A few weeks ago we had the patient from H*L! on our floor. You know a patient is bad when the attending comes to the floor to apologize to the staff about this patient he had to admit.
This patient knew it all -- argued with the attending, consult physiciants, PT/OT, nurses, because he knew exactly what treatments we should be providing him based on his Google Scholar Degree. He monopolized the time of any staff that entered his room, even the poor phleb was in there for 20 minutes listening to him loudly drone on and on about his "prostrate" troubles (which wasn't even the reason he was admitted). Very particular about his meds, got very irate if they were administered even one minute later than when he took him at home. No one would take care of him more than one shift.
This patient, in his infinite wisdom, refused his compression stockings and heparin shots. It interfered with his ability to urinate (prostrate problems, yanoo?). Also wouldn't ambulate. What, get out of bed? Didn't we know that he was SICK and needed his REST?
Sooo...a few days ago, I was waiting to checkout at my doctor's office, and ahead of me was a loud, obnoxious, rambling man blathering on and on to the poor receptionist about how he was just dx'd with a DVT, and how OUTRAGEOUS it was that HE was going to have to pay for the HOSPITAL's error! And he was going to contact the hospital and tell them where they could stick his bill because it wasn't right that now he was suffering from complications of being hospitalized!
Yep, same guy! Oh man, it took all my strength not to say something. Anything.
