triage patients

[finallyRN]

Iam always amazed at the reasons some of our patients come in to get evaluated in the middle of the night. We had a patient show up at 2 o'clock in the morning, 35 wks with flu like symptoms to be evaluated. Why would you get yourself (and significant other) up at 2 in the morning to come to Labor and Delivery for the flu? Or they come in at two in the morning with abd. pain for 5 days that is no worse than it was when she went to sleep.

So has any one else encountered this with their patients?

[rndani]

Often, patients report to the hospital ER w/problems like flu symptoms, headaches, or broken bones or "something" and *immediately* get sent up to L and D regardless of their condition or the fact it has NOTHING to do w/their pregnancy. (Oh, yes, I saw a lady w/ an untreated BROKEN FINGER in my labor/delivery unit once who stated there was NOTHING going on w/the pregnancy but her finger sure did hurt!). grrrowwwlll!

Ohmigod! And I thought our ER was the only one--ours will either bring them over without even looking at them or keep them there without ever telling us. Example--35wkr with a broken leg brought directly to L&D. Ortho doesn't even know how to get to our unit! Followed up the next day with a 34wkr MVA, mild abd trauma that we didn't know about for 8 hours. The patient requested to be sent over to L&D "because of my contractions".

Side note--ER nurses are awesome and I'm not knocking y'all. I'm sure y'all could tell some stories about us!