Drug Seeker Stories

Specialties Emergency Nursing Q/A

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Well I had one of those lovely drug seekers the other night. Patient said she had a kidney and was peeing prue blood. Well, I had her get a CC urine. When I went back to get her urine, I noticed her finger was bleeding and some blood spots on the sheet. And her urine was a weird pink color. So I told the doc and he had me cath her....her urine was completely clear. Of course, she tried to make up a story about how sometimes she pees blood but sometimes pees clear too. Whatever...sent her out the door...

Also had someone come in 3 times in one week who used a new name everytime. Turns out he was going to ER after ER in my city using differents names for drugs...sent him out the door and to jail.

I am curious as to how you treat a frequent flier when they have real pain? I have been to the ER 2x in 6 months. Both for stones, the first time the doc treated me like sh**, he had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to seek treatment?! I said yes, I want to seek treatment for this pain. (I knew what he really meant.) He gave me some toradol, that stuff is a joke for stones. He did this just because I don't scream and yell and cry when in pain. I am quiet, and I move around a lot to find a comfortable spot. The 2nd time I went is because again I had a stone. I was quiet, and moving around while holding my stomach. This time they got a CT and I was diagnosed with a stone and calcium deposits. AND given real pain killers. Morphine

you are not a frequent flier by your posts, but your post leaves me with questions....

Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care Transport.
mommaNonurse

I've seen toradol work like a miracle for stones, so that people that were thrashing and crying don't need other meds. Of course sometimes it doesn't work that well at all, but he wasn't blowing you off by giving you toradol.

Likewise, I've given people with stones doses of dilaudid with no avail, and then Toradol works to relieve their pain. From what I understand, Toradol is a prostaglandin inhibitor, and actually relaxes and dilates the ureter to facilitate the passing of stones - so Toradol is often given for kidney stones because it gives much more relief than opiates usually do. It's not given because someone is considered a "seeker"- it's given because it is a gold standard of pain relief for people with kidney stones.

I agree. We give Toradol in the ER to people with stones all the time. I got it when I went there and since I work there and the docs know me, I'm pretty sure they knew I wasn't a drug seeker. Also, I don't consider 2X in six months for kidney stones to be a frequent flier. FF's are the people that are there all the time. We have ppl that come in and I know their DOB, address and MRSA status before they ever even walk up to the desk. Some are there 2-3 times a week. I don't get why people with real issues are so quick to take offense when they are clearly not the ones being referred to?:confused:

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I saw one pt. so often I knew her medical record number. For reals.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
We have ppl that come in and I know their DOB, address and MRSA status before they ever even walk up to the desk.

And the names of their frequent flier relatives ... and approximately how many times they will go out to smoke during the course of their ED stay ... and approximately how many Mountain Dews and bags of chips will be consumed during that time ... and the precise moment during their discharge when they will become tearful/red-faced/agitated/SOB when they realize that they are not being discharged with a script for 30 Vicodin. :rolleyes:

And the names of their frequent flier relatives ... and approximately how many times they will go out to smoke during the course of their ED stay ... and approximately how many Mountain Dews and bags of chips will be consumed during that time ... and the precise moment during their discharge when they will become tearful/red-faced/agitated/SOB when they realize that they are not being discharged with a script for 30 Vicodin. :rolleyes:

Wow you got that right. The ones you just cringe when you know they're coming. And then you hear an address on the scanner for the ambulance being dispatched and you know all the 20 ppl who live there and get to take bets on which one it's going to be today lol. You know the ALS call for chest pain that comes in the front door c/o of a headache or sore throat :rolleyes:

Specializes in Emergency Department.

When patient was told that he would not be getting a script of them sweet tabs today in the ER. pt states

" How am I supposed to buy my kids christmas!? I mean, but I'm really hurting you've got to treat that !" Classic.

I had one drug seeker who would change her name and social slightly, so she had a few variations. She filled out the admission forms with her first name spelled one way and signed her name spelled differently! On the same piece of paper! Of course will still had to treat her, whatever her name was.

This where national health care could really make a HUUUGE diference. Just redifine EMTLLA, and these creeps would not be constantly showing up in our ER's looking for thier next high.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
About 2 or so years ago I commented angrly on this post because of the word "migrainer" I called a lot of you "ignorant" for that I am truely, truely sorry! About 3 weeks ago my entire household was suffering from the flu/plague. I was the sickest I don't know how it happened but I ended up with Viral Meningitis. I was in severe pain. I had all the symptoms and I was unfortunate to have an ER roommate. I listened to her ******** and moaning about her headache. She was complaining her pain med wasn't working. (This is before my diagnosis) I told the doc about what was going on and he said he would give me pain meds. The nurse came in with Dilaudid and magically my roomie got neck stiffness and backpain and suddenly a 15 out of 10 headache. While the nurse was telling her doc I overheard a conversation on her cell, " hey its me their gonna give me morphine you gotta try this" I was ****** I told my nurse who told her doc who told the pt she needed a spinal tap. My pain meds had kicked in and I passed out for about a hour. She was gone.... so sad

Wow that was really thoughtful of you to come back and say that! Kind of makes you woner what all he HIPAA fuss is about because in the ER everyonce can hear your conversations. :)

Hope you're on the mend - meningitis - nasty bug.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Not all people with migraines behave that way, you know. I wish the people who are so dismissive of migraine pain would have the experience of a full-blown migraine for 48h. Maybe there would be a little less judgement.

And before everyone starts piling on, yes I worked in the ED and yes, I dealt with more than my share of questionable complaints of pain. I know what it's like on both sides of the coin.

Wow, I agree, it was really nice of you to come back and post about your experience.

Specializes in ED.

We have this one pt that comes in by EMS 3-4 times a week for knee pain, leg pain, foot pain, hip pain, toenail pain, any type of lower extremity pain, always 10/10. Since I am new in my ED, I got her 2 nights in a row. "The only thing that works is morphine or dilaudid." I gave her norflex and toradol. I DC'd her last night, and in the pt education I put weight loss info. She walked out of the ED with her paperwork, and came back in 30 seconds later upset and irate, screaming "how dare you treat me like this!"

I thought it was pertinent info for her, as she is morbidly obese as she packs 410 on a 5'6" frame. Maybe if she lost some weight she wouldn't have lower extremity pain. Just a thought.

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