Anyone ever seen a post-cath go AMA right off the table?

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Specializes in Cardiac stepdown Unit & Pediatrics.

I was just wondering if anyone has seen a pt immediately post-cath go AMA right off the cath table? If so, what was the outcome? Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

All I could think is, AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! Did he have the sheath still in???

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I saw one go as soon as hemostasis was achieved...2 hours bedrest, and he was gone, didn't let the doors hit him on the backside before he was lighting up his cigarette. Wife was like, "it's ok, I know if he starts bleeding, I'll hold pressure and take him to the ED."

I was like, "He just had an NSTEMI...and just got 3 stents, it's his choice, but HE CAN STILL DIE!".

I've never heard anything else by way of follow up.

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Specializes in Cardiac stepdown Unit & Pediatrics.

Oooooooh how I wish I could tell you about it all.... I don't want to mess with HIPAA though. Let's just say the sheath barely made it out before the pt leaped off the table and ripped off the pressure dressing. I don't know if the pt made it to the parking lot because the person wouldnt take any bedrest at all and blood was trickling already before the individual left. *sigh* I am a new nurse with only about a month in and my days just keep getting weirder and weirder!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i was just wondering if anyone has seen a pt immediately post-cath go ama right off the cath table? if so, what was the outcome? thanks!

not right off the table, but (almost) right off the guerney that brought him back from the cath lab. he wanted a pass to go home and harvest his marijuana crop. when the docs told him no way, he got dressed and went home ama. this was about 7:30 pm. he was back in the er with exacerbation of his chf by 6 am, after eating an entire large pepperoni pizza and drinking a 12 pack of bud.

the marijuana crop did get harvested, or so he says.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I did have a lady push, push, push her discharge and refused to listen to her discharge instructions. As she was leaving and I was giving her a final warning about holding pressure during positions changes she said to me, "Honey, I'm just too fat" and huffed off.

She was admitted the very next day for a massive hematoma. Some people just never learn.

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Specializes in Cardiac stepdown Unit & Pediatrics.

It took me a couple of days time to stop thinking about what happened to my pt. I mean, I worked hard to take care of them while they were on my floor and then POOF they leave AMA and all that work is wasted for NOTHING!

I can tell one thing from being a RN for a month. There is NEVER a dull moment.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

Work in the ER, so haven't seen one leave post cath, but had a male pt come in via EMS with an acute MI...I'm talking tombstones...he didn't believe he was having an MI, told staff and MD we didn't know what we were talking about and walked out AMA. Never could figure out why he called 911 and came to ER if he didn't want treatment anyway?!

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nope, never one right off the table, but within 2 hours also. Scares you to death when they leave though, you have visions of the fresh clot blowing and the pt bleeding to death. I still cant picture leaving right off the table though, the sheath is still in !! I would be calling security and having the pt placed on a form 1 ( hold) as he/she is a danger to him/herself and obviously cannot make lucid decisions

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