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

Specialties Emergency Nursing Q/A

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 ?

i did not laugh this site is the most riduculous things weve heard there supposed to shock you arent they i had nothing to handle i asked the doctor because he was standing right there i know the answer is no but he responded that way to i think make her think twice and it was probably a prank i was new and in shock didnt have time to think and she hung up befor i could reply i maintained a professional attitude by asking the doctor and not making a face i did not even smile maybe i should have explained the whole thing it was a quick comment to this tread sorry to offend you

I had a guy last weekend wait three hours for a drug screen. He left without being seen (of course, he was angry that the hemoglobin of 8 and an allergic reaction (with airway compromise) were seen before his urine tox screen.

He told me that someone had 'slipped something funny into his sometimes-smoke' while he was in Mexico.

Hmmmm.....it's a wonder he didn't call 911!!!

OK - dumb question - I understand that you can't refuse to treat someone in the emergency room. Can you refuse to see an obvious non-emergency like the hangnail?

Yes. MSE (medical screening exam) p this, if determined not an emergency, the option to treat or send away can be made.

We had a patient present to the ER the other night with chapped lips.

Chapped lips!! ;)

Specializes in ED-CEN/PACU/Flight.

I had a patient come in by EMS because she "needed a Q-tip."

Another patient in by EMS demanding that I give her some "shoes and earrings because she had to go out in an hour, and I needed to hurry the F*ck up."

During the big anthrax scare I had someone walk in (amazing that she didn't come in by EMS) because she was afraid she had it even though she "knew" she WASN'T exposed.

Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

Shoes and earrings? Huh?

[ We were in the waiting room with a child who obviously had pink eye. Mom says "his eyes been like that for a week, I don't know what's wrong with 'em." Why she decided at 11pm on a Sunday night that it couldn't wait another second, I don't know.

It couldn't wait another second because she had been doing her thing all weekend and doesn't want to go to work on Monday morning:angryfire

We had a lady(approx 45 yrs old) come in with this complaint: " I have a bump down there".... we figured she had an abcess or cyst. NOPE.. the NP examined her and couldn't find the "bump" so asked the lady to show her where it was, we it was the "bump" she was born with!!! Everyone got a good laugh off of that one. The NP said She doesn't know what she's been missing all these years!!! We all said she would be back the next week for an irritated bump!!!:lol2: :lol2: It's bad when people don't even know their own bodies

18 y/o local college student needs 3 am evaluation of "something is growing in my belly button, and I just noticed it now." Patient is wearing a pair of well-worn black sweatpants...diagnosis: lint in belly button, removed with piece of gauze and NSS.....

I've seen a "well baby checkup" (no complaint). I saw a guy who had a wound on his head from years and years before threaten to videotape himself suturing it closed at home if the doctor didn't do it that night. What a weirdo!:idea:

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry, Hospice, Home Health.
The answer is "NO".

I think you handled it poorly. Laughing at a young girl who may be subjected to bestiality is hardly what I would call a professional intervention.

Getting more information and facts would be better than snickering.

I am with you on this one scampi - I hope I never become so jaded that I would snicker at this. I don't care how many people tell me to "get over myself" or that it is how nurses deal with stress. It is tragic and this girl needs help if not a compassionate direct answer at the least.

Signed student, ...with rose colored glasses?

"I'm hungry"

One of our frequent flyers who is a homeless asthmatic would (we suspect) purposely not take his meds in order to get seen. During each visit he would ask multiple times for a meal and frequently would get denied. One day, he came in and thought that if he complained about his "nutritional deficiency" he would get treatment. Unfortunately that didn't work...he got a couple of neb treatments and was instructed to go to the local shelter.

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