Food in the ER

Specialties Emergency

Published

I know maslow's, and that food is on the bottom.

I'm laughing because there were family members that cursed at me every time I walked by because I wouldn't make them sandwiches and sent them to the cafeteria.

How often are food requests at your place, and how often do you run into disgruntled family members because you don't feed them?

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I like it when the patient can't eat because of obvious surgical possibilities, and the family is keeping vigil at the bedside...eating! Here's a mouth swab for you while you watch your family eat their burgers and fries!

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Nope, not being ironic. And I have a grasp on healthcare and economics, thanks :)

Patients pay for the ER services (which are EXPENSIVE) one way or another and I don't think a $5 meal is denting the pockets of the Hospital.

Hounding the nurse for food while other patients are crashing is NOT ok, totally agree on that!

You need to spend some time in an ER and then come back and post. The patients that are being vented about are usually in the large part of the ER population that do NOT pay for their ER services.

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Specializes in Emergency.

And while we "usually" have sandwiches, soda, etc, it's not an unlimited supply.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
Food (turkey sandwiches soda, juice, jello, milk, crackers) is for admitted pts, diabetics, psych holds (for those inbetween meal snacks) and that's it. It amazing how many people ask for food. Especially as noted above those with abd pain, n/v.[/quote']

This!!

Our ER is very strict on this as we have to walk upstairs to get the tray. It's especially awkward when a new resident promises food and we have to go behind them and tell the pt that they are not getting food.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

"I'm a diabtic" says the patient.. "but yor sugar is 400" says the nurse.. "but I'm a diabetic" pleads the patient.. "your sugar is still 400" politely repeats the nurse..

Sure, I will feed you, as soon as you sign the discharge paper.. or the AMA..

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Nope, not being ironic. And I have a grasp on healthcare and economics, thanks :)

Patients pay for the ER services (which are EXPENSIVE) one way or another and I don't think a $5 meal is denting the pockets of the Hospital.

Hounding the nurse for food while other patients are crashing is NOT ok, totally agree on that!

You said you were a student. Have you actually spent time in the ER? Actually this applies to the floors too. Trust me you will learn what everyone is talking about and I'm sure you will have some food stories of your own too.

And as far as patients paying for ER services maybe try shadowing someone who works in patient accounts. It's a true eye opener.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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We usually have a few extra sandwiches and plenty of juice in the Nourishment Room and I have no problem grabbing something for a patient if it's not contraindicated. Especially, say, a young patient with rhabdo who's spilling protein and blood like crazy and is absolutely starving.

My ER is a city hospital in a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn, NYC and so we get several homeless and malnourished patients. Of course I'm happy to grab them an extra tray or sandwich... but where I draw the line is family members asking for it! I just say "sorry, the food is for patients only." OR the patient who thinks I'm their waitress. I had this one lady who asked for water and then complained that it wasn't cold enough and I just stared at her blankly and walked away.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Patients pay for the ER services

LOL!!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

This!!

Our ER is very strict on this as we have to walk upstairs to get the tray. It's especially awkward when a new resident promises food and we have to go behind them and tell the pt that they are not getting food.

If the new resident told the patient they could have a tray, the new resident should have to explain why, oops, you can't have a tray after all.

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Nope, not being ironic. And I have a grasp on healthcare and economics, thanks :)

Patients pay for the ER services (which are EXPENSIVE) one way or another and I don't think a $5 meal is denting the pockets of the Hospital.

Hounding the nurse for food while other patients are crashing is NOT ok, totally agree on that!

So, your friends go to red lobster. Invite you to come with, you show up, they had to take an acls equipped van to get there cuz they can't be bothered to ask you for a ride or they're afraid they might actually have to wait to eat if they drove in or they're not paying to ride the city bus there.. Except, you don't have the cash to pay for your food. So you sit there and watch them get waited on. You watch, make make small talk with the staff. I totally think it would be appropriate to let you order off the menu, and feed you, on the house because what's one little meal. Who cares that you're completely rude the entire time, and the staff know's they're not getting a tip.

Then you tell your friends what went down. You totally got served and didn't have to pay. So they start doing it too. Why not. What's one meal.

Let's not forget, you or ur friends start taking the condiments, the knives n forks n spoons. The toilet paper out of the bathroom.

Sorry to break it to you, but healthcare is a business. It's the only business I know of, where society thinks it's ok to not pay for things. They also think it's ok to steal. It's much more than 1 little pt asking for food..

I work with a mostly inner city population. No insurance, and if they do, it's Medicaid and most people know how minimal the reimbursement is for that. I'm not sure what your background is, but just what I'm getting from your comments, you probably don't deal with the crowd I do.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Working today... Someone or someone's, went into the kitchen area and stole every last juice, sugar packet, milk, ginger ale. I was SPEECHLESS
Didn't I foretell this way back in an earlier post of mine? You've just joined the club!!!

Next step is when someone cannibalizes your personal lunch bag, be it a brown paper bag or a little cute denim sack-type bag. Maybe, they'll be nice and leave you your fancy sack (and NOT steal that too). It won't matter if you put your name on it, or even a note saying "HANDS OFF". Nothing is sacred in the pantry. They'll even take another pt's family's homemade chicken soup or spaghetti!

No conscience among food goblins!

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Specializes in ER / Critical Care.

So, your friends go to red lobster. Invite you to come with, you show up, they had to take an acls equipped van to get there cuz they can't be bothered to ask you for a ride or they're afraid they might actually have to wait to eat if they drove in or they're not paying to ride the city bus there.. Except, you don't have the cash to pay for your food. So you sit there and watch them get waited on. You watch, make make small talk with the staff. I totally think it would be appropriate to let you order off the menu, and feed you, on the house because what's one little meal. Who cares that you're completely rude the entire time, and the staff know's they're not getting a tip.

Then you tell your friends what went down. You totally got served and didn't have to pay. So they start doing it too. Why not. What's one meal.

Let's not forget, you or ur friends start taking the condiments, the knives n forks n spoons. The toilet paper out of the bathroom.

Sorry to break it to you, but healthcare is a business. It's the only business I know of, where society thinks it's ok to not pay for things. They also think it's ok to steal. It's much more than 1 little pt asking for food..

I work with a mostly inner city population. No insurance, and if they do, it's Medicaid and most people know how minimal the reimbursement is for that. I'm not sure what your background is, but just what I'm getting from your comments, you probably don't deal with the crowd I do.

I am from BC, Canada, where as far as I can remember- healthcare is a service rather than a business. I'm in Texas now and it's been an eye opener! Especially when I brought my son to the ER and ended up paying $900 out of pocket ($500 to the Dr /$400 to the hospital) in addition to our monthly $880 insurance deductions. We were there for 15 mins max and walked out with a prescription for cough syrup. (Wont be doing that ever again!!) I was also under the impression that patients were turned away from the ER if they didn't have insurance AND they weren't "expected to die" within 24 hours. Obviously I have a lot to learn!!

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