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 ?

Specializes in emergency.
Let's see...the kid who's mother brought him for razor burn because his work insisted that he shave daily. I tried to find a new triage category for that one...like a 6- totally stupid complaint - could be seen next year!! We had about 20 people in the waiting room at that time. He had quite the wait.

The young "pregnant" woman who came in with lady partsl bleeding. She couldn't figure out how she got pregnant because she used the patch. I ran a UCG on her and it was negative. She said "I don't understand that. I used all 5 tests in the box and they were all positive." I told her pregnancy tests usually come 2 to a box. You guessed it...she was using an ovulation predictor and was getting her period. That is why people should have to pass a test to be allowed to reproduce.

The malodourous lady partsl discharge x 2 weeks. Yeah, well, when you forget to remove your tampon, that's what happens. PS: I got a great tip from one of our docs. He uses sterile gloves when he goes tampon fishing. That way he just pulls the glove off over the tampon and ties it in a quick knot. Completely contains the smell. Exam gloves are too short.

Then I had the guy who was bitten by a water mocassin. He didn't want to kill the snake so he picked it up with a rake to try to move it to the woods. The snake is now totally p*ssed off and scared so the guy drops the snake. Now the snake is even more mad, so the guy tries to pick the snake up and whammo...he gets envenomated. I told him "If your name is not Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, and you are not getting paid millions of dollars to pick up the snake, leave it alone!"

Thanks for a great thread. I LMAO!

We saw a guy who got bit by a snake near water (in central Indiana-- I don't know of any venomous snakes here) and thought he should bring the snake into the ER for identification. While he was trying to catch the snake it bit him again! :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle The moron brought the snake, which he was finally able to kill, into the ER in a box! Horrors! Of course there was quite a stir among the nurses as the rumor of a snake in the department quickly spread and the most important fact-- is it dead or alive became uncertain. It was one of those surreal times when you feel like you're on a TV episode of ER, like this is so ridiculous it can't actually be happening! Oh btw, the patient survived. :)

Specializes in emergency.
Yes, but there is a serious condition which causes swelling in young boy's memberes that can cause permanent damage...I've treated a case or two in very young infants (

Have never heard of member swelling with chigger bites. Was the bite actually on the member or is member swelling a systemic reaction to chigger bites on other areas of the body? I don't think you overreacted at all. As an ER RN I would have probably done the same thing, at least called the pediatrician who likely would have sent us the ER if it was after hours.

Specializes in ER.
This happened when I was an EMT--not to me, but to someone else I worked with. Got called out late at night, call was "ineffective airway". EMS gets there. Lady is obviously a prostitute. Stated she couldn't breath because she had a pubic hair caught in her throat from last night....

That makes ME want to cough. Bleah.

I don't personally work in the ER but, a fellow nurse told me this story. She was working in the ER when a mother and a very visably pregnant 13yo daughter (yes 13yo) came in, with abdominal pain. The mother wanted to know what was wrong with her daughter and wanted to know if watermelons could really grow in her stomach if she had ate a watermelon seed. The girl gave birth a few hours later.

Specializes in cardiac/telemetry.
we had a guy stick a remote control up his butt. had to get it surgically removed. i mean i guess he had a valid reason to be there after the fact...but why and how?..

Maybe his wife told him "If you change that channel ONE MORE TIME..... (Sorry, I just could not help myself!):lol2:

We had one yesterday 20 yr old hiccups said they started on thursday wanted to know why. Never had them before. Ate and drank no problem spoke with me no hiccups? stayed in the waiting room 3 hours no hiccups????? Guess I scared him:lol2:

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?

In the UK, at least in our department we are aloud to send patients away from triage who do not present with an emergency probelm that could either be managed by the GP (family doctor) at a later date or managed with OTC medication.

On the most redicioulous thing a patient has said, we have a 4 hour wait in our departments the patients must be seen and d/c within that time, if they are not then the hosptial gets fined. I had a girl at 2am come in c/o sore feet, she had blisters on both feet in the same place from dancing the last 5 hours at a club, there was also a 4.5hr wait in A+E to see a dr, politley told patient where she could take said probem at that time in the morning, espcially as there was still a queue for triage

I don't personally work in the ER but, a fellow nurse told me this story. She was working in the ER when a mother and a very visably pregnant 13yo daughter (yes 13yo) came in, with abdominal pain. The mother wanted to know what was wrong with her daughter and wanted to know if watermelons could really grow in her stomach if she had ate a watermelon seed. The girl gave birth a few hours later.

Wow, that's some serious denial on mom's part. Makes me sad for both mom and daughter just thinking about it. :o

Specializes in Urgent Care.

A dumb dad came in with his daughter because she was having a tantrum!

I actually knew the kid and her mom. A few days later mom called an told me (she didnt know I was there) and asked if she could be automatically called if her daughter was admitted to the ED. I told her she would have to call medical records and see if there was a way they could note on the electronic system to always notify the custodial parent(they are divorced). She doesnt want her daughter to see the ED/Hosp/docs/nurses as punishment. I can see why she isnt married to that clown anymore!

Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.
In the UK, at least in our department we are aloud to send patients away from triage who do not present with an emergency probelm that could either be managed by the GP (family doctor) at a later date or managed with OTC medication.

Hey, cool, sounds like you folks have the right idea! Maybe you could teach us a thing or two about healthcare then.

Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.
Had another good one early Saturday morning...

An 18-yo came in (accompanied by 2 or 3 of his buddies) for c/o acne. He wanted it cleared up before prom that night.

aww i think this one is kind of cute!

Hey, cool, sounds like you folks have the right idea! Maybe you could teach us a thing or two about healthcare then.

Sounds great! I think if you are embarrassed to go to the ER , then you probably should not go.

for example : my son had a fever that would not go away ,but seemed fine. i got freaked out and called his pcp who could not see him, i went to the ER and i was embarrassed but fed up. the ER people referred me to ambulatory care where i made an appt for later that day (later it all made sense and i was totally embarred)

once i went b/c i spilled hot coffee in my lap..i waited a few hours (meaning it was probably not an emergency ) but when i went to the ER they were so nice..i should have called a PCP but did not have one at the time !

i chopped off my finger tip in a food processor and went to the ER ...when i look back it seems silly ...i would have been fine...but they took care of me in the ER and even managed to stress me out that my finger would never be the same.....it seemed questionable ...but i am lucky to have had great skin re generation

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