What was the MOST ridiculous thing a patient came to the ER for?

And did you have to treat them?

I am just curious. Your stories always seem to either crack me up or shake my head in amazement.

Thanks for sharing ?

[DeadHeadRN, BSN, RN]

We've had 2 recently that were ridiculous.

The first was a pt via EMS sent by nursing home because pt is refusing to take meds for 1 day. This was a 98 yo female, alert and appropriate with very mild dementia. I called the nursing home to ask why they thought this was an appropriate reason to send a pt to the ED. The nurse started rambling on about how the pt won't take her meds. I asked her what she thought we could do about this. I asked her if she thought I should tie the pt down and force meds down her throat. The woman is 98! If she doesn't want her meds, let her be!!

The other was also a nursing home pt brought via ambulance for bradycardia. The nursing home reported that her HR was 48. After speaking to her nurse at the nursing home I discovered that the pts baseline HR is about 55. and she took the pt's pulse after giving the pt her morning does of dig (I did mention that you're supposed to get the pulse BEFORE you give the dig, not after, and it's supposed to be be an apical pulse, to which she replied "What?"). The nurse also told me that she was concerned because the pt was tired when she woke her up. REALLY???!!! I have to wonder where they find some of these nurses that work in nursing homes. Nothing against nurses who work in nursing hones, Needless to say, we sent her back to the nursing home.

[klonginoRN]

I had a guy come in a couple months ago with a "bad taste in his mouth" He had eaten beef jerky and said that it left a bad taste in his mouth and was wondering if he could be poisoned? Of course the fact that he was drinking his mountain dew and smoking had no effect!

[shoegalRN, RN]

Back pain X 6 years.....

[allstudentnurses, ASN, RN]

I was going to say mosquito bite, because "it hurt", but I think pregnancy test beats that LOL

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Another nurse in my pod had a patient who was brought in by the patient's parents because.....wait for it.....

when the patient doesn't wear the patient's glasses, the patient's vision is blurry.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Nursing home sent a 90-something yr old patient in to the ED at 9pm because she had a cough earlier in the day and the doctor "wanted her sent in for a chest X ray." Nursing home nurse made a point of telling the medics that the pt was so bad she had to be on "2 liters of oxygen...HIGH FLOW!" (Needless to say neither the medics nor ED staff saw/heard her cough once time).

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Recently had a pt with a CC of "dry lips" (get you minds out of the gutter!!!). Doctor told her to try vaseline. Not my pt, not sure what she wanted, but she immediately eloped after the MD did not give her something different.

[k00ky]

a patient, who's working as a call center agent, came to er complaining of "SEVERE" sore throat.. then insisted that he needs a "sick leave" coz he can't work with that pain on his throat

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

good grief!!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Sore knee for 7 years, 40yo male. Arrived in triage carrying a take out coffee (XL) and six Archie comics.

[Scout12]

Newest one, and there are thousands I could talk about, was a diabetic patient came by ambulance to have a necrotic place on her toe checked. She was being treated for it. When I was triaging her she stated "I really here because I am constipated, want my foley changed and to be admitted. I need to get away from my family for awhile........

[allstudentnurses, ASN, RN]

Had one the other night, had a "injury" to his arm, he came in via ambulance. It was a very minor bruise. He was triaged and discharged in all of about 15 minutes.