Read the article about calling 911 to get seen faster???

Specialties Emergency

Published

A fellow ER nurse told me she read an article in one of the "Ladies Magazines" like Woman's Day, Southern Living, Good Housekeeping that was discussing things to keep yourself well and how to be a good patient (or something to that effect) and the author of the article suggested that you should call an ambulance to go to the hospital BECAUSE YOU WILL GET SEEN FASTER!!!!

I would LOVE to know which magazine that came from so I can write a little note to them.

Anyone read that article and know which magazine that came out of??

We talked about this article because I had a mother bring her 6 year old in by ambulance for a temp of 101.8. It's May, people - - -and we live in the South. There is no need for long sleeved PJs when your child has a fever. So we sent her to triage to get checked in and gave her what her mother should have - - - a dose of MOTRIN, and sent them to the waiting room. The family just couldn't understand why she was not going straight back. . . . . .can anyone guess what type of insurance they had??? Starts with an M and ends with a D and you and I pay for it!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It's a common 'secret' that 911/ambulance use will normally get you seen faster.

I don't think complaining to the magazine would do you good. For every 101.8 temp that read the article, someone w/ CP read it and got seen faster and saved. In an article about the 'tricks' of the ins and outs of healthcare, this is a commonly reported 'trick'. I've seen it before.

And I'm sure that if you actually read the article, somewhere there is a disclaimer that such use should only be for actual emergencies. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

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We had a patient sit in the waiting room for 6 hrs, leave, walk across the street and call 911 from the parking lot. She was wheeled past the nurses desk by EMS and back out into the waiting room. Just because you come in by ambulance doesn't mean you are seen promptly, we send lots of ambulances back out to triage.

It's also funny to see people ammend their chief complaint from a hurt toe to chest pain after 4 hours of sitting in the waiting room.

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It's a common 'secret' that 911/ambulance use will normally get you seen faster.

I don't think complaining to the magazine would do you good. For every 101.8 temp that read the article, someone w/ CP read it and got seen faster and saved. In an article about the 'tricks' of the ins and outs of healthcare, this is a commonly reported 'trick'. I've seen it before.

And I'm sure that if you actually read the article, somewhere there is a disclaimer that such use should only be for actual emergencies. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

It used to be that way-coming in by ambulance would get you a bed faster, but no more. We send all but actual emergencies to the waiting room to be triaged after the charge does a quick triage on an ambo patient. Too many people abused the system.

I read that article, and saw no disclaimer about using it for actual emergencies. It just simply stated that you'll be seen faster if you come in by ambulance.

Very similar to the one last year that said to lie to the triage nurse so you can be seen faster.

This was basicially an article on "how to beat the system."

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.
...Very similar to the one last year that said to lie to the triage nurse so you can be seen faster.

LOL... I recall a triage encounter one cold winter night with what appeared to be an undomiciled middle aged male. When asked what was wrong, he quickly replied "CHEST PAIN!" Does it radiate to the arms? "YES!" Are you also short of breath? "YES!" Yada yada, et cetera, ad infinitum et nauseum.

Something about the clipped abrupt manner in which he crisply answered in the affirmative, and his rather physically non distressed appearance left me suspicious. As it was a very cold night, I ventured, "Listen, I know it's awful cold out there tonight, and anyone would rather be indoors. But coming in here and telling us that you have chest pain will get you seen right away... and I mean super quick. Once the doctors find out it's not your heart, they'll give you an antacid and send you back out there."

For the first time during the whole encounter, the man seemed worried. I continued, "...look, if all you wanted was just a place to keep warm for a few hours, and maybe a chance for a sandwich and a cup of joe, if we have extra that is, you gotta give me me something that would take a long time before they call you..."

So the man looks at me ernestly and asks, "Er... what should I say?"

I inquired of him, "You don't really have chest pain, do you?" He withdrew into a furrowed brow, shaking his head side to side, all the while looking around warily.

"Well, usually for really non emergency cases, say, like a rash on your leg for the past 3 years, they may see something like that... well, probably dead last, I suppose..."

"Great! Put that down..." He said, pointing to the triage note with one hand and eagerly nodding in emphasis.

It's a two way street sometimes :)

Ralph

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

:chuckle Great story Ralph!

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

Repeat offender came in through EMS (and then triage), was discharged and went into the lobby and registered AGAIN. Left before being seen, and then re-registered. Told the triage nurse "I'm having chest pain. Doesn't that get me back quicker?". Was quickly informed that wasn't how it always works.

Now if we could teach some of the EMS guys what should go to triage and what shouldn't...

Starting an IV on a simple finger lac and giving the *fentanyl* GRRRR!!!!!

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when people get antsy/bitchy about the average 7.5-8 hours wait time that we have in our antiquated far too small department with 7 speciality programs that draw from way outside our catchment area....

My favourite answer remains...."You do not want to see me moving fast, if I am moving fast it is bad...for you or your loved one.....waiting is good." I generally get the confused head cock, then the smile, then the "your right but....."

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Oh yeah...

My favourite thing to do is get them off the EMS stretcher and inot the main waiting room...good pr for the folk in the waiting room, and makes the medics happy.....(sometimes they bring coffee after that!!)LOL.

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when people get antsy/bitchy about the average 7.5-8 hours wait time that we have in our antiquated far too small department with 7 speciality programs that draw from way outside our catchment area....

My favourite answer remains...."You do not want to see me moving fast, if I am moving fast it is bad...for you or your loved one.....waiting is good." I generally get the confused head cock, then the smile, then the "your right but....."

:chuckle Whilst our wait time is not quite as bad, the cattle prod on the residents works well. But obviously this is an international issue, I don't know how many times I've heard "..But I came in by ambulance!" (Dah ! I know I triaged you)

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I've never had trouble with getting my daughter straight back when she is seizing whether it's EMS or if I bring her in the front door. If it's an emergency, you get seen quick. Everyone there knows our names anyway...lol. For months we were in the ED 3-4 times a week with prolonged seizures. Glad she has calmed down a bit with her epilepsy. Puberty sucks.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

There was a recent article in Good Housekeeping about "Doctors' Secrets" for getting you seen in the ED faster. Some of the suggestions included (I'm not making this up) lying to the triage nurse about your symptoms and bringing in treats for the nurses.

A nurse wrote a very well-worded rebuttal, and the editors at GH basically said they'd gotten numerous complaints about the article from other nurses, but since they had gotten the suggestions from a doctor, they thought they were legitimate.

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I worked in the ED, I took a very dim view of people lying to me about their symptoms just so they could get seen faster.

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