Stupidest reason to go to ER

Published

ER Nurses/MD's etc.

I am currently writing a "paper" on stupidest reason for someone to come to ER.

ANY input you can send me would be much appreciated. IF you'd like a copy of the FINAL draft, let me know.

THANKS in advance!

PS. My winning entry so far is:

A woman who brought 1 month old baby in at 2:30 (AM of course) because "it won't look me in the eye, It doesn't recognize me!"

Not kidding

Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Well I don't know how stupid this is but years ago a guy came to the ER complaining he had a vibrator in his rectum!! HE DID... He stated his wife was massaging his back with it!!! '

YEAH RIGHT!!!!!! LOL :lol2:

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For 2 motrin. I am a paramedic who had a pt try to convince me that it made more sense to call 911 to go to the ed because "I'm on state so it's free, the bus and the drug store will cost me money"

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I don't really feel there are any stupid reasons, people are lonely or confused and sometimes their reasons can make us crazy, but they are trying to reach out to someone, and we are a safe haven

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I worked in an OB/Gyn office and we had a pt who wanted to come in on a Sat instead of following Mon to have her staples removed 1wk pp b/c they were annoying her. Well, she never showed up by the 3pm closing time so the OB left. The Pt arrived 10 min later banging on the door demanding that we call the doc. We were instructed to tell her to come back on Mon. Well, the Pt called the ambulance to take her to the hospital knowing the OB was on call. The doc had to go to the hosp and remove the staples. He was a mild-mannered dr who never (in 35yrs) lost his temper until that day :angryfire. He reamed her out in the ER :trout: and made her call his staff members and appologize to them for her behavior (go doc!!!) :up:

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Specializes in ER, urgent care/primary care, Dr. office.

when i was working in an er in sf - we had a 'lady of the night' come in via ambulance. it was her birthday and her 'uncle' gave her $100 bill which she stored in her lady parts. (guess she didn't have a purse!)

she couldn't find it now and was requesting that we retrieve it for her! ugggh!

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"A 17 year-old who arrived by ambulance for a pimple. Not a boil or anything, a pimple."

Sounds like my son. One time he pointed at a protusion on his back and said: "Mom, what's this?" real worried like. I simply said that's your bone!

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when i was working in an er in sf - we had a 'lady of the night' come in via ambulance. it was her birthday and her 'uncle' gave her $100 bill which she stored in her lady parts. (guess she didn't have a purse!)

she couldn't find it now and was requesting that we retrieve it for her! ugggh!

debit card all the way, baby!

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Anything other than:

hemorrhage

compound fracture

stroke

severe infection

MI or severe chest pain

severe abdominal pain

labor dystocia, pp, other OB emergency

near-death from trauma or other sudden onset

sudden loss of vision or paralysis

sudden incontinence

is stupid.

I don't agree with that. For people without a primary care physician, the ER can be the only way to be seen by a doctor. It's not like they are kept with the emergencies anyway, they get sent to minor treatment area of the ER.

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when i was working in an er in sf - we had a 'lady of the night' come in via ambulance. it was her birthday and her 'uncle' gave her $100 bill which she stored in her lady parts. (guess she didn't have a purse!)

she couldn't find it now and was requesting that we retrieve it for her! ugggh!

so was it retrieved or had it left by way of another 'uncle'

ugh

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
I don't agree with that. For people without a primary care physician, the ER can be the only way to be seen by a doctor. It's not like they are kept with the emergencies anyway, they get sent to minor treatment area of the ER.

1. Not all ERs have minor treatment areas. They shouldn't either, but that's a whole 'nother thread.

2. PCPs get new patients all the time, it doesn't require an ER visit.

3. Part of being an adult, responsible for yourself, is planning for the unexpected - this includes medical care.

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Specializes in LTC.
I don't agree with that. For people without a primary care physician, the ER can be the only way to be seen by a doctor. It's not like they are kept with the emergencies anyway, they get sent to minor treatment area of the ER.

For those that don't have primary care physicians there are plenty of free standing walk in urgent care clinics and retail-based NP/PA run clinics.

But if you are stupid like me and manage to break your arm sometime after midnight, the ER is an okay option. Just bring a book and ice pack for the long wait in the waiting room and feel utterly embaressed you're bothering them with something so minor.

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.

My own cousin. I hate to admit this. My own cousin went to the ER via BLS with a c/o N/V x1. Not x1 day ... once. He just felt like "a knife was stabbing me" and had thrown up ONCE.

In my defence, I was at work at the time, and they tried to call me to see what they should do. When they couldn't get ahold of me, they just went ahead and called the rig.

I'm sorry.

(His wife is standing beind me as I type, and wants me to mention that he walked to the ambulance himself. This was while they were still dating, and she was living in Canada, and so wasn't around to put a stop to this madness.)

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