overreacting or not, that is the question!?!

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My feelings are so hurt about this, but could possibly be overreacting!

So here is what happened: I have been sick with URI since this past Friday, throat so sore I could hardly even swallow my own spit (sorry to be so graphic), coughing my head off, SOB, fever, and my lower back was hurting so bad I could not sit still. After couple of days like that, on antibiotics and getting worse I broke down and went to ER, (where I work).

First off the nurse I had ordered urine preg on me and I have had complete hysterectomy-DUH!! Then I told them I couldn't take Morphine or Lortab so doc said he wasn't sure what to give me for pain since I was allergic to so much stuff. I hardly think 2 things qualifies as so much stuff!! I see them give our frequent flyer drug seekers less of a hassle about getting something for pain as they did me! Finally after getting to point of tears, I got an IM shot for pain. Had pretty significant amount of blood in my urine so they ordered CT with stone protocal-had stone in left kidney. My nurse was one to tell me this which was no big deal, but then she added "o by the way, you have a rt sided soft tissue mass in pelvis that they are unable to identify, so here is prescription for you to come back and have another CT as outpatient with triple contrast". I asked her, "and why are you the one telling me this insead of Dr"? Her reply was "well when you first came in we only had 4 patients, now we are full". "SOOO" was my next response. Maybe I expect too much, but I would think as a nurse that works side by side with this Dr that he could have at least called radiologist and asked for some more specifics, or for sure made sure that I didn't leave ER that night freaked out! I had to hunt Dr down before I left to get him to sign my work excuse and only then did he see how upset I was and said well why don't we just go ahead and order that scan tonight so you won't have to go home worried sick. Why he didn't think enough of me to do that earlier is beyond me!! I mean I already did not feel good, was in a lot of pain and then to hear that just threw me over the edge! I thought that it was truly unprofessional and tacky of Dr to send Nurse in my room to give me that kind of abnormal test result. I had 2nd CT which was still inconclusive, so now my next stop is my OB/GYN per ER Dr suggestion.

Am I overreacting to this, expecting too much? As a nurse, I would have told Dr, I think this is news that needs to come from you and not me! Thanks for letting me vent!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

No I don't think you are overreacting at all. To be given news like that in such an offhand manner is wrong wrong wrong.You should have been hearing it from the doctor with as much information as possible and an opportunity to ask questions.

((((((((hugs))))))))) I am sure that all of us at AN hope you are OK and send prayers your way. Let us know how it goes.

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Specializes in Telehealth, Hospice and Palliative Care.

Just thinking the same thing and sending a hug your way!

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Thanks a bunch!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Not overreacting at all. I hope things work out

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Specializes in Emergency, critical care.

You are right....time for the Dr.s to be accountable to pt. satisfaction and not just the nursing staff....sounds like your pain issues were not adequately addressed as well....I've been in the ER many years...as much as the pt. may appreciate all the efforts of the nurses and techs., it's the Dr. they came to see, for a diagnosis and treatment plan...the best Dr.s I've seen can accomplish a great deal by explaination and reassurrance in a mere 5 min. or less at the bedside, and make a Huge difference in pt. satisfaction outcomes. The lousy ones usually stay lousy, w/ a variety of excuses (we're full/busy;)....

No, you are not overreacting, you had pain and illness and anxiety, with the prospect of no easy resolution to your health issues. Hopefully, your URI is abating now, and your kidney stone has resolved. I have personally seen in my career 3 cases of ectopics on pts. w/ hx. of hyst., so many Dr.s in the ER want HCGs on all fertile females w/ ovaries...hopefully, the R sided mass resolves or is not a big issue, and I wish you good health soon. Thank you for your story; it helps me to do a better job by seeing the visit from your point of view. I'm sure I would have been upset also, if the Dr. who ordered the CT scan did not give me the results. Very appropriate to vent.

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Specializes in ER/ MEDICAL ICU / CCU/OB-GYN /CORRECTION.

Clearly you are not over reacting. I am sorry your going through this and wish with you that this is a minor finding.

I learned along time ago not to seek health care from those I work with. In doing so I have my expectations met and allow myself to be patient. Also I am not seen as someone who will "understand" because I am viewed not as a patient but as a co worker.

Marc

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Good Lord! The nurse seemed rather callous telling you, a nurse, that you have a mass without an explanation from the provider. Aye, yaye, yaye. Don't we tend to think of the worse case scenario when it comes to our own symptoms?

Is this business as usual in this particular ED? The Director of the ED should be made aware of this.

This was a high level ED visit for which the ED physician will be reimbursed if he documented appropriately. Certainly he could have spent a few extra minutes with you. He dropped the ball.

I hope you are feeling better. Keep us posted.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Cardiology, Geriatrics.

You are definitely not over reacting! That was cold of both the doc and the nurse. Very unprofessional. I was treated similarly when I was sick once. Not only were my coworkers mad I was sick because they assumed they'd be expected to cover for me while I was out, but I was told that all nurses are hypochondriacs and considered drug-seeking until proven otherwise. It seems as nurses, we can have all the compassion in the world and give suspicious patients the benefit of the doubt, but we will throw each other under the bus every chance we get. I hope everything is ok with you and you recover quickly! HUGS!

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I do think you're over reacting a little but you're feeling pretty crappy so it's hard to put it in perspective.

went to ER, (where I work).

That you work there really isn't relevant, it doesn't enhance your credibility or entitle you to special treatment.

First off the nurse I had ordered urine preg on me and I have had complete hysterectomy-DUH!!
Part of the routine orders in a lot of ERs, people lie, it's a simple, quick test that covers them from liability.

Then I told them I couldn't take Morphine or Lortab so doc said he wasn't sure what to give me for pain since I was allergic to so much stuff. I hardly think 2 things qualifies as so much stuff!!
I'd take that as the doc thinking out loud, allergies to morphine and hydrocodone pretty much eliminates 2 of the opiate "families" due to cross sensitivity. Would be nice if he'd asked what you have taken in the past without problems.

My nurse was one to tell me this which was no big deal, but then she added "o by the way, you have a rt sided soft tissue mass in pelvis that they are unable to identify, so here is prescription for you to come back and have another CT as outpatient with triple contrast". I asked her, "and why are you the one telling me this instead of Dr"? Her reply was "well when you first came in we only had 4 patients, now we are full".

Sounds like the follow up instructions were included in the dc instructions. Ideally, yes, the doc should have been the one to tell you but they got busy. Would you have been happier to wait, possibly several hours for him to have time to come tell you the exact same thing the nurse did? The nurse indicated that it was no big deal, perhaps that information came from the radiologist.

I had to hunt Dr down before I left to get him to sign my work excuse and only then did he see how upset I was and said well why don't we just go ahead and order that scan tonight so you won't have to go home worried sick. Why he didn't think enough of me to do that earlier is beyond me!!
If they had filled up in the time you were there, most likely his thoughts were on dealing with an ER full of people who hadn't yet been seen or treated. My experience is that it's just not that unusual for nurses to include the fact a test was abnormal and needs to be followed up on as part of the discharge.

I had 2nd CT which was still inconclusive, so now my next stop is my OB/GYN per ER Dr suggestion.
I'm sorry that you didn't get any answers, I hope it does turn out to be nothing.

I also hope you don't wind up having to pay for the second CT scan, from an insurance perspective the second scan should have been done as a (most likely pre-authorized) out patient procedure.

I sincerely hope you're feeling better soon.

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Specializes in ER.

If I had been your nurse I would have gone in and given you the option of leaving right away, but I would have told you there were test results you needed to follow up on with your PCP. I would definitely have said you were welcome to stay until the ERP was able to speak to you.

Luckily where I work the ER staff get buzzed through the system faster than the CEO. We figure it to be a fringe benefit.

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Specializes in med-surg, step-down, ICU/CCU, ED.

@kids,

perfect post response! very rational, well thought out and sensitive. You have completely captured the reality of what's going on behind the scenes in your typical ED.

To the OP, I hope everything is ok. I'm sorry you were hit with so many health issues at the same time! Keep your head up and take care!

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