What do your ER patients families say or do that irks you?

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2005

One of my ED colleagues posts a flyer in the conference room every holiday season titled, "Patients/Visitors Say the Darndest Things". We have fun writing in quotes that we've recently heard from our 'guests'.

I should tell her to keep them & publish a book! :chuckle

RN_Amy, RN · Jul 27, 2005

also the people who haven't eaten for hours or days, i ask them/family, why is that my problem? these people know they are coming to er, they should eat before they come, or act like the smarter er folk and bring their own snack/dinner.

It's like presenting to hospital justs makes people HUNGRY! It must be the aroma of body odour and human excrement that makes people salivate.... hahhahaha.....

I also really dislike the attitude of patients when you advise the to remain fasting until medical and/or surgical review and they stay whining..."what are you saying? I can't have ANYTHING to eat or drink? God........... I'm soooooooooo hungry.... I haven't eaten for [insert any amount of time here over about 30 seconds]" .............. That abdo pain must be excruciating huh? :uhoh3:

:)

carachel2 · Jul 27, 2005

It's always the 400 lb chest pain patients that are the hungriest. In between the SL ntg, the bp re-checks, the morphine push and starting the nitro drip they insist on "can I have something to eat....I haven't eaten since 8 a.m.

(and it's only 1 in the afternoon). Gee, I'm thinking one missed meal would be *ok.*

PennyLane, RN · Jul 27, 2005

It's like presenting to hospital justs makes people HUNGRY! It must be the aroma of body odour and human excrement that makes people salivate.... hahhahaha.....
I also really dislike the attitude of patients when you advise the to remain fasting until medical and/or surgical review and they stay whining..."what are you saying? I can't have ANYTHING to eat or drink? God........... I'm soooooooooo hungry.... I haven't eaten for [insert any amount of time here over about 30 seconds]" .............. That abdo pain must be excruciating huh?
:)

The other day I actually found myself telling a pt's family member how I hadn't eaten all day either--how I'd gotten up at 5:30 and it's now 3 pm and still no break...and this poor pt had gotten up at 10 and still hadn't eaten! Sometimes I just have to bite my tongue.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 27, 2005

Copying from the OB thread but using ER patients and families.....
I hate when patients say "i'm a hard stick" If I had a penny for every time I have heard this (and usually get a line in the 1st time), I would never have to work again.

Some nurses do have a hard time sticking me.

But some don't. it all depends on the nurse so dont be to hard on these nurses. more then a few times they have had to call in the iv expert for me but sometimes the first nurse gets it the first time.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 27, 2005

i think my number one peeve though is the parents of the infant that you are getting ready to start a line on. when they say "you've got one chance, one chance only" that kills me. its like they think we stick needles in babies for fun.

well when i was younger my parents never said that but once, when i was 5, one nurse tried 3 times then my parents said, "no, stop, get someone else in here to do this."

orange-rn · Jul 28, 2005

"I'm hungry" as soon as they get there. We tell patients that we don't feed people in the ER unless it's medically necessary. This drives me crazy! The ones with abd. pain 10/10 eating chips and drinking coke. This is when we inform the DR. that they are possibly FOS!:)

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 29, 2005

I am not a nurse yet but I did notice alot of these problems when I volunteered in the ER at my local hospital. I also remember when we took my brother in because he was having some sort of diabetic complications. I forgot what it was.. anyways! When we got in the nurse gave him some medication and then she said he should have food and that she would get someone to get it as soon as possible (they were really busy). My mom spoke right up and said "Oh I wouldn't make you do that. Y'all look very busy. You just point in the direction of the caferteria and I will go get it myself." the nurse looked pretty relieved. That was my little story... We are good ER patients, no complains/demands and no trying to rush everyone.

Uptoherern, RN · Jul 29, 2005

pt says the state issued health insurance won't pay for the lotromin for his std/yeast infection. He then states it costs $20 (!) (how does he KNOW?) Well sir. if you don't want it to fall off, you may just have to fork over the $20. Pt is here w/ s/o who is also infected. PA says, no sex for 2 wks. Pt says he can't do that, he "loves sex too much". PA's d/c instructions state, and I quote.........."leave it alone."

penelopejane · Jul 29, 2005

When parents tell their children that the "shot" won't hurt at all.

Or when they don't tell them they are getting a "shot".

Or...when they say that if they don't behave and take their medicine the nurse is going to give them a big shot.

I absolutely loath the lieing parents. They need to have one of those big "shots" that don't hurt. :

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2005

I always have to grin about the patients that come in by ambulance. It doesn't matter if they're coming from home, the scene of the wreck, or ___________ . (fill in the blank) They're first request is the bathroom! Always!

There must be something about the EMS folks that makes you wanna pee! :)

(this isn't always an irksome thing, just an observation)

ER-RN2 · Jul 29, 2005

I had a patient that came in for chest pain. She had been there about an hour when a pizza was delivered to her. She said she was hungry and she didn't know how long she would be in the ER so she went ahead and ordered food. She was discharged about 2 minutes after her pizza came.