I hate it!!!

Specialties Emergency

Published

Ok, I strongly dislike it when 17 year olds come in at 2:30 AM looking for a pregnancy test...hello? Drugstore?

And i dislike it even worse when they come back positive.

And when they bring the baby daddy with them.

Blech!:argue:

Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
I disagree that this is d/t poverty. I was raised very poor, and I believe uninsured. I never went to an emergency room for tx. My parents believed in treating basic illnesses at home. My mother thinks that most things can be helped with herbal tea, fluids, and rest. Vomiting was never seen as an emergency, it was natures way of purging a toxin from the system before it could do serious damage. I think that it is an entitlement/ignorance issue. I also think that laziness plays a big role- why stay at home and make your own tea and clean up your own puke when you can lie in a hospital bed and have others do it for you?:cool:

I was raised poor and uninsured too. I was taken to the ER twice by my parents; once when they thought I broke my arm, once when I did break my leg.

We did go to the doctor's office, when we were sick, but not every time we had a sniffle.

What's more, my parents paid their bills, insurance or no.

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Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
Personally, in opposition to my usual liberal viewpoints, I wish all teenagers and young women were on depo shots until they were proven to be able to support themselves! There is nothing more difficult to do than raise a child on your own (when you are older), I can't imagine being young, with no prospects and having that burden on my shoulders-subsequently on my children's shoulders.

I agree with others, Pregnancy tests should be done out front-and ER visit would not ensue.

Maisy

that isn't true across the board. If you got out of nursing because of patient's like those and the nurses, then maybe it's good you got out - you could've sought another area in nursing to change your perspective or perhaps you figured out nursing wasn't for you.

You have no idea what I went through. On my last job I was left working an 11-7 shift at a brand new nursing home with a subacute floor and long-term floor all by myself! As I was leaving to go home(in my car) I noticed an ambulance outside. I didn't call for one. Later I found out that a woman with a fresh pacemaker almost died because it was not working and her daughter was the one who found her. I was on the other side of the building giving out meds to the long-term floor. Also a pt had liquid O2. I called the DON when I got to work and took report and asked her if she was going to leave me like this without another nurse to help. She said "wing it"! I had no clue about anything using liquid 02.

Now how would you feel? And then she called me into her office and wrote me up for calling her!

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

I am not sure they believe it will happen to them. I have two kids in college and listening to them talk I am convinced that certain things that seem like common sense when you are older just don't penetrate the brain.

You'd think that children of a single parent(divorced) who always hawked consequences and the fact that no matter what protection is used the possibility of life exists each time a sexual encounter occurs would be espousing these same sentiments to their peers. I remind both of them that they will be tied to that person for a lifetime due to a shared child, and that if love and possible commitment is not present they shouldn't even consider sex! This is repeated everytime they go anywhere with "friends" away, at school, or whenever.

My daughter complains that I have given her "ridiculous morals" and make her think constantly, but they still talk about friends and their escapades like nothing. HUH? My son is reminded everytime his girlfriend visits his school or he stays at her parent's house to be respectful and remember he could become a father any time-I always ask "are you ready?" Drives him crazy, but someone has to ask.

Anyway I read once that young men in particular should not be given harsh jail sentences before the age of 25 because the judgement center is not fully formed. Having a 22 yo son, I almost have to agree. Smart, hardworking, and trustworthy-but still with stupid comments and ideas. I almost think the boys should be given a depo type injection instead of the girls!

JMHO

Maisy

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

I grew up poor too, we were on welfare and had medi-cal (medicaid) we did not go to the ER unless it was an emergency i.e broken foot, laceration needing stiches.I think that people just have a totally different perception of how things are now, they dont want to wait for a Dr. apt. They think healthcare has the same slogan as burger king " have it your way".

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Specializes in NICU.

We grew up very poor too. I only remember going to the ER twice. I split my chin open and needed stitches. I remember my mom taking them out because we couldn't afford the follow-up visit. Another time, I got a 2nd degree burn from the muffler of a motorcycle, and it was after hours.

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Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I am not sure they believe it will happen to them. I have two kids in college and listening to them talk I am convinced that certain things that seem like common sense when you are older just don't penetrate the brain.

You'd think that children of a single parent(divorced) who always hawked consequences and the fact that no matter what protection is used the possibility of life exists each time a sexual encounter occurs would be espousing these same sentiments to their peers. I remind both of them that they will be tied to that person for a lifetime due to a shared child, and that if love and possible commitment is not present they shouldn't even consider sex! This is repeated everytime they go anywhere with "friends" away, at school, or whenever.

My daughter complains that I have given her "ridiculous morals" and make her think constantly, but they still talk about friends and their escapades like nothing. HUH? My son is reminded everytime his girlfriend visits his school or he stays at her parent's house to be respectful and remember he could become a father any time-I always ask "are you ready?" Drives him crazy, but someone has to ask.

Anyway I read once that young men in particular should not be given harsh jail sentences before the age of 25 because the judgement center is not fully formed. Having a 22 yo son, I almost have to agree. Smart, hardworking, and trustworthy-but still with stupid comments and ideas. I almost think the boys should be given a depo type injection instead of the girls!

JMHO

Maisy

That is a great idea!

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Specializes in ER.
You have no idea what I went through. On my last job I was left working an 11-7 shift at a brand new nursing home with a subacute floor and long-term floor all by myself! As I was leaving to go home(in my car) I noticed an ambulance outside. I didn't call for one. Later I found out that a woman with a fresh pacemaker almost died because it was not working and her daughter was the one who found her. I was on the other side of the building giving out meds to the long-term floor. Also a pt had liquid O2. I called the DON when I got to work and took report and asked her if she was going to leave me like this without another nurse to help. She said "wing it"! I had no clue about anything using liquid 02.

Now how would you feel? And then she called me into her office and wrote me up for calling her!

Look closer at who you were working for and change where you work (in that LTC facility). If this post was directed at me, let me clarify: you can find a fantastic environment with competent, supportive nurses in many specialties. Obviously where you were was not one of them.

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Specializes in Me Surge.

In my family of six children (with insurance) only one ever went to an ER. And that was because she got run over by a car. Its called an Emergency Room for a reason.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

This just proves my point that some people should not be allowed to procreate.

The gene pool needs a healthy dose of chlorine from time to time....

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
The whole system makes me want to puke.:banghead:

AMEN to that!!!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

whoa, looking at my post again with all those heads hitting a brick wall is making me dizzy. Yes, a nice big gallon of chlorine would have done the trick.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I think we should begin with baby steps.

Such as:

Joe Q Public - did you know that Motrin and Tylenol were over the counter medications? Yes! It's true!

When you arrive at our million dollar ER with c/o of non specific head ache for the past 3 hours, guess what the doctor/nurse with years of education and training are going to do?

Yes! Give you the same blessed miracle drugs - Motrin or Tylenol.

You don't need a prescription for dozens of good drugs: Tylenol for aches and pains, Maalox for "queasy stomach" or "heart burn", Immodium for diarrhea, Antivert for nausea/vomitting.

Save yourself the hassle (and a big medical bill). Visit your local pharmacy today!

If we could successfully prevent even 50% of such "ER visits", I think we'd see a massive improvement...

Then again, I think some folks just come in because they are lonely and want some attention. Call me crazy.

cheers,

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