If you have to go to the ER...

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Do you find yourself "requesting" treatment??

Last night I had to take my 2 year old to the ER for croup. WE had tried everything from being outside (in 15 degree weather) to running the shower until it ran out of hot water. His cough was almost continuous and I just decided to take him in. This is his 3rd bout of croup in less than a year and the first 2 times I was able to wait it out until morning and take him to the doctor, but this time it was really bad.

I got in there and the doc says "does it seem better now?" I said yes. He starts with "well usually the cold air helps because it reduced the inflammation" I stopped him and said "I worked in a trauma center for over 5 years I understand the physiology of croup but he wasn't getting any better at home. I really think he needs steroids and a cool mist SVN." He said "well we can give him some Decadron.." to where I said "do you realize that the dose of Decadron for a child his age is 7 tsp. of medicine? I would rather you give him a shot of it." He was rather surprised that I was asking him for the shot but I explained that in the past he gets about 1/4 tsp down before he starts vomiting. So he followed my treatment plan to a T and we were d/c after 1 1/2 hours.

I'm really bad about this with my doc as well. Dd had a stomach bug a few weeks ago and vomited more than 35 times in 6 hours (it was every 10 minutes) :o. I called him and asked for a script for Tigan suppositories which he thankfully called in to the nearest pharmacy. What a guy!!!

Just wondering if anyone else does this. :uhoh21:

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Absolutely, one of the reason I am in Health Care is to understand the physiology for myself and my family...

I am pretty demanding AND I do my homework.

--------- You GO Mom :;

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Yeah, I do thatt.

I had tonsillitis one time, went to urgent care. Couldn't speak. I had my s/s written down along with how long I had them, and had a list of my meds/dose/last dose...

The triage nurse looked at me and said "Which part of healthcare are you in?" :chuckle

Sometimes I hate knowing so much. When having DD, I looked down before the nurse put in my IV, I saw green, started to freak b/c I knew she was putting a big IV in me.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

:chuckle I do the very same thing that all of you do. I'm so up front and personal that way anyhow, but especially when it comes to my health, and that of my family. My daughters have often had me accompany them to the doctor or hospital when either they or their children were sick because they know I get results. Do the docs appreciate it? Some do, some don't...but that's just too bad. Don't offer me "go away" advice.......do your jobs! :nurse:

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Specializes in ER.

I went to my own ER and told the doc what I had, and very politely treated me for it, although he didn't agree, because he knows me. turns out I was right. I told him we would both save time if he would just assume that during our shifts together too.

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:chuckle Don't offer me "go away" advice.......do your jobs! :nurse:

:roll :roll :roll Oh yeah!

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Specializes in NICU.

I think most of us do this, to some degree. I try to control it as much as I can, because I don't want to seem pushy.

Last month I went to my doc because I had a cold that had progressed to major wheezing and it felt like someone was gripping my throat, like it was so swollen I felt like I was being choked. I asked for a strep test because I wanted to know if I was okay to go to work or if I needed to start antibiotics first. They said it didn't look like strep but tested me anyways. Then I asked if it could be RSV, and since I work in the NICU I was worried. They wouldn't do it and said I was probably fine. So then she prescribed albuteral MDI, antibiotics for sinus infection vs. bronchitis. I really wanted an albuteral neb in the office, I mean, I felt so wheezy and dry. I was going to ask for one, but then I figured I had caused enough trouble so I just left and went to pick up the MDI instead.

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Oh yeah...but I am also open to other possibilities too. Like the time I thought I *just* needed a little Lasix to get rid of the postpartum fluid retention and turned out I was in congestive heart failure (had never heard of that at the time.)

I had a patient a month ago who came in with a list of what he needed. I was kind of irate at first, but it turned out he was just a very introspective and thoughtful older man who instinctively knew what was wrong. He listed:

1.)admit to the hospital for a few days of rest

2.)please check my lungs...something is wrong with my breathing

and so on and so on.

Turns out he was in failure due to atrial fib. I think (for a lot of patients, not all !) they know what is wrong as well if we will listen.

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Specializes in NICU.
I went to my own ER and told the doc what I had, and very politely treated me for it, although he didn't agree, because he knows me. turns out I was right. I told him we would both save time if he would just assume that during our shifts together too.

That's like my doc a few years back when I had a bad sore throat. I was on antibiotics for 3 weeks (infected, then removed impacted wisdom teeth) and this sore throat was like swallowing knives. I didn't feel sick otherwise, though, so I asked if it could be thrush. My doc laughed at me, because I didn't have a single white patch in my mouth. I said my mouth was fine, it was deep in my throat. She practically rolled her eyes at me when I insisted that I had thrush. Finally, after a gag-inducing look deep into my throat..."OH MY GOD, that's the WORST thrush I've EVER seen!!!"

Hmph!

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Since I was about 16 I've been doing that to various doctors. I have had asthma since I was a baby, and I know what works if I am having a bad attack. I think I've only had to play the "I've had asthma longer than you've been a doctor" card only once in an ER. It's kind of nice that I'll be a nurse soon, because I have more credibility now. I agree that so many healthcare professionals don't listen well to patients.

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Specializes in ER.
She practically rolled her eyes at me when I insisted that I had thrush. Finally, after a gag-inducing look deep into my throat..."OH MY GOD, that's the WORST thrush I've EVER seen!!!"

Hmph!

ROTFLMAO

I hope you said "I told you so!":chuckle

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Yes, I do.

I've called the ER doc for an rx for antibiotics for my son's ear infection while I was 500 miles away and didn't want to go to the ER there. I've called from home with a child who has been vomiting and having diarrhea X24 hours with no fluid intake and got an Tigan suppository rx.

I've also demanded better pain control for my #2 son than the pills they gave which he vomited up . . . . He had been vomiting for 2 days, high fever, fluid leaking from his ear and in terrible pain - he was 18 years old at the time . . .. um, can you give my son a shot? I felt like Shirley McClain in "Terms of Endearment". (that's the right movie, right? Her daughter has breast cancer).

steph

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