Eat Before You Get Here!

Specialties Emergency

Published

WHY is it that as soon as people step one foot into the ER, they suddenly are overcome with hunger and thirst? Now I can understand if the patient is admitted and has been there all day and has eaten nothing. But I don't understand how when someone comes in at 10:30 at night they IMMEDIATELY ask for food and drink because they haven't eaten all day. They have had the entire day to eat.Its not my fault that they didn't eat at home. I don't know how many signs are posted stating "no eating or drinking until evaluation is complete". Then again we have I don't know how many RESTRICTED AREA signs and people ignore those too. The other day I needed to use a bedside table but there was a tray on it so I asked the young lady if she was finished. And she said(snottily)" THAT was lunch. I didn't even GET dinner, yet." She was NOT an admitted pt. Matter of fact she was discharged an hour later. Does this happen everywhere? :uhoh21:

I believe that somewhere in this society of needy, greedy, demanding people, there is a law that, upon arrival in the ER for that "emergent" sore throat or finger pain, then you must do the following:

1. ask for a meal. Everyone knows the ER is just like a fancy restaurant and serves the fanciest of gourmet foods.

2. ask for a drink with that meal, especially if you prefer ginger ale, the ER serves the BEST ginger ale.

3. demand a blanket. Some time during the next few hours you may need one. But then again maybe not.

4. Go pee. This is a very serious demand, especially if you are brought in to the ER on a back board from a low speed MVA.

5. complain that the nurses are laughing. OMG they should NEVER laugh. there are SICK people here. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: .

So, I am just wondering...

Do you think people have some secret source of information that tells them just how to act when they come into the ED with their "emergent sore throats, etc"?

I mean across the land, they are EXACTLY the same!!!

What's up with that!!!!!

Ha Ha Ha

:chuckle

Sometimes I'd just like to offer them a cup of "shut the hell up and get out of my ER!". But alas, I never do.

:rotfl:

Can I borrow a cup of that?

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Not that I blame you guys at all . . .

But the ER nurses at my previous hospital always promised the patients they would get fed when they got to the floor. Of course most of the admissions came right after shift change since they had been holding during shift change which meant they had missed dinnertime from the cafeteria and the snack shop wouldn't open for another hour and a half. Naturally no one had eaten for two or three weeks before arriving to the floor. And they were supposed to receive the sandwich tray (other items could be purchased by the patient from the snack shop) which was safe for most diets; low sugar, no salt, low fat mayo, low fat dressing for the 3 leaf salad. This didn't please most patients but this is expressed to a girl raised on the theory: "He'll eat it when he's hungry" Course my daddy was talking about the dog but oh well. . .

When I was in the ER, our hospital believed that it was good customer service to have a stocked refridge for the patients or their families. We had an ER Tech go to the kitchen each shift and get a variety of cereals, sandwiches, drinks, and snacks to keep everyone happy. The staff would even eat them on occasion if we couldn't get out of the unit to eat. I'm sure those sandwiches kept some of us from passing out when we were really busy! It is a little absurd though. The "regulars" would always come in for a meal if they were too cold outside, too hungry, or too intoxicated! They were always too smelly though.

Specializes in LTC.

This reminds me of a clinical day in my peds rotation. A young child was NPO or on clear liquids (can't remember for sure), and the family was in there eating hamburgers and french fries. The kid was upset because he couldn't have what they were having.

This reminds me of a clinical day in my peds rotation. A young child was NPO or on clear liquids (can't remember for sure), and the family was in there eating hamburgers and french fries. The kid was upset because he couldn't have what they were having.

Freaking A he was upset...how inconsiderate. :uhoh3:

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

welcome to the wonderfull world of er nursing

gotta love it

I believe that somewhere in this society of needy, greedy, demanding people, there is a law that, upon arrival in the ER for that "emergent" sore throat or finger pain, then you must do the following:

1. ask for a meal. Everyone knows the ER is just like a fancy restaurant and serves the fanciest of gourmet foods.

Either a kudo's to the food services of hospitals nationwide is in order, meaning the food has gotten better compared to the bland yicky stuff I've heard people complain about from years ago, or these patients have never been to a fancy resturant and really have that bad of taste :p

4. Go pee. This is a very serious demand, especially if you are brought in to the ER on a back board from a low speed MVA.
It's simply amazing how the offer of a folley changes their mind.

5. complain that the nurses are laughing. OMG they should NEVER laugh. there are SICK people here .
"Nor should they ever post anything in a forum or some lay person might be offended":rolleyes:

When I worked med/surg, part of my assessment process included checking for the menu/TV sign. If the patient asked about how to work the TV and/or asked for a menu within the first five minutes of his arrival to the unit, that constituted the "positive menu/TV" sign and he prompty assumed a lower number on my priority list.

When I worked med/surg, part of my assessment process included checking for the menu/TV sign. If the patient asked about how to work the TV and/or asked for a menu within the first five minutes of his arrival to the unit, that constituted the "positive menu/TV" sign and he prompty assumed a lower number on my priority list.

Oh wow, that's good - that's all I've got to say! :)

"Take your pick...crackers or belly button lint..."

Best line I ever heard, from one of our old medics. ;)

Hmmmmmm! :p Does that come with a pepsi too!

HelloOO Its an EMERGENCY!! Part 1

Sorry I did not plan to fracture my ankle ahead of time so I could eat first! Next I waited 8 hours before I saw a nurse! My waiting room buddies included dangerous schizophrenics as well as incontinent people pissing on my chair. Did I come here because my Doctor ordered me to? No, I just like to annoy the nurses!

A Patient

Alta Bates ER, Berkeley, CA

WHY is it that as soon as people step one foot into the ER, they suddenly are overcome with hunger and thirst? Now I can understand if the patient is admitted and has been there all day and has eaten nothing. But I don't understand how when someone comes in at 10:30 at night they IMMEDIATELY ask for food and drink because they haven't eaten all day. They have had the entire day to eat.Its not my fault that they didn't eat at home. I don't know how many signs are posted stating "no eating or drinking until evaluation is complete". Then again we have I don't know how many RESTRICTED AREA signs and people ignore those too. The other day I needed to use a bedside table but there was a tray on it so I asked the young lady if she was finished. And she said(snottily)" THAT was lunch. I didn't even GET dinner, yet." She was NOT an admitted pt. Matter of fact she was discharged an hour later. Does this happen everywhere? :uhoh21:
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