wasting time?

[smurfynursey]

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)

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

Quote from thenursemandy

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.

You know, I think I'll bite (hey, I'm in a bad mood too and sometimes trolling works):

Right, cuz attacking and screaming at someone makes them want to be nicer to you. Works every time. Thanks for playing.

[thenursemandy]

Whatever happened to compassionate, nonjudgemental care? Since when are nurses judge, jury and executioner?

I think its not fair to say that ALL pain meds should be given IM.....

Its too bad a few rotten apples (pts) make it harder on people that really are suffering.

Enough said.

[sserrn, BSN]

Are you an ER nurse, thenursemandy? If so, for how long?

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Are you an ER nurse, thenursemandy? If so, for how long?

Postings indicate LTC.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

Back to the original topic:

If you are that worried that something is wrong, you should go get checked out. It is not a waste of our time and we will not be upset about it. Those are the people who we want to take care of. Unfortunately we are also the ones who see the highest prevalence of drug seekers, violence, and scams so we will be caring but not stupid by any means.

Scrubs episode "My Moment of Untruth" where Dr. Reid leanings about "seeking" the hard way despite being warned many times.

[IrishErin]

Back to the original topic:

If you are that worried that something is wrong, you should go get checked out. It is not a waste of our time and we will not be upset about it. Those are the people who we want to take care of.

Yes! I've told many patients this... If they are concerned that something us wrong with their health, we are there to help them even if it ends up being nothing. I would never tell someone they had wasted our time.... Even if I thought that they had perhaps shown up for something that they could have waited to see the family MD for.

It's the people that show yo with minor complaints that demand to be seen right away that really grind my gears.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

I'm happy when something ends up being "nothing" in the end. Are they ever wasting my time? Never! I have had patients apologize to me and the staff for "being so stupid for coming to the ER for this" but I reassure them that it's better to get checked out and to make sure that everything is okay. I always tell my chest pain patients that chest pain should never be ignored and that they did the right thing to come and get checked out.