patient death from PE

[RockingItInTheER]

I recently lost a 20 something patient in the ED and other nurses say it was probably a PE. I keep going over everything in my mind and questioning what we did. If you have had a patient die from a PE will you share your experience for comparison?

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Nerdtonurse, frankly the person in your story deserved a PE or stroke. Play stupid games (like being that obese and intentionally sedentary before 40, smoking, discontinuing warfarin out of laziness, etc.), win stupid prizes. I prefer it when people reap what they sow vs. some clean living, nice person comes down with something horrible.

$%*ajfkd;a!!!!!

Everything I really want to say would be edited out.

[NO50FRANNY]

I know with the young lady I mentioned, she had an echo / CXR during CPR, we thrombolysed and eventually interventional radiology attempted to lyse some of her clots with stupidly high dose adrenaline running- but not in time unfortunately- with the guy that survived they treated him based on suspiscion (prior to any results) as soon as he arrived, so in his case it was approximately 15 minutes between out of hospital collapse and meaningful intervention, ie: thrombolysis with drugs while in pea arrest then up to cath lab for a filter. So I guess if the patient is lucky, as this gentleman was, we get there soon enough.

[Guttercat, ASN, RN]

It's always a PE! :)PA friend of mine recently posted a linked article relating to a man who came into the ED a week or two after some surgery (I forgot what) with......intractable hiccups. Was treated with with Haldol or Thorazine I forget which. Turns out it was a PE (a PE that irritated the phrenic nerve which caused the hiccups).

[DookieMeisterRN]

I admitted a pt with numerous co-morbidities-A-fib, MS, PVD, CAD, CHF. She came from a LTC and was sent out to our ED after being purple from the nipples upward for nearly a week. Tests came back as saddle PE's. The nurse I updated at the pt's LTC was truly surprised she was even being admitted to the hospital, she honestly thought the pt would be returning to LTC that afternoon. I wanted to ask if she needed glasses 1st of all. Surprisingly, the pt got upset with me when I wouldn't let her eat dinner sitting on the bsc while in A-fib with RVR. Really?

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

Is it common to see a young pt with a PE or blood clots from birth control only and no other risk factors? I always wonder how often this happens - can't really find statistics.

It happened to me! I was 22 years old, no risk factors except birth control - diagnosed with a DVT and PE. As I read all these stories I realize how lucky I was.

[canadianhungarian]

It happened to me! I was 22 years old, no risk factors except birth control - diagnosed with a DVT and PE. As I read all these stories I realize how lucky I was.

It happened to me too at 30. No family hx only risk factor was birth control. Only got a DVT tho...no PE..been 2 months since and finally back to work. Never had SOB throughout. I'm definitely realizing how lucky I was as well. Know this was an old post but did a search just to see if anyone else my age as ever experienced this. Other nurses too....