurse is there for.

So YES a headache can in fact be life altering, or life threatening.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 20, 2016

Is he county or state?
Our state BCBS policy just spent over $85,000 on my back. The benefits are good!

State! Woohoo! [emoji1]

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

CSnyder823, a ruptured eardrum isn't an emergency. But, I can understand how a person might not know that, and think something seriously wrong is happening, and be scared, and go to the ED. I'm guessing the doctor was being kind to you and didn't want to make you feel badly or stupid. Regardless of whether a person comes to the ED for something that can wait to be handled by their PCP, there is no reason to be unkind. :-)

Having said this, ED overcrowding is a serious issue. There are all kinds of ramifications from putting a strain on resources, increasing costs, and the safety of those truly emergently ill who are stuck waiting for a bed that is being occupied by someone who is not emergently ill. The reason so many EDs have "Fast Track" areas is for the sole purpose of off-loading stable patients with minor complaints off of the main ED where you have people actually trying to die.

I have had a patient with a minor complaint that could have waited for an office visit with their family doctor come out of the room to complain about the wait, while the doctor was in another room trying to resuscitate a baby. And yet, I was still kind and professional toward the person.

But back to the original topic, again I will state that most of the time, a headache is not an emergency; however, it could be. This is why we have the triage process.

Here is a good article that I think sums up the situation from an ED staff member's point of view nicely:

ER misuse in our instant gratification society

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jun 21, 2016

But back to the original topic, again I will state that most of the time, a headache is not an emergency; however, it could be. This is why we have the triage process.

Very good point (this and others; I always nod whole reading your posts, lol). When I am discharging patients who were unsure if they were actually having an emergency and who are then apologizing at discharge after a negative workup for "wasting the ER's time," I tell patients that if they are having a problem with brain/heart/lungs/eyeballs, don't hesitate â€” come see us. Acute abdominal pain is a tricky one, too â€” especially in women who have all these special pieces and parts.

allnurses Guide · Jun 21, 2016

A headache is not an emergency, except for when it is :)

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 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.

There's also the issue of having to miss work due to an earache. I can see why you used the ER. You were in pain, wrong insurance, etc.

Just wondering - Would your doc have helped if you had called through his after-hours service? not criticizing you, just wondering.

My Granny used to put warm olive oil in our ears when we were kids and had earaches. Always worked. That and an aspirin probably.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 21, 2016

There's also the issue of having to miss work due to an earache. I can see why you used the ER. You were in pain, wrong insurance, etc.
Just wondering - Would your doc have helped if you had called through his after-hours service? not criticizing you, just wondering.
My Granny used to put warm olive oil in our ears when we were kids and had earaches. Always worked. That and an aspirin probably.

I already replied to the same question, which is a good one. But my doctor doesn't have an after hours service.