Ok so I am new here just a humorous little rant here about my ER and probably every nurses ER would be a fun way to break the ice... So here it is everyone throw out saaaaaay your top .......5 most funny/annoying/ or irritating things that you have to hear/ see/ deal with in your ER as a tech ,nurse whatever..
1. Call light or family rushing out to tell me that the pt's fluids are done and I need to do something about it.
2. PT purposefully mispronounced morphine or dilaudid when naming them as "the only pain meds that worked last time" cuz they think that makes seem like less of a seeker...
3. Cries about 10/10 pain and screams bloody murder when I put the tourniquet on for IV
4. Cries about 10/10 pain while laughing and playing on cell phone
5. Upon initial assessment starts conversation off with ....WebMD says I could have.......
"That medicine that starts with a D worked for me last time"
"I'm allergic to zofran and morphine ....."
When I open a brandnew blood pressure cuff from the bag -pt "Am I gonna be charged for that?"
"The thing (monitor) won't stop beeping" because their blood pressure won't go down and you can't make it stop beeping
"This thing on my finger (pulse ox) hurts, can you make it looser?" ugh
when in triage "That lady went before I did and I got here before she did" because that one was a chest pain and you 'tripped over your foot'
when starting an IV "They usually have to butterfly me to get my veins" When they need an IV and you have to explain the difference between an IV catheter and a Butterfly needle *rolls eyes*
I could literally go on forever but I'll stop here lol
"How much longer will it be? I have to be to work in an hour."
Family members who treat me like a waitress.
Patient who won't put down their phone while I'm in their room.
Patient who interrupts me to answer my question with attitude before I've completed it. Especially when the question is pain scale.
Patient who tells me how to push their meds. Giving me directions on pushing your pain meds guarantees I will hang it in a 50 bag and drip it.
Patient who came via ambulance at 2am for toe pain x3 weeks because they didnt wsnt to wake anyone up for a ride and expects a cab voucher home at discharge.
Diabetics who come into the ER, get back to a treatment room and say; "I'm a diabetic and haven't eaten all day. I need you to get me some crackers and juice." I'm sorry. No. I'll check your sugar to make sure it's not low, but no. No food or drink until you're assessed by a physician.
"I'm scared of needles. They make me pass out if I look at them." Then why did you come to the ER? It's full of needles. Just don't look. Duh.
"What brought you in today?"
"My car."
"Do you take any medications on a daily basis?"
"Yes, they're in my chart."
Last time the patient was here was 5 years ago....
"Yeah, the medicines are all the same."
"From 5 years ago?"
"Yes."
"Ummm. No. Where do you get your medications filled?"
"I've been nauseated and throwing up blood for 3 days."
As they sit in the triage chair. With a bag of half eaten Cheetos from the snack machine and a half empty bottle of Mountain Dew. #LIES!!! Lol
2.) Pts with no insurance (and you pretty much KNOW they won't be paying their bill) demanding to see only a physician and not a PA for their finger pain or equally minuscule complaint.
3.) Complaining about hospital food. Go to the cafeteria and buy food you like then if the free stuff we give you isn't good enough!
4.) Patients who come in for STD checks.
5.) Family members who are always monitoring the monitors and advising you at every "critical"' BP of 175/90.
In the rural area I work in, we still have to mix our own drips after hours (meaning after 5 when pharmacy leaves) and have ONE tech for 12 hours most days. On nights when only 2 nurses are staffed, if a critical patient comes in, once they are semi-stable, one nurse is one-on-one with them, and the other has the other 10 beds to take care of, plus any incoming patients... I work prn at a much larger facility where staff are assigned 4 patients/rooms at a time or have 7 patients and a 2 RN/1 tech team, and they were afraid it might be too busy for me. HAHA... while the numbers are much higher there, the patient load per nurse definitely is not! I love my job(s) though!
Guest838984
63 Posts
Drug Seekers
"That medicine that starts with a D worked for me last time"
"I'm allergic to zofran and morphine ....."
When I open a brandnew blood pressure cuff from the bag -pt "Am I gonna be charged for that?"
"The thing (monitor) won't stop beeping" because their blood pressure won't go down and you can't make it stop beeping
"This thing on my finger (pulse ox) hurts, can you make it looser?" ugh
when in triage "That lady went before I did and I got here before she did" because that one was a chest pain and you 'tripped over your foot'
when starting an IV "They usually have to butterfly me to get my veins" When they need an IV and you have to explain the difference between an IV catheter and a Butterfly needle *rolls eyes*
I could literally go on forever but I'll stop here lol