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

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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.

:confused: Just a thought, but i have seen the same repeat offenders who truly have NO veins (2nd to chemo, years of treatments or prednisone) and they come thru ER every 6 to 8 weeks, what about some way to flag their name for cvc placement prior to coming to floor? I know the increased infection risks with multi cvc use but often I have to delay meds 2nd to no access and thats with multi nurses ( who are great with hard sticks ) trying. I was thinking over all it would make all lab draws and meds easier for them and me ( yes a little selfish here....blush) less traumatic for them for their stay, and i won't be praying someone doesn't get too wet before the Doc calls back....

Just a thought, what do ya think?:idea:

Sheilagh

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:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire This is still making by blood pressure hit the roof. We had a patient the other night who started spiralling the drain, hard and fast. I went into another room to get a monitor with an a-line port and the patient in that room, {to whom I had pushed diluadid for another nurse bc he was in so much pain he couldn't wait for his nurse} was waiting to be discharged. I said "I'm sorry you have to wait but we have a pt who is trying to die and we are trying hard so he doesn't" (I realize this is not PC but I think sometimes a reality check is in order) As I was leaving the room with equipment I needed he said "What, it takes 12 people to do that?"

When I got to the room where we were coding the pt. I accidently blurted out "a--hole" at which point everyone in the room looked at me like I had two heads. I then told the doc who had been taking care of this guy what had happened and man was he jacked.

BTW there was nothing wrong with this man after many xrays and ct

Then why---WHY-------would you push Dilaudid on this manipulative a**hole----even though you and the doctor both KNEW he was faking? WHY would the MD order it? WHY would you give it? I would have refused, and i would have told the MD why---"You know, and I know there is nothing, absolutely NOTHING wrong with this guy---he is a manipulative narc seeker. Let's send him packing--he's getting NOTHING from us. Let him play his games somewhere else (and then call that "somewhere else" to warn them he might be headed there next.

What a waste of money and resources---"Numerous X-rays and CT" all just to discharge him---and i'll bet it was at taxpayers' expense.

I may be harsh here, but I have no sympathy for manipulative narc seekers who will laugh once out the door about how easily they scammed me and my colleagues (and how they'll do so again.)

Bad publicity for that hospital? So what? Bring it on. Administration needs a dose of reality and to get away from their ivory tower fantasyland and endless "meetings" to face the music occasionally. He** with 'em.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
In response to your last question, no I do not suffer from any of those afflictions. Do you? I do go into AS from penicillin. As for my medications, frankly I'm not in the mood to share them with you. As for the rest of your comments, you may view yourself as being funny, I really do not. In fact, if you workled under me, you would not be working for me very long, without a change in attitude. You have obviously missed the last in-service on pain management. Perhaps you should revist the inservice department for an update.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Gran,

I guess I am trying to make my point in a humorous manner. I am looking for stimulating discussion with fellow emergency nurses. (Not patients, for goodness sake.) The questions I asked were not sincere; they were intended to illustrate. Personal information about you is none of my business. I was trying to be funny and I hope someone out there appreciated it. Sorry if it bothers you. Fear not! I am very happy with my current boss and she thinks the world of me. So, I will not be working "under", or alongside, or anywhere else near you. But, I am enjoying communicating with you. By the way, I am not sure how you assessed my knowledge of pain management. I assure you that I am a professional emergency nurse who functions at the expert level. I take my job very seriously and do it well. Isn't that what is important? Fortunately for me, Granny, my patients are rightly concerned with the care that I provide. I don't think they mind that you don't like my attitude.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
Then why---WHY-------would you push Dilaudid on this manipulative a**hole----even though you and the doctor both KNEW he was faking? WHY would the MD order it? WHY would you give it? I would have refused, and i would have told the MD why---"You know, and I know there is nothing, absolutely NOTHING wrong with this guy---he is a manipulative narc seeker. Let's send him packing--he's getting NOTHING from us. Let him play his games somewhere else (and then call that "somewhere else" to warn them he might be headed there next.

What a waste of money and resources---"Numerous X-rays and CT" all just to discharge him---and i'll bet it was at taxpayers' expense.

I may be harsh here, but I have no sympathy for manipulative narc seekers who will laugh once out the door about how easily they scammed me and my colleagues (and how they'll do so again.)

Bad publicity for that hospital? So what? Bring it on. Administration needs a dose of reality and to get away from their ivory tower fantasyland and endless "meetings" to face the music occasionally. He** with 'em.

Right on. It's like feeding a stray; you'll never get rid of them. I do see people getting their way on a regular basis, though. There are docs and nurses that medicate these folks. It can make life easier in the short term.

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Please folks--this thread is SUPPOSED to be humorous. A place to vent about the silly and frustrating things we hears at work!! Let's not take this and make it all about one person's experiences as a patient. OKay???? We're trying to get AWAY From the patients in this thread....not be reminded of them.

Thank you.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
:confused: Just a thought, but i have seen the same repeat offenders who truly have NO veins (2nd to chemo, years of treatments or prednisone) and they come thru ER every 6 to 8 weeks, what about some way to flag their name for cvc placement prior to coming to floor? I know the increased infection risks with multi cvc use but often I have to delay meds 2nd to no access and thats with multi nurses ( who are great with hard sticks ) trying. I was thinking over all it would make all lab draws and meds easier for them and me ( yes a little selfish here....blush) less traumatic for them for their stay, and i won't be praying someone doesn't get too wet before the Doc calls back....

Just a thought, what do ya think?:idea:

Sheilagh

I see quite a few patients like that with medports. Easy and relatively painless access. They are great for sicklers, chemo pts., just plain fat. No good reason to not use them. Patients like 'em and the surgeon can get paid to put it in.

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I agree. Granny maybe you should (could) ease up a little. Don't take EVERYTHING so personal! The jokes,complains,rants whatever you want to call them is just a way for some of us to relieve our frustrations. Now come on this thread is supposed to be funny. Keep them coming folks. I have been cracking my side all morning!

Please folks--this thread is SUPPOSED to be humorous. A place to vent about the silly and frustrating things we hears at work!! Let's not take this and make it all about one person's experiences as a patient. OKay???? We're trying to get AWAY From the patients in this thread....not be reminded of them.

Thank you.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
gran,

i guess i am trying to make my point in a humorous manner. i am looking for stimulating discussion with fellow emergency nurses. (not patients, for goodness sake.) the questions i asked were not sincere; they were intended to illustrate. personal information about you is none of my business. i was trying to be funny and i hope someone out there appreciated it. sorry if it bothers you. fear not! i am very happy with my current boss and she thinks the world of me. so, i will not be working "under", or alongside, or anywhere else near you. but, i am enjoying communicating with you. by the way, i am not sure how you assessed my knowledge of pain management. i assure you that i am a professional emergency nurse who functions at the expert level. i take my job very seriously and do it well. isn't that what is important? fortunately for me, granny, my patients are rightly concerned with the care that i provide. i don't think they mind that you don't like my attitude.

knoodson -- i've been enjoying your contributions. i think granny needs to lighten up a bit!

ruby

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We all experience frustration with the chronic "fibromyalgia" and other vague symptomatology chronic pain patients who use hospital emergency rooms as convenience clinics. Some of these people are demanding and manipulative. Many are non-compliant and attemtion seekers---hence, the entourages they always seem to be accompanied by. Secondary gain; secondary agendas are a huge part of their lives---perhaps a part of their disease processes.

Where else can we vent about these difficult people but here? This is supposed to be a safe harbor, where other nurses "feel our pain." I am not an ER nurse but an O.R. nurse---but I know exactly where he is coming from. It's an age old problem--I worked ER when I was in the Navy in the '70s, and we saw it then, too-----dependents who used the ER as a convenience clinic, or were non-compliant with chronic disease management (asthma, diabetes, etc.) and came to us to "fix" what they had caused by their refusal to be compliant--and then getting mad at US as if it was somehow our fault when they couldn't be fixed, or get the narcs they wanted. We even had dependent wives who routinely attempted suicide (but not really--that is, their attempts were along the line of feeble slashes at their wrists with a butter knife, just enough to scratch) as a way of getting the attention they felt they were lacking from their husbands, who regularly spent 30 consecutive days out on submarines, came home for 30 days, only to repeat the process again and again. When the husbands were home, these "suicidal" wives wanted them gone; when they were gone; they wanted them back. I guess it was a control issue with them--who knows.

"Pain is whatever the patient says it is" is true when dealing with patients in ACUTE pain. Chronic pain is a whole different ball game.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

i'm not an er nurse, but i enjoy the humorous threads. right now my icu patient's wife is annoying the $hi* out of me -- she's been hovering here for three hours now, emitting a never-ending string of high-pitched, squeaky baby talk.

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]"who's my itty bittsy baby boy? who's the love of my life?"

[color=#4b0082]"you're my ushy gushie lovie boy."

[color=#4b0082]"umpkin, pumpkin, mumpkin boy. you're my lover pumpkin."

[color=#4b0082]"do you need another squishy, sweetie?"

[color=#4b0082]"how's my snuggly wuggly cuddle monster?"

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]they're both in their 60s. help!

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]ruby

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No kidding. Consider Parkland---renowned for high-risk perinatal care and high-risk births. Consider the fact that they just passed a lifting law, to make patient care safer AND help to eliminate back injuires and other injuries among nurses and other health care workers. Texas is anything but backward in the arena of healt care.

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Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.
Not to hijack the thread; I wish someone would start a new one surrounding the issue I am about to introduce, but I am too lazy to do so right now--

But has anyone ever here WORKED with "dying swan/drama queen" RNs? OH, I am certain you have; I hope to hear more stories!

I worked with one one year on a travel assignment. She was ALWAYS, always, sick------but, she would come into work, carrying her box of kleenex/blanket; complaining loudly (when she wasn't sneezing/coughing/"dry heaving"/lying down [the last was most of the day] about HOW SICK she was, but how Dr. so and so was counting on her to be there today and she just COULDN'T let him down........

I worked with one in surgery, on a travel assignment. When she wasn't "getting faint" or "passing out" while scrubbed in a room, she was lying on the couch complaining of "lightheadedness" or "dizzyness" while various staff members (usuallly nursing management) brought her weak tea and toast, additional blankets, and of course, an emesis basin (since she was frequently retching, but never seemed to bring anything up, and could be "encouraged" to eat muliple slices of toast.)

My question: If she was SO SICK--why didn't she JUST STAY HOME?

Answer: She was "DEVOTED" to those doctors for whom she often scrubbed (because she wouldn't allow anyone ELSE to scrub--heck, they might outshine her; she couldn't let THAT happen.)

I am still flabbergasted as too how many people were bamboozled/manipulated regarding her phony "martyrdom." I heard the charge nurse and surgeons say, genuinely concerned "I don't know why (insert her boyfriend's name here) doesn't take her to a doctor to see what's wrong." The rest of the staff, and I and the other travelers, quietly said among ourselves, "Why can't she take HERSELF to a doctor" (if, indeed, there REALLY IS something wrong.....the woman was, after all, in her mid-30s at the time......)

Sigh. Now she'd be in her mid-40s-----wonder if she's still playing the same head games...she still works there..........

Anything to get attention..... :uhoh3:

There are way to many drama queens in our profession. I am amazed at how many "migraine" suffers there are, the number seems to be multiplying monthly. I am not putting down anyone who truley has migraines just the ones who use it as a convient excuse to call in frequently. Our profession has it own problems just like any other nurses just know how to "fake out" better. I love the patients with "pseudo Seizures". I watched two docs put on a show for one, she had been coming in daily, by ambulance. One doc went into the room and began to yell she has an ammonia deficiency and ran out of the room. The other doc and he grabbbed ammonia ampules and both ran back in to the room yelling about the deficiency and how this would work. The poor clueless husband was spellbound. Amazingly his wife woke up guickly with the nasal ammonia replacement therapy. After they did this 2 or 3 times the husband caught on and we sent him home with a box of the ampules. We never saw them again! :devil: :yeah: :lol2: :roll :roll :roll

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