The dreaded pregnancy test

Specialties Emergency

Published

So a few days ago...pt checks in during the middle of a very busy day... Her CC: "Need pregnancy test"

The MD (a non-nonsense doc) goes in to see the pt. Conversation as follows:

Doc: Do you smoke?

Pt: Yes

Doc: Do you have cigarettes now?

Pt: Yes

Doc: Then you have the money to go to the dollar store and get a pregnancy test. I'll get your discharge papers ready.

Love it! :yeah:

I can't blame her for being angry. The one time I was bleeding during a pregnancy was when I was having a miscarriage. If they had sent me away to a different hospital I would have felt like they were the ones responsible for what happened (even though fetus had died probably days before the bleeding started).

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Specializes in NICU.
SERIOUSLY PEOPLE. The 99 cent only store. I don't even understand how the makers of name brand pregnancy tests stay in business when you can spend 8-9 times less for the same ******* thing!

Likely because the mIU sensitivity for dollar store brands is a lot less than others. You could be waiting an extra week or more to be testing "with confidence" compared to more sensitive (and thus more expensive) tests.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Likely because the mIU sensitivity for dollar store brands is a lot less than others. You could be waiting an extra week or more to be testing "with confidence" compared to more sensitive (and thus more expensive) tests.

With the ER being the most expensive one of all. Not to mention that many of us (but not the pt!) are paying for that test.

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As a long standing ED RN........and I do not mean to imply you or the truth of your statement........but I have delivered MANY babies from women that were from sworn virgins on their peroids.......as the baby is crowning.

I had a freind who delivered very healthy twin girls......along with her IUD.....:o

We the ED have a hard time believing anyone tells the truth:yawn:..............So in our book you are guilty until proven innocent.:smokin:

Ok as for the question about who would put an IUD in a Virgin ? Well my doc for one and I did have to be put out for it , I have pcos and can not take or stand any of drugs they have tried , It was that or a hysterectomy witch I still might end up with because its not working .

And as for the 2nd yes I really am a full virgin about 11 years ago when i go out of high school I was attacked at my frist job at a co-worker who said I looked like his kid "sick " I was able to get away right before he well "un virgined " me

be he did anuff to me that I never want to ever have sex I cannot even stand for a male to touch me .

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Ok as for the question about who would put an IUD in a Virgin ? Well my doc for one and I did have to be put out for it , I have pcos and can not take or stand any of drugs they have tried , It was that or a hysterectomy witch I still might end up with because its not working .

And as for the 2nd yes I really am a full virgin about 11 years ago when i go out of high school I was attacked at my frist job at a co-worker who said I looked like his kid "sick " I was able to get away right before he well "un virgined " me

be he did anuff to me that I never want to ever have sex I cannot even stand for a male to touch me .

That is awful. I'm so sorry you went through that...and all the things you're describing are totally normal and understandable responses to trauma, by the way. I hope you've been able (or will be able) to get whatever support you need!

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Specializes in NICU.
With the ER being the most expensive one of all. Not to mention that many of us (but not the pt!) are paying for that test.

Not advocating for ER HPTs, but rather that there is a reason why people buy more expensive brands versus dollar store brands.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Not advocating for ER HPTs, but rather that there is a reason why people buy more expensive brands versus dollar store brands.

I figured you were not. I was just editorializing on unnecessary ED visits.

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Specializes in OB, ER.

For EMTALA you have to offer a visit with an MD. Couldn't you say something like We would be happy to see you here but fyi you will get better care down the street. Or you could always tell them but make them sign an AMA form to cover you.

This is more of a question then a statement. It just seems silly to go through the charade of checking them in and seeing and MD just to sign them out. I get the liability but you aren't refusing treatment you are just suggesting a better option for the patient.

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Likely because the mIU sensitivity for dollar store brands is a lot less than others. You could be waiting an extra week or more to be testing "with confidence" compared to more sensitive (and thus more expensive) tests.

Yes to this. When you think you might be pregant, you want to know NOW.

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I haven't heard anything bad about dollar store tests. The one thing I would say is that all of the highly sensitive tests allow you to know BEFORE your missed period. Most people worried about being pregnant are probably getting a test because they already missed it.

IMO the expensive tests seem to be more useful if you are trying to get pregnant and want to know at the earliest time possible.

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OK here what i do not get the last time I was in the ER they walk in and told me they where going to do a pregnancy test, I told them there was no way in #### I that I could be pregnet , WHY because I cannot have kids , have an IUD to try to stop my bleeding , and Oh I am a virgin !!!!! and I did not want one and and did not want to pay $150 .00 for one I did not need .

At this point they first froze in place because of the virgin thing and then I was told it did not matter that it was mandatory !!!

We give virgins pregnancy tests all the time before radiological imaging. It's a policy to have confirmed proof that the patient is not pregnant- we can't just go by the patient's word. If you're post-menarche you get one, and with the dropping average age of menarche that means I'm getting Hcg on 8 year olds sometimes.

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We give virgins pregnancy tests all the time before radiological imaging. It's a policy to have confirmed proof that the patient is not pregnant- we can't just go by the patient's word. If you're post-menarche you get one, and with the dropping average age of menarche that means I'm getting Hcg on 8 year olds sometimes.

My sister went on accutane (sp?) when she was in middle school. Not only did they require a pregnancy test, they required TWO birth control pills. All for a 13-year-old virgin. I wouldn't have it any other way though, that medication causes severe birth defects. Not only would they get sued after people got pregnant, it would cause a pretty traumatic experience for all involved.

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