Triage complaints- the good, the bad, and the shocking.

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"I was raped by an octopus."

"I have severe, severe, severe, SEVERE, SEVERE cold sores!" (five severes, I counted. And one cold sore visible.)

Discuss.

Specializes in Emergency.

The fb in rectum guy tonight was straightforward about what he doing when he inserted the object. He actually gave tmi.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

Chief complaint: "Hot"

That was all of it, just hot.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
Chief complaint: "Hot"

That was all of it, just hot.

We got a "Heat Exposure" the other day... I was thinking that I get that everyday walking to and from my car...

Maybe they meant "Heat Exhaustion."

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Specializes in Going to Peds!.

We got a "Heat Exposure" the other day... I was thinking that I get that everyday walking to and from my car...

Maybe they meant "Heat Exhaustion."

Hope so.

Some of my husband's medications have side effects that are exacerbated by heat & dehydration.

Sent from my HTC One X using allnurses.com

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.
Chief complaint: "Hot"

That was all of it, just hot.

We had one of those the other day. Ended up being heat exhaustion so the patient ended up getting a couple of liters of fluid.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

I would understand heat exhaustion, dehydration, medications, medical problems that would cause that type of complaint, use of illegal drugs, any situation causing a hyper metabolic state - I asked - nope. He said he thought it was too hot outside and he felt "Hot". Like I said, that was all of it.

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Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.

"I had a splitting headache"

When?

"Last week. It was awful."

Do you still have the headache now?

"No. But I thought I should get seen by a doctor."

So, you had a headache a week ago, but not since. Correct? Do you get these headaches often?

"No, I don't have headaches ever. Just that one that happened last week. I have an appointment next week with my family doctor though. I just thought it might be serious and should be looked at sooner."

...sigh.

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Specializes in Emergency, CVICU.

Got a call from patient access. It was like 0200 and we had the lobby clear... "We need a nurse out here!!" Grabbed some gloves. And some 4x4's. Pt had a 12 inch piece of steel sticking up from his eye like an antler. About the diameter of a car antennae. Went in the upper eyelid and traversed around the globe. Came in POV. Was out in his garage. Metal was hanging and he pushed it out of the way and it snapped into his eye. My comment to staff after he was transported to eye foundation. "Do you know what a goth kid would pay for that piercing?!"

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Calmness

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
Calmness

OD maybe? Too calm to breathe????

Just joking!!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

2 gems from today:

"Well, my mom has a congested heart..."

"I have abdominal pain. I'm not sure if I'm pregnant but my period is 2 months late and I had tropical pregnancy so my doctor said if I ever get pregnant again I have to make sure the baby is in the right place."

Kids do not say the darndest thing...ER patients do.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.
OD maybe? Too calm to breathe????

Just joking!!

Haha I'm not sure what the whole story was, but all that was listed as the chief complaint was "calmness". One of the docs took a picture of it and showed it to me after the patient had already left. I wish I knew the whole story!

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