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 LTC.
Typically, these patients need to be restrained at the hospital because they're so loopy with infection and illness that they're always pulling the IVs out. And as you're aware, NHs are "restraint-free"--no exceptions. NH nurses simply can't be everywhere at once, and realizing how time-consuming the med pass is, with accuchecks, tube feedings, crushed meds for about 30 people, and it's easy to realize that there is no time to stick Ms. Susie for the fourteenth time to keep some D5NS running. Plus, NH nurses don't do IV starts very often, and to have to do repeated sticks to a frail, dehydrated resident who doesn't want the thing anyway, and you'll understand the frustration.

Thank you, Angie!!! :) I'm in my first year, and the last facility I worked for had me scheduled to "orient" on the LTC side but they had nobody to orient me so I hit the ground running on an unfamiliar unit. One of the residents spiked a temp about an hour after I got there and had already been given Tylenol within the last two hours and she was very lethargic. The CNA told me that she was not usually that lethargic, etc. so I called the doc, told him what was going on, and HE ordered me to send her out. An hour later, I got a call from BOTH the ER RN and MD asking me why I had sent her out...ummmmm "Because I had an order to?!?! If you have a problem with it, why don't you call Dr. so-and-so and asked why HE decided to send her out?" :angryfire

i may be dumb but.. why does taking shoes off bother u..

Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.
i may be dumb but.. why does taking shoes off bother u..

Have you ever smelled 2 week old fish bait left in an ice chest in 95+ degree temps? I would liken that to some of the people I have taken care of feet. Think someone who drinks listerine to the point that they urinate and defacate on themselves but are still capable of standing so it all runs down. Add this to the fact that they do not change socks until they rot off. (usually the socks not the feet) Now think of this next time you are tempted to remove someones shoes. You will only have to do it once.

Hi Y'all. How about the patient with fibromyalgia?!! I actually had one husband tell me w/a very somber tone of voice that his wife had "end-stage fibromyalgia". Hello? And you know they are all allergic to motrin, toradol, percocet, vicodin, etc. etc. Also, how about the patient that tells you exactly where he/she does and does not want the IV!!

Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

6. Female patient with "migraine" accompanied by husband or SO, or mother, sometimes all of the above.

FYI if you've ever had a migraine so bad that it requires medical attention, you'd know that it's impossible to drive yourself to the ER or urgent care. You need someone else to bring you (ie. a spouse or relative).

Specializes in Internal Medicine Unit.
FYI if you've ever had a migraine so bad that it requires medical attention, you'd know that it's impossible to drive yourself to the ER or urgent care. You need someone else to bring you (ie. a spouse or relative).

And someone to bring you home once you're pumped full of phenergan and that ED Doc's pain med of choice.

Careful with this one, fibromyalgia is very painful, sure, not fatal as this husband made out, but life limiting in some cases.

Also, when I go to the hospital, I tend to tell them where I want the IV these days after some "lovely" RN decided to put it in my wrist and I ended up with painful phlebitis for a couple of months.

Hi Y'all. How about the patient with fibromyalgia?!! I actually had one husband tell me w/a very somber tone of voice that his wife had "end-stage fibromyalgia". Hello? And you know they are all allergic to motrin, toradol, percocet, vicodin, etc. etc. Also, how about the patient that tells you exactly where he/she does and does not want the IV!!
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Have you ever smelled 2 week old fish bait left in an ice chest in 95+ degree temps? I would liken that to some of the people I have taken care of feet. Think someone who drinks listerine to the point that they urinate and defacate on themselves but are still capable of standing so it all runs down. Add this to the fact that they do not change socks until they rot off. (usually the socks not the feet) Now think of this next time you are tempted to remove someones shoes. You will only have to do it once.

I'm guilty!! :no: I did this on my 2nd or 3rd night in the ER.

I won't do it again ... enough said.

Great thread ...

Thank you, Angie!!! :) I'm in my first year, and the last facility I worked for had me scheduled to "orient" on the LTC side but they had nobody to orient me so I hit the ground running on an unfamiliar unit. One of the residents spiked a temp about an hour after I got there and had already been given Tylenol within the last two hours and she was very lethargic. The CNA told me that she was not usually that lethargic, etc. so I called the doc, told him what was going on, and HE ordered me to send her out. An hour later, I got a call from BOTH the ER RN and MD asking me why I had sent her out...ummmmm "Because I had an order to?!?! If you have a problem with it, why don't you call Dr. so-and-so and asked why HE decided to send her out?" :angryfire

Oh... don't you HATE that? As the night shift supervisor in an LTC, I sent a resident out early Thanksgiving morning. She was unusually confused, low O2 sats, epigastric pain radiating into left chest and down left arm. THEY SENT HER BACK WITHIN TWO HOURS. No new orders, just "Monitor patient and notify MD if emergency." I was soooo mad, I KNEW she needed a cardiac workup. When I called the ER they said "Oh, she didn't seem to be in much distress. We actually were wondering why you sent her." I had called report myself before sending her, so they knew about the pain and O2 situation. Two days later, she had an almost fatal MI. She is still in CCU. Don't ever let their attitudes make you doubt your own judgement!

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
FYI if you've ever had a migraine so bad that it requires medical attention, you'd know that it's impossible to drive yourself to the ER or urgent care. You need someone else to bring you (ie. a spouse or relative).

But do they have to bring their entire familie plus their screaming little kids

She isnt having a migraine she just wants relief from her screaming little kiddies, who all need a firm dose of parenteral control

Questions by pts or their families:

"How long is the wait?" as they walk into a full ER w/ cc of a sore throat

"Why was he seen before me, I was here first?"

"You need to call Dr. XXXX (or XXXX speciality)" don't pts know docs don't give out home phone # for a reason.

"Do you really need to do that?"

and the many frequent ER phone calls asking medical advice.

Lab for calling about a hemolyzed sample 2hrs after it was sent

Floors that will not, no matter what, take pts between certain set times.

Docs for spending 10 minutes looking for someone to do a 1 min task (ie empty a urinal)

Million dollar work ups for walkie talkies

Mother w/ abd pain in NAD bringing multiple children with her.

Revolving door vistiors to a pt. Only two aloud at bedside but the entire clan needs to see grandma, two go out, two come in, 10 minutes later the two leave, two more come in, repeat all day.

Thats it for now, oh yah, I had a bad day at triage.

MajorDomo

Co-workers who come in through the back door to have something "looked at" by the ED doctor and there aren't but about 20 patients to be seen. They tend to get mad when they are told to check in and wait their turn.

Also, the patients who come in and when you ask about their meds, the reply is "it should be in my records at the clinic."

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