Maxwell Smart

I used to work with this triage nurse who just loved the expression "therapeutic wait", at first I was a little shocked but I must admit that the expression has grown on me somewhat. I'm sure I don't need to (or probably want to) elaborate. Suffice to say, there is limited scope for deterring inappropriate presentations or unreasonable demands, but the "therapeutic wait" ensures that they don't get it all their own way at least.

Some of my all time personal favourite "Dumb presentations to the emergency room" are; -Being drunk, -Being drunk and requesting detox until social security check arrives (read "keep me sober for a couple of days until I can get good and drunk again") -Seeking narcotics -Welding flash burns (ie not wearing a welding mask while welding) -THAT guy from "Jackass" (with the toy car up his butt) Generally I found that on any given night there would be plenty of malingering drunks, also, when both parties from a drunken altercation arrived at the same emergency room for treatment, that was fun, however as I worked the graveyard shift on Friday/ Saturday nights, what do you expect?

I can't help but notice that Nursedude has certainly drawn some fire from others out there, some so scathing they had to be pulled offline, well nursedude, I can actually relate to some of what you are saying, and it's true that at times in my life I probably have been even more critical than youself about the pay the conditions and the other things that contribute to nursing dispondancy syndrome (NDS hey I coined an acronym) but let me ask this, next time you go to work, will it be as a plumber, butcher or other tradesman or as a nurse? if your answer is the last one then yes even you recommend a career in nursing because if you did not why would you spend ten years of your life doing it?