What was the MOST ridiculous thing a patient came to the ER for?

Specialties Emergency Nursing Q/A

And did you have to treat them?

I am just curious. Your stories always seem to either crack me up or shake my head in amazement.

Thanks for sharing ?

Specializes in Emergency nursing, psych nursing, LTC.

2 times in 2 years is NOTHING! It's good to know there are still some people that don't use the ER primary care. :yeah:Of course, frequent flyers (especially those who lack any insurance) show how horrific the economic strain is on our society. And you know, the real kicker is I have seen a physician check the demographics for insurance before deciding on how to treat a patient. And I'm not talking about before prescribing a medication that they may or may not be able to afford. I was appalled! Ridiculously unethical, immoral, and illegal.

2 times in 2 years is NOTHING! It's good to know there are still some people that don't use the ER primary care. :yeah:Of course, frequent flyers (especially those who lack any insurance) show how horrific the economic strain is on our society. And you know, the real kicker is I have seen a physician check the demographics for insurance before deciding on how to treat a patient. And I'm not talking about before prescribing a medication that they may or may not be able to afford. I was appalled! Ridiculously unethical, immoral, and illegal.

thanks.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Rehab,Acute LTC ,PCU.

A family of "frequent flyers" consisting of a daughter, mother , father and cousin, all over 300 lbs+ with various suitcases asking to be checked in for not feeling well and needing to "get away for a while". All had stable v/s, no unusual labs, no c/o pain. And were actually admitted to the floor! When the report was called to the floor, I was to recieve the 34 yr. old daughter as my patient. I was confused. I asked the ER nurse " What the hell is the diagnosis?" He says "Morbid Obesity with a touch of Medicaid" I couldn't stop laughing. Unbelievable. The doc actually admitted these nuts!!:bugeyes:

A family of "frequent flyers" consisting of a daughter, mother , father and cousin, all over 300 lbs+ with various suitcases asking to be checked in for not feeling well and needing to "get away for a while". All had stable v/s, no unusual labs, no c/o pain. And were actually admitted to the floor! When the report was called to the floor, I was to recieve the 34 yr. old daughter as my patient. I was confused. I asked the ER nurse " What the hell is the diagnosis?" He says "Morbid Obesity with a touch of Medicaid" I couldn't stop laughing. Unbelievable. The doc actually admitted these nuts!!:bugeyes:

Where were they admitted to, psych or the bariatric unit?

Earlier in this thread, I have mentioned a relative who, after her divorce, would take her kids to the doctor almost every day, and the ER if she had some free time, just to soak him because he had to pay the kids' medical bills. During that marriage, at least once a year she would find some way to get herself admitted to the hospital, usually for surgery. I asked our mutual relative if her first husband was a pervert and she did this so she would have a legitimate excuse to fend him off (she is the type who would share information like that) and he replied that no, they were just the type who do things like buy a widescreen TV before paying the light bill, which I already knew.

Where were they admitted to, psych or the bariatric unit?

Earlier in this thread, I have mentioned a relative who, after her divorce, would take her kids to the doctor almost every day, and the ER if she had some free time, just to soak him because he had to pay the kids' medical bills. During that marriage, at least once a year she would find some way to get herself admitted to the hospital, usually for surgery. I asked our mutual relative if her first husband was a pervert and she did this so she would have a legitimate excuse to fend him off (she is the type who would share information like that) and he replied that no, they were just the type who do things like buy a widescreen TV before paying the light bill, which I already knew.

I remember this. She sounds like she put revenge above her kids needs.

Someone came to the ER The other day because her shoes were old and the style had no backs. She said her shoes were causing her ankle to turn out frequently. (She had already been there the week before to have x-rays etc. and there was nothing wrong with her ankle) so she was returning to the ER because she couldn't afford to buy different shoes and thought maybe we had a brace or boot or something she could put in her shoe.

However, when the billing department confronted her on the bogus addresses she would provide each visit she got angry and stormed out! boo hoo we were really sad!

Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
I know all you emerg nurses probably think it's dumb, but I went to emerg today for a dislocated toe.

I knew what was wrong with it, but I pulled and pulled and it just wouldn't go back into place. I called my family doctor and they said they wouldn't do anything with it because they couldn't know for sure if it wasn't broken. I felt like an idiot going to emerg (mostly because I've read this post and people have said it's a dumb reason to go in!).

The doctor gave it one good tug and it was back in! I still feel like a dumba$$ :-(

I went into ER with a dislocated finger April 1. I didn't know if it was dislocated or fractured and even if I *had* known it was dislocated, I wouldn't have tried to reduce it myself. I also had a mild concussion, my second in 7 weeks. Had I not had the dislocation, I wouldn't have gone to ER but would have just been taken care of through an outpatient clinic, which is where I went first. The clinic doctor sent me to ER because he didn't feel comfortable reducing it, or dealing with a fracture, whichever it was.

I had to wait about 3 hours, but it wasn't too bad. I was kind of dazed from the head bonk, so I was content to just kind of rest.

You reduce a dislocation wrong you risk damaging nerves, ligaments or tendons; why not let the people who do it all the time take care of it? Certainly you won't triage 1 or 2, but you won't rate a 5 or be talked about over the coffee pot, either.

I have to admit that unfortunately that I am one of those annoying ones on the rare occasion. The was this one time when I had laparoscopic surgery and one of the wounds dehisced about 2 days afterwards (Only a small belly button one but I could look into it and see muscle move). I was distraught and depressed after the surgery and when I rang up the original surgeon he was very unsympathetic made me feel like a complete idiot. GP's didnt want to know me because they didnt do the surgery. So I went into the ED and they made me feel worse as they had the same opinion as the GP. and just told me to stick a film dressing over it (which I am allergic to). So yeah I hate going into ED as a patient personally.

And this other time I was forced by my nurse in charge to get checked out for palpitations. I knew it was panic attacks since I was in a pretty horrible situation a few days back (sexually molested in a huuuuge crowd and felt like I was being crushed in a hoard). I just hated it because I felt like it was a complete waste of resources and such stupid excuses to go in.

Always hated going in as a patient but love working there.

One of the more interesting ones is where a patient as swallowed a huge piece of steak that they havent chewed properly and got it stuck in their oesophagus. Apparently its called steakhouse syndrome... I call it greedy pig syndrome.

And babysitting a drunk who come in with insomnia..wouldnt you know it as soon as his head hit the pillow (didnt give him anything) he was snoring and keeping the rest of the patients awake.

In Australia I believe the system may be a bit better in discouraging people from abusing the system. People have to pay for ambulances here and the ambos are able to refuse transportation for stupid reasons. The emergency treatment is free in public hospitals however triage nurses are able to pretty much say to patients that this is not an emergency go see your GP. Doesnt stop them from trying though. They still manage to come in for treatment if the triage nurse is lenient. However most that are treated are legitimate

10/10 pain; my thigh is "super red and swollen" and "my dad is a doctor, but since I'm way up here at college, I just knew I had to come in."

Diagnosis? Ingrown hair. ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

"I just came from the shelter [adopted a dog] and they had a potbelly pig there that was just lying down and probably sick...I need some tammy flu..."

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.
"I just came from the shelter [adopted a dog] and they had a potbelly pig there that was just lying down and probably sick...I need some tammy flu..."

Well, that woke my husband up. Or maybe it was the bellowing guffaw that came from me that did it. "Tammy flu". Holy cow. Tammy flu. That's the best one I've heard in a while.

When I worked at the VA, we had a patient come into the ER because he said that he went to lunch and ordered a club sandwich. He said that when he got it, that it had toothpicks holding it closed. He said that he thought there were 3 total, but when he got done eating his meal, he only saw 2. He wanted an xray to see if he ate one!!! NO signs or symptoms of distress, no evidence he ate it, and doesn't really know if there were 3 to start with.

+ Add a Comment