Drug Seeker Stories

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.

Specializes in NICU.
OK, this guy was in a week before with confirmed kidney stones..So I go to get the toradol to give him before I start the IV and fluids..He stops me and the first thing he says to me is "Dont give me Toradol, that stuff doesnt work, the only thing that works for me is 10 mg of Morphine with 50 mg of Demerol"

LOL speaking as a "kidney stone survivor" myself, I can say that Toradol is a gift from God and it most definitely works for kidney stone pain, taking the pain away completely, and almost instantly! The second morning in a row that I went to the ER with kidney stone pain they wanted to give me something OTHER than Toradol, but I fought them and demanded Toradol instead of narcotics. LOL! I guess urology gives them problems with this practice because Toradol decreases renal bloodflow or something...

Specializes in Emergency Room.

We now have a woman who has been frequenting area er's with a shoulder dislocation. Prior to our visit, the police had taped her clinging to the jail bars and "moving her arm around really weird". She had been to another er the day before for same thing. Still ended up getting fentanyl and versed and reduced. She can probably put the d*** thing back herself.

She said I want to leave AMA. Had the papers ready in 5 minutes.

NO! please dont go....come back, come back.

I have a million. The first thing that comes to mind is the pt who got his foot burned 15 yrs ago. He keeps rubbing this same sore to keep it open. What he doesnt realize is that the fact that its pretty and pink after 15 yrs - means it is healing well. Even if it takes 15-20 yrs - its clean.

What is PenVK?

I remember a dude who was so irate about his "severe pain" that he called the female ER doc and said "What do I have to do to get some pain medicine, come up there with a gun?" I worked in registration at the time and was told to call security if he showed up. I did, they talked to him, and he behaved himself. What was all this hoopla about? A SORE THROAT.

Hilarious, but at the same time, pitiful. No wonder you never read this kind of stuff in Readers Digest!!

Specializes in 6 years of ER fun, med/surg, blah, blah.
I had a guy come in a few weeks ago screaming and throwing himself on the floor in triage..OK, this guy was in a week before with confirmed kidney stones..So I go to get the toradol to give him before I start the IV and fluids..He stops me and the first thing he says to me is "Dont give me Toradol, that stuff doesnt work, the only thing that works for me is 10 mg of Morphine with 50 mg of Demerol". When he says this to me, he stopped rolling around and spoke in a normal tone of voice. When I told him that was not happening, he then stands up and starts to yell at me that I can check his records and that he really has kidney stones, and that he gets that every time. I told him that the wait is about 4 hours until he sees a doctor, and he shouldnt waste his time waiting for narcotics because he wasnt going to get any. He then proceeds to sit in the chair, calmer than anything, not even squirming, nothing. He waits another half hour, and then starts to yell again that he wants his pain medication. When told that he will have to wait, he then threatens to walk out (dont let the door hit ya :devil: ) and proceeds to walk outside, have a cigarette, and comes back about a half hour later. He wound up waiting 5 hours before he was seen, and left without his drugs.
And people wonder why there is such a wait in the ED! A list of these & other stories about stupid reasons to go to the ED, should be printed up & put in binders for people to read while waiting to be seen. But then, we might not have the job security we have now......
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.

First addiction is a disease, second did you give him patient teaching about the disease?
First addiction is a disease, second did you give him patient teaching about the disease?

Are you kidding? What do you think ER nurses do all day, eat crumpets and tea? Teaching in the ER means "take these pills, don't get the wound wet, follow up with your PCP."

Are you a nurse at all? If so you are very naive.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Everyone is free to post their opinion on the board - that's what makes this interesting! judi

First addiction is a disease, second did you give him patient teaching about the disease?

Seems no one wants to read the PROFILE part of your name before posting responses! No you're not an ER nurse..just a nursing student like me who's probably doing the theory part of her class about pt education. I agree that education is helpful and a lot of the time necessary but not always feasible.

We'll learn. :)

First addiction is a disease, second did you give him patient teaching about the disease?

Addiction is NOT a disease, IMHO. This line is the biggest crock of "shirt" i have ever seen. STOP DOING DRUGS..THERES HELP OUT THERE...GET SOME

This is another example of the BS that they teach you in nursing school, then you begin to experience the REALITY that nursing has become once you graduate and pass your boards. Nurses who stand in a classroom and behind a desk for the past 20 years(most professors), and havent been in a hospital in such time, are going to teach you this kind of crap.

I suggest that all nursing students get a job in a hosp first, or during nursing school, so they can experience what the nursing profession is like. this way, they will know the reality, and not the sugar coated version you get in nursing school.

please pass the krumpets....lol

It doesn't take long to tell drug seekers from those who are truly in paln. One tell-tale sign, are people who say that can't move an inch, but are up out of bed & outside smoking a cigarette as soon as you give them their pain meds, or cry loudly when someone is watching them, but are quiet when left alone, the list goes on & on. But it is rewarding to treat someone who's in a lot of pain & get them comfortable & these are the ones who don't like to take pain meds or any other kind of meds at all. Pain is a volatile issue in nursing, the 5th vital sign, & how to treat it properly, etc. It's can be frustrating to have to spend time with those who don't help themselves & have other issues like ETOH &/or drug abuse, or don't see their Dr's regularly, & use the ED as their fix. But treating those patiets who come in with true distress & help them, is what nursing is all about.

Victoria:

When I was in the hospital and recieving pain meds, I would get up after drugs were on board and walk the halls since I thought lying in bed was frowned upon. I was always encouraged to walk as were all the pts who could walk to encourage recovery depending of course what surgery they had. Was this a bad idea? I didn't feel like walking otherwise. Was this wrong of me? Do you think it looked "odd"? I was there for abd pain that eventually resolved itself. (semi high liver enzymes)

Hoping to go into pain management so I'm curious. :)

+ Join the Discussion