ER Pet Peeves

Specialties Emergency

Published

Omigod, i was just browsing through another forum that listed pet peeves. It was so good, but so big. I was trying to browse through for ER stuff. It's great!!! Let's start our own!!!

---TANGLED CORDS I start out every shift untangling monitor/BP/pulse ox/call light/pumps/IV tubings and assorted other things

---PATIENTS WHO ARRIVE BY AMBULANCE and immediately have to have a BM. What is it about EMS that scares the SH** out of them???? and then...

---I HAVEN'T EATEN ALL DAY. big surprise, neither have I. as a matter of fact, i probably havent' had a lunch break in 3 years of 12 hour shifts

---BEDSIDE COMMODES with various aging urine/BM's at the bedside.

---LUNCH (and dinner) TRAYS still in the rooms at 7pm

---GARBAGE all around the garbage can

---IV TRAYS not restocked. of course, nights does nothing but crochet. even tho statistics show the busiest time to be 8-12 am.

---GRANDMA'S AND GRANDPAS soaking wet. bet you it wasn't YOUR grandma

---VISITORS who come to the station to tell you what their family member needs (urinal, bedpan, water, attention). Please tell me, how did these people pee on their own at home????

----GREAT BIG DISPLAYS OF EMOTION about patients who are obviously in the ER from neglect..... prescriptions not filled, not bathed in weeks, clothes in tatters, dehydrated and starving. BUT NOW!!! my MOM IS SUFFERING, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT??????

----BABIES WITH HIGH FEVERS IN TRIAGE. doesn't anybody buy Tylenol any more????

I could go on and on (and I am, in my pea brain), but i want to hear from YOU GUYS TOO!!!!

Specializes in OR, OB, EM, Flight, ICU, PACU.......

:banghead: Some of my Favorites:

"I take a little white pill for my blood" (don't you want to hand them the PDR and tell to call you when they find it!

The ventrillouquist- When you ask the pt. a question, his wife answers and you never see his lips move!

No, I don't know what your Doctor in (name the city across the country/ state) told you.

Walgreens and other Pharmacies have lots of things for what ails you.

The non-local family members who haven't seen Grandma for years, and demand you move Heaven and Earth to cure them. I guess they still want to be in the Will!

Emergency Department- Primary Care 24/7! Payment Optional!

Thanks for letting me vent. "And now, for something completely different!":banghead:

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

floccinoccinihilipilifacation"

.

:yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2::yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

I'm gonna use that one!!!!!!!

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Here's my take on why we are never completely happy campers in the ED...and I agree with all the pet peeves..here goes..and yes, despite all this , I still love ER nursing....

ER nurses can't stand those poor ill-educated folks who come in for the stupidest of non emergencies. Neither do we like those well -educated folks, because, gee they may actually know themselves and their health better than we do. And we reeeally don't care for the rich--they proably do have lawyers, and when they threaten to sue may actually mean it. And heaven help the middle class, for there we see ourselves , and it's scary how vulnerable we are.

After 30 years of ER nursing, I sometimes feel like the only people we like are ourselves and our co-workers, warped senses of humor, aching bones, and all.....hmmm, I think I better start a thread on what we like about ER nursing or everyone will think we are really crazy, it they don't already..Best wishes to all !!

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

Patients eating when they have abd. pain!!!!!!!!!!

Supplies not being replaced!!!!

Crazy docs!!!!!!!!

People wanting me to numb them for an IV!!!!!!

Drug seekers!!!!!!!

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Doctors who abuse CatScans

Patients who abuse ambulances

Patients who need ambulances but go through triage

CNAs that sleep during the shift - Having to use the loudspeaker for every little thing because theyre always m.ia.

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

Along this line: 3am drunk male looking to go upstairs to see his babies mama who is currently in labor and does not know first or last name. True story

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.
or who tell you they have a high pain threshold and it takes x amt (enough to kill a horse) to get their pain under control.

OK some of you do not yet have enough life experience to be a RN in the ER. I worked my last day March 12, 2003 9:30AM during CPR recert when I had a very adverse reaction to latex (or the corn starch powder) I spent several hours in my own ER for the 1st hour sucking on updrafts, epi, steroids, and pepcid glaring at the intubation tray opened and ready for use. But for 9 years prior to that date I learned many things as my age crept up - bad gall bladder, carpel tunnel x2, herniated cervical disks with 3/4/5 fused, high bp, diabettes, repeat neck surgery with history of migraines until found reglan. For years I had to go to ER for migraines, after a while I would just walk to nurses desk and whoever was working asked me for meds 100mg demerol 50mg phenergan and 100mg pentobarbital:D. I could drive home, cook something for kids and about 1 hour after shots given I got sleepy. Now I have herniated L1,2,3 plus unknow growth on one spur at l5 nothing helps not meds (last demerol shot never took) not rest need to see neuro guy but afraid. Now allergic to all metals except platium, also allergic to neoprene, formaldhyde carba mix, generally anything with bio-chemical base and don't forget the foods I can no longer eat.:banghead:

Remember - never ASSUME anything because you will make an ass out of u and me.

Also this: Karma works:nono: so beware of how you treat others with these complaints because one day it could be you.:rolleyes:

Sorry for the rant but it is like the first night the new residents are in the ER. I would remind them that their ER rotation could be nice or it could be hell...it just depended on them.:stone

my biggest pet peeve - staff that did not pull its own weight at work no matter what reason they had.:angryfire

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Specializes in Critical Care/Teaching.

**home med sheets!! i hate those things!!

***people complaining about the wait!! especially when they treathen to leave!! (go ahead, make my day)

****vag discharge for 5 days....and the boyfriend is in the room after they just had relations!! :0(

*****stuck tampons that females cannot find

******working with all males so you get stuck with all the pelvic exams!! ;0(

***flu swabs

***inpatient er patients because the floors have no beds!!

okay...those are my pet peeves!! :coollook::coollook::coollook:

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Specializes in ER.
OK some of you do not yet have enough life experience to be a RN in the ER. I worked my last day March 12, 2003 9:30AM during CPR recert when I had a very adverse reaction to latex (or the corn starch powder) I spent several hours in my own ER for the 1st hour sucking on updrafts, epi, steroids, and pepcid glaring at the intubation tray opened and ready for use. But for 9 years prior to that date I learned many things as my age crept up - bad gall bladder, carpel tunnel x2, herniated cervical disks with 3/4/5 fused, high bp, diabettes, repeat neck surgery with history of migraines until found reglan. For years I had to go to ER for migraines, after a while I would just walk to nurses desk and whoever was working asked me for meds 100mg demerol 50mg phenergan and 100mg pentobarbital:D. I could drive home, cook something for kids and about 1 hour after shots given I got sleepy. Now I have herniated L1,2,3 plus unknow growth on one spur at l5 nothing helps not meds (last demerol shot never took) not rest need to see neuro guy but afraid. Now allergic to all metals except platium, also allergic to neoprene, formaldhyde carba mix, generally anything with bio-chemical base and don't forget the foods I can no longer eat.:banghead:

Remember - never ASSUME anything because you will make an ass out of u and me.

Also this: Karma works:nono: so beware of how you treat others with these complaints because one day it could be you.:rolleyes:

REGLAN cured your migraines?? You so lost me there.

And no one, no matter what they tell me, is driving with a demerol/phenergan/pentobarb cocktail. Would YOU let someone drive after taking that?

Allergic to anything with a biochemical base- that includes everything on planet earth. How are you with Kryptonite?

OK it may all be true- but if someone came into your triage room and told you that, tell me you wouldn't make sure you had a clear path to the exit incase they exploded.

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Along this line: 3am drunk male looking to go upstairs to see his babies mama who is currently in labor and does not know first or last name. True story

hahahahahahaha

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One of my biggest pet peeves is having to deal with minor issues when there are true emergencies in the ER. I hate not being able to tell the patients they are ignorant of what the ER should be used for. They want tylenol written as a script for their baby, but carry a beeper and cell phone, and have a brand new purse hanging off their shoulder and a pack of smokes you can visually see peering out. I have told them they can buy children's tylenol at the Dollar Store, but they say they have no money. If we were allowed.....I would have plenty to say to these mother's who have baby's and don't take care of them.:banghead:

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

I really loved the tactile temp. Da baby feels like shes burning up. Did you take temp. Don't got a thermador. We started sending therms with all new babies.

We had man drive himself to ER having massive MI took straight to back. Woman charges through the doors and informs me she was here first. I lead her back to door and told her man was having heart attack and might die. Her response - I don't care what his problem is I was here first. Md on heard exchange checked the rack she was next up he booted her to bottom of stack. her complaint - wrist pain for 3 weeks.

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