wasting time?

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Hi all,

First off, I am not an ER nurse...

Just wondering what you think of people who come in with something they think is really bad and it ends up being nothing...do you think of that as a waste of time? just curious to get your opinion...

(ie, RLQ abdominal or chest pain that is really nothing, things like that)

Specializes in ED, trauma.

I'm pretty sure this is a "waste of time".....

....having a hang nail and calling EMS to pick you up from McDonald's and then asking the ED provider for a script to the nail salon so it would be covered by her "insurance".....

I wish...I was kidding.

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I'm pretty sure this is a "waste of time"..... ....having a hang nail and calling EMS to pick you up from McDonald's and then asking the ED provider for a script to the nail salon so it would be covered by her "insurance"..... I wish...I was kidding.

*facepalm*

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Specializes in ER.

Whwn people come in with something that they truly think is life or limb threatening, I don't mind taking care of them at all. Don't mind doing some teaching, and sending them through the system so they know things are OK. But those that demand immediate attention and complete resolution of symptoms before they leave...they drive me nuts. You can feel sick and be miserable without it being a real emergency.

I don't think proper skills are taught before adulthood. You can be concerned, and disagree, without being arrogant and demanding. You can also express concerns and be totally right, but also understand the other side. In that case we need to come up with a solution that works for everyone. People seem to be very black/white in their thinking, and they want to be right, even if the original concern is fixed. Once they're mad, they search for a reason to make it our fault. JMHO.

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Specializes in ER.

No, sometimes I agree with a patient and think I'd probably get it checked out too. Other times I think it's silly to be seen. Either way, it doesn't bother me much. I am bothered only by those that are rude, demanding, unpleasant, angry, or disrespectful to me. Other than that, I could care less what someone is actually in the ER for, as long as they are pleasant (or at least neutral) to me.

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Specializes in Emergency.
I'm pretty sure this is a "waste of time".....

....having a hang nail and calling EMS to pick you up from McDonald's and then asking the ED provider for a script to the nail salon so it would be covered by her "insurance".....

I wish...I was kidding.

Ahhhh, the exception that proves the rule...

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There are time wasters and then those that just don't know. Time waster: calling 911 and coming in with FD because you have been coughing for two weeks and haven't taken any cough medication. Btw- the parents followed the rig in their car, the adult child who lives at home couldn't be bothered to have his parents drive him so he called FD. Really? Your parents have a car. They followed the rig. They are of suitable driving age. And you couldn't have them bring you?

Or the chest pain who calls 911 gets his morphine and signs AMA. This pt had a legit issue, trop was elevated, and left.

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Specializes in peds palliative care and hospice.

Thanks guys!

Both my best friend and I have had to go to the ER for "something" that turned to be "nothing". Very glad that we werent wasting your time!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Psych, Addictions..

That is some hateful, misguided attitude you have. "All pain meds should be IM". "If they really need it, they shouldn't care". I hope you never end up scared, alone and in pain in an ER with a nurse like you. I wouldn't want you taking care of my family or any one else's. When you are so jaded that you only see the bad in people, its time to move on.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.

During the flu epidemic this past winter, EMS tried convincing me not to go to ED even though MD suspected meningitis. When they finally brought me in, the triage also thought it was meningitis. I had all signs of it. I was rushed to an isolation room, worked up: lp, 12 lead, labs, vanc...

I ended up with viral meningitis. I was ok, but I can't help but feel bad for "wasting their time"

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Specializes in Emergency.
During the flu epidemic this past winter, EMS tried convincing me not to go to ED even though MD suspected meningitis. When they finally brought me in, the triage also thought it was meningitis. I had all signs of it. I was rushed to an isolation room, worked up: lp, 12 lead, labs, vanc...

I ended up with viral meningitis. I was ok, but I can't help but feel bad for "wasting their time"

You are the pt that we'll clear a room for, do the full work up, n-95 up every time we enter the room and then be happy for you that it turned out to "be nothing".

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
That is some hateful misguided attitude you have. "All pain meds should be IM". "If they really need it, they shouldn't care". I hope you never end up scared, alone and in pain in an ER with a nurse like you. I wouldn't want you taking care of my family or any one else's. When you are so jaded that you only see the bad in people, its time to move on.[/quote']

Lol, you have absolutely no idea what my beliefs or thoughts are. It just cracks me up all these nurses who make extremely judgemental comments about colleagues. You don't know what kind of a nurse I am. And if you or your family member was a patient of mine and said they were in pain, the med is ordered and their resps and loc are adequate, I will medicate. I won't hold even if I do genuinely think they are full of it. However, I do believe that giving all pain medication IV makes if way too easy for those who are drug seeking, even for those who might not have that intention to begin with but develop it from that extra buzz they start to really enjoy. And I saw a whole lot less of that when they were sq or im rather than iv. Just an observation.

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I think many times it's the non-ER nurses that don't understand where we're coming from.

If you're admitted, there's probably something clinically wrong with you..

When you come into the ER, many people believe they are entitled to iv da-la-la. For any reason. Pain medication is pain medication. You can get pain relief from an Im injection just as you do iv, you just don't get the euphoria like you do with it running through your veins.

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