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 ?

Wasn't sure what this patient came in for ... but this is a good one for a ridiculous patient nonetheless. Was in ER as a patient myself and waiting for the results of my CT scan. The nurse came around with pain meds, but I refused the narcs (because they don't agree with me) for just the regular old Advil. From the next curtain over is heard, "Well if she's refusing them and you've already punched them out ... what a waste - I'll have them". And then when the nurse didn't reply ... other patient came over, opened my curtain and held out his hand. :uhoh3:

At 3:30am the other night, I triaged a beautiful, smiling, chunky baby girl. Parents complaint? The baby got upset about something. She cried really really hard--until her face got bright red, and her eyelids even got red. So they rushed her right to the ER!

:lol2:

I think they must have left you jumped on a plane and headed for Sydney. Had similar presentation with mum and 6/12 healthy girl. Mum was crying because the baby had been crying, seems the baby hadn't really got upset before this presentation???? I wish my boys had been like that!

Not sure if this qualifies or not but I'll put it out there. I'm an ICU nurse and we get our share of strange families (although it sounds like you poor guys are weeding out most of them, how do you do it?!!). Anyway had a patient who was in his late 80's, forget the diagnosis but he was one of those poor souls who have been sick for too long and should be allowed to pass peacefully but the family can't let go. Anyway he codes about 8:00 one night and we do our thing wishing we didn't have to. The ER doc calls the code after about 20-30 minutes (by the way the family is right there, we have open visiting hours and were trying to see how having families present at codes would work). The son jumps in the room and starts doing chest compressions, screaming "don't leave us, you can do it" and I'll be damned if he didn't bring the guy back. He died about noon the next day anyway but man.

Also thought this might be funny. During nursing school I did a brief rotation in an ER in a seedy part of town known for seeing all the drug addicts and prostitutes. The nurse I was following was straight out of the 60's and just not quite right, funny as crap though. Apparently she was a little offended by the reputation of the hospital in the community. She wanted to see what my view was on the place so she started to ask me: "If you were having heart problems what hospital would you go to?" I mentioned the local hospital known for having the best cardiologists. This line of questioning went on "pediatrics?", "ortho?" etc etc. Finally she said "if you were a crack whore who had OD'd where would you go?" I of course stated the place we were standing. She got miffed and started to tell me how this was a wrong perception and tell me all the wonderful departments they had that could rival any other hospital in town etc etc. About that time we passed a bed with a disheveled lady on it and I happened to ask what she was here for. "Crack whore that OD'd last night" After saying it she just turned and walked away. I ended up following someone else the rest of the day.

Specializes in ER.

Sometimes you just have to go with the craziness. LOL

I just started a new job at a hospital in a wealthy suburb of Chicago.

We had a 60'ish man come in c/o 'someone put something in my drugs' and asking for a drug test.

Huh?

I asked him if we were looking for zebras or elephants, which he refused to answer.

He took his 'medication' over two weeks ago...got angry at the long wait and left without being seen.

Good riddance.

No kidding folks, about 5 years ago, at 3 a.m., had a grown adult female present to triage c/c "chapped lips X 3 weeks". Don't know about the rest of you, but that still holds first prize at our ED for most ridiculous c/c.

I had a healthy male, about 30 call an ambulance for his chapped lips. Yes, they were chapped,and ugly. He had never heard of vaseline or any other remedy available OTC.

I had a healthy male, about 30 call an ambulance for his chapped lips. Yes, they were chapped,and ugly. He had never heard of vaseline or any other remedy available OTC.

And I'm sure the pain was killing them, and they needed to be rehydrated and have meds for pain and nausea.

Chapped lips wins. Even my stupid drug test guy (yes he was an idiot, and a needy one at that!) made the chapped lips people look fairly legitimate. At least you wouldn't laugh in their faces. I hope.

All in one day;

- "my ear hurts" s/p using a telephone antenna to scratch inside it

- "every time I have sex I get a headache" x > 3 attempts

- ingrown toenail x at least a week-- was the GROSSEST looking toe I have seen in a while, how can you go that long with green stuff oozing out of your body and just think it will go away?!?

Specializes in Emergency, PACU, ICU,.

How 'bout this...

I had just assumed my 5 bed assignment and and was given a "Lady Of The Night" with a roach in her ear. She had just been brought in by the local EMS guys... That's not the sad part. After removing the roach, teaching how to avoid having this happen again, suggesting changing motels for doing biz (once this happens, it's a good idea to try a different place), and her written instructions, she returns about 3 or 4 hours later by ambulance from the same motel with another roach in the same ear...

I work security in an ER and one day a young lady was being seen and her mother was with her, cant remember exactly what her complaint was. Anyway she kept making trips to the bathroom trying to give urine when all of a sudden the mother starts screaming, "Oh my god she had a baby! The babys in the toilet!!! Me and the tech run over and sure enough there's mommy crying and a newborn face down in the water. Apparently she was in denial of her pregnancy and was overweight and able to carry the baby in her hips. The mother was clueless. How she got the umbilical cord cut I have no idea but the baby turned out to be ok. One of her sisters visited the ER shortly after and said that the baby was home but the mother was STILL in denial.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
I work security in an ER and one day a young lady was being seen and her mother was with her, cant remember exactly what her complaint was. Anyway she kept making trips to the bathroom trying to give urine when all of a sudden the mother starts screaming, "Oh my god she had a baby! The babys in the toilet!!! Me and the tech run over and sure enough there's mommy crying and a newborn face down in the water. Apparently she was in denial of her pregnancy and was overweight and able to carry the baby in her hips. The mother was clueless. How she got the umbilical cord cut I have no idea but the baby turned out to be ok. One of her sisters visited the ER shortly after and said that the baby was home but the mother was STILL in denial.

:eek:

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