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!!!!

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.

NICE!! :bdyhdclp:

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

Patients who enjoy asking for one thing at a time and need ask for something else when you come back with whatever they last asked for.

Families who answer questions for the patient, when the patiet is capable of speaking on their own.

people who think they are going to come to a busy city ER and get seen immediatly for there symptoms that have lasted several days or more, because today it becomes an emergency.

People who complain of 10/10 pain while they are laughing with friends/family and eating a bag of duritos in the waiting room, then they procede to tell you this is the worst ER when they get discharged without a prescription for narcotics.

People who come in for complaints of dental problems, apparently the ER is more convenient then the dentist. I would like to start keeping a pair of plyers in triage, then they will really need that narcotic prescription.

Patients who, although they can see that every bed and every peice of wall space in the department is taken, continue to beleive that they are the only patient in the entire department, and the only person in pain.

psych patients, I HATE THEM!!!! I am a firm beleiver that if someone is suicidal they wouldnt be in the ER telling you that they are suicidal. Most of them are attention seeking and take beds that are needed for medical patients. (sorry if I offend)

Sinical ER nurses, oh, um wait, that would be me... :)

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Specializes in cardiac ICU.

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psych patients, I HATE THEM!!!! I am a firm beleiver that if someone is suicidal they wouldnt be in the ER telling you that they are suicidal. Most of them are attention seeking and take beds that are needed for medical patients. (sorry if I offend)

Sinical ER nurses, oh, um wait, that would be me... :)

You do offend.:(

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Specializes in ER,ICU and Progressive Care Unit,Peds.

Pt's who take the ambulance to the ER for Sore throat...flu like symptoms, etc. Some people think this is a way to get bumped to the head of the line or get to the back faster. Since I'm in the the Navy and our pt are under tricare we don't have to pay for our health care or ambulance rides. So for some people taking the ambulance is cheaper than driving or calling a cab. Pure abuse of the system...I see it every day!

People the ambulance is just a form of transporation to the ER. If you come to our ER via ambulance for such nonsense than you will go to the back of the line and straight out to the waiting room...don't pass go...don't collect $200.

With tricare you have a PCP use it....not the ER....

Ok...I'll get off my soapbox now!

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Patients that burn up so much time and money in hospitals because they've made STUPID choices in life - for YEARS - and they are laying there vomiting and crapping blood,

AND taxpayers are paying for it.

I hate liver failure due to drinking and or Hep C: both USUALLY avoidable if one were not so STUPID in the first place.

I also hate diseases induced by smoking. In this day and age there is NO excuse for any of this! Where is personal responsibility?

I can take things that cause illness unrelated to "whatever abuse".... but "intentional suicides" the "slow way" **** me off.

I'd vote for a ban on smoking/drinking/drugs in the WORLD if anyone had the cha-chas to enforce it.

What a WASTE of resources.

I suppose you feel the same about those with diabetes, heart disease and strokes..since we know those could be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle???

I don't disagree with you, but you have to admit, if people didn't drink/smoke/do drugs and lived a healthy and active lifestyle, lots of diseases could be prevented!

I'm no picture of health myself, but I think it's unfair to NOT include obesity(which leads to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke) along with smoking and doing drugs has a disease the could be prevented.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Everyone seems to have their own version of "ridiculous". This is, after all, a venting thread. Try to take it all w/a grain (or 2) of salt.

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Specializes in Neuroscience, ED.

This isn't really a pet peeve. I just thought it was amusing and wondered if this sort of thing happens at other EDs.

Last week a person called the ED and asked if we gave away free samples of percocet, demerol, etc, etc

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.

last week a person called the ed and asked if we gave away free samples of percocet, demerol, etc, etc

did you tell them that sure, the cute little agent from the dea had a pocket full of them at the side entrance?? not only that, he'd give you a free ride to great little "hotel", all free....:yeah:

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Specializes in Emergency Care.

Ok - heres the UK ER contribution:-

Patient who states pain score 10/10 but hasnt taken analgesia

Patents who arrive by ambulance because they think they will be seen quicker even though they only have a stubbed toe

Patients who fake vasovagal/fainting in waiting room after they have seen the wait time

Patients who decide that 5am is a good time to get the shoulder injury that have had for 6 months "checked out"

Anyone who uses the phrase "get it checked out"

patients who present with abdo pain and put on an oscar winner performance in triage, only to be happily eating chips and drinking coke 10 minutes later in the waiting room.

Keep smiling xx

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1. The ppl who came from the hospital a few blocks away with their name bands still on and states, "X hospital was too busy and I didnt want to wait so I came here"

2. The mom who brings in many children with her just to get a pregnancy test...and while she waits in the room...is screaming and swearing and spanking the kids.

3. The fun overworried family member who never visits mom, but today wants to know everything we are doing, why we are doing it, where is her food, she looks cold, get her another blanket...keeps coming out of the room to ask foolish questions..do you think we will be here long? What is taking so long? etc etc etc

4. the smelly drunk guy who comes in EVERY single day per ems

5. ppl who have abd pain and come in with burger king and super sized coke..with c/o n/v

6. Ppl who are decked out in style, nails, hair, shoes etc etc, come time for discharge and they want to know how are they going to fill the rx, they dont work and dont have any money!!!!!

7. New moms come in baby vomited formula so havent fed baby x 12 hrs. and wondering why baby wont stop crying. We give em pedialyte with no surprise baby gulps it down..and mom says I didnt know they could have that. are you sure thats ok? Really...seriously..that one annoys me

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Specializes in ED, PCU, Addiction, Home Health.

Anyone who uses the phrase "get it checked out"

I love it! So true!

We've had a run of 3 day old bug bites with about 1-2 cm of erythema, no itching, no pain........and "I thought I better get it checked out."

Also, the kids 2-3 years old with fever - no tylenol or motrin given. These are the ones that typically ask for the tylenol RX on discharge.

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Specializes in ER/Nuero/PHN/LTC/Skilled/Alzheimer's.

1. Press Ganey (goes without saying)

2. Drama Queens/Kings

3. EMTs who don't know how to start an IV and have fluids running through an infiltrated line.

4. Restarting IV sites on pts who came in via those EMTs

(they stuck me in the ambulance, why do I have to have another one?)

5. Mean Drunks

6. Mean redneck women who think getting mad and threatening us gets them what they want. Look, hon that may work with your husband or kids, it just gets you kicked out here.

7. Mean men who think because they're bigger than me they can intimidate me. Kiss my a&& now these really big male nurses will help you (out the door).

8. People who ask for tylenol and motrin scripts while they talk on their cell phone and replace the pack of cigarrettes in their Coach/Vera Bradley/Doone & Burke purse.

9. No foley kits/tegaderms/alcohol pads/etc in the room (or the next five).:banghead:

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