Are you afraid to go to the ER?

Specialties Emergency

Published

Soooo...I believe in Karma, but sometimes making fun of people who come to the ER is just too flippin' funny. We had a rare (brief) downtime the other day and the consensus was that NONE of us would dare show our faces in the ER for anything less then an amputation. We had a new nurse (new grad, in her early 40's) present with "chest pain" the other day. She ended up with a dx of acid reflux. I think she about died of shame, poor thing.

What would bring you to your own ER for tx???

(don't include your children. I have brought my kiddo's in for a few different things that probably could have waited. The doc's I work with are super nice about taking a look at staff's kids and I really let them know how much I appreciated them!)

Specializes in med-surg,sa,breast & cervical ca.

Once for migraine lasting over 3 days-after trying all the migraine meds etc.

Once in the ambulance for aniphylaxsis I was down & unconcious so DH called ems.

For gall bladder & appy, the last three within the past 2 yrs. I worked 8 hours with the stomach pain from the appendix before the Doc I work with made me go-I'm a tough cookie.

Though I was treated wonderfully each stay I hope I'm done now:chair:

Ms.P

Specializes in NICU.

The only time I've gone since starting nursing school was a Saturday morning, really early, I woke up and saw like five of everything, horrible vertigo, could barely stand up or think straight. I somehow managed to walk the fifteen blocks to the ER (because I couldn't figure out how to get in a cab) in my pyjamas. The resident first asked if I was on PCP because I had really bad nystagmus. Then he thought I was having a stroke. Turns out a med I was on causes cerebellar encephalitis and I'd come down with a sinus infection, and the increased ICP from those combined did something weird to me. A little dramamine and I was a-ok. I was embarassed that I was in PJs, but not about going.

Specializes in ER.

Decapitation/Unconcious/Unresponsive/Trauma :chuckle JUST KIDDING!! I avoid all docs and trx like the plague>>> If need be and i was close to dying I would go to my ER...but I would have to be picky about who cares for me>HEEHEE....

ps. We have treated many employees and thier families .. No Complaints yet ......

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
er stands for emergency room. if you are not about to die, you probably do not need to come the the er. sometimes, pain will make you feel like you are about to die, so in those circumstances, yes, you probably should be in the er. if you are not truely in pain (er nurses and doctors can tell what 10/10 pain is), then you need to go to your pcp. if your pcp sends you to the er for tx, you need to find a new pcp.

oh, i don't know. i think if in danger of losing a limb or your eyesight that might be a reason for an er visit.

Specializes in Emergency.

I had a really bad eye infection for about three days where I couldn't stand any light, and couldn't open my eyes at all. I laid in bed in complete darkness for three days before I finally gave up and went to the ER.

Never been to the er myself, but it would probably take being trampled by an elephant and dragged to the er with an army tank.

Specializes in ER/PDN.

2 GB attacks, 2 corneal abrasions, a thumb injury and a couple of times I thought I had an appy and one was actually an ovarian torsion (before I actually worked in the ER Thank GOD). also several asthma attacks not relieved by conventional methods. So I will go to my ER but it is only when absolutely necessary and it is because we have no other hospital in network in town and because we take really good care of each other!

Specializes in NICU.

You guys have NO idea how glad I am that my strep seems to be cleared up enough to go to work tonight. There would be NO way I could get out of it w/o a sick note, and to do that, seeing as it's Xmas Eve, I'd basically have to go to the ER. With a sore throat. I'd have died of embarrassment.

Although, come to think of it, if that happened I wouldn't have to go to work! So maybe not such a bad plan after all! :idea:

Specializes in emergency.

i've been to the er that i work at twice. once was after i woke up with my face and eyes all swollen.

the second time was after i fell off a horse and after i got back on it i couldn't internally rotate my leg (couldn't walk that well either). i refused to call ems as i know they would have called for helicopter transport and i'd be damned if i was gonna be a trauma getting my clothes cut off. my friend drove me to my work where i was treated like the only pt in the dept. turned out i broke my L3-4 transverse process and possible grade 1 liver. my friends at work even managed to have me seen by only the attending or senior resident.

so no i'm not afraid to go to the er but it'd have to be serious

Specializes in ED.

this is an old message... I wonder if you will see this. I guess I will find out.

I have been a pt in the ED where I used to work. I fell through a second story floorboard and fx'd a few bones (twelve to be exact). Had I been conscious when scooped up by flight staff, I may have asked that they NOT take me to my place of employment. In the end I was grateful to have received such outstanding care; so it was just as well that I could not voice my preposterous request to be taken elsewhere.

:chair: Still I would do just about anything, less the inconceivable (i.e. murder or the like), to avoid being in the ED as a pt. And with that said, I am getting "No Code" tattooed and notarized on my chest.

:scrm:

Don't we all have an irrational fear of having an MVC on the way to or from a shift and ending up on a bakbaord in our our own trauma room with our clothes cut off and varous tubes including foley's, etc. :confused: That would be my nightmare. :no:

Yeah, or "DO NOT PUSH HERE" lol

+ Add a Comment