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

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 ?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

My husband had abdominal pain, period -- periumbilical for a few days that localized to the RLQ; no nausea, no vomiting, afebrile, normal WBCs. He had an atypical presentation of appendicitis and required surgery. Pathology revealed an enlarged appendix with a focal infection on the distal end. (Seriously, his surgeon told me it was the largest appendix he's seen in a long time ... I was so proud! Ha ha! )

[Tonjia]

I have seen some pretty ridiculous things in the ER , a lady who gave herself a whiskey enema, several foreign bodies in orifices, but the single most ridiculous thing I saw was:

A 14 yr old female brought to the ER by a hysterical mom. C/C "blue hands" yep folks, the palms of her hands were blue, she felt fine, looked fine otherwise, wasnt short of breath, had not touched paint, ink etc.. So, me, being the experienced ER nurse that I was, pulled out an alcohol pad and swiped her hand. The blue came off!! Come to find out, she was wearing an unwashed, brand new pair of jeans!! problem solved!! They left without being seen...

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

yesterday a patien't came to ER tell me this cheif complain :

" i want to make a check up on my body "

"Okay" (takes a skin marker and draws a check mark).

[bonestAx]

Pt arrive by EMS c c/o butt pain.....:smackingf They went to the waiting room.

[sharpeimom]

pt arrive by ems c c/o butt pain.....:smackingf they went to the waiting room.

i'm wondering just whose butt the pain was in?! :icon_roll

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

[delilas]

On his 21st birthday party, his friends put Viagra into his drink. Being 21, and not needing any help getting an erection, his went far past the 4 hour "call your doctor" limit Viagra advertises. By the time he put his shame aside and came to the ER, he was going on 7 hours.

[RetiredTooSoon]

By the time he put his shame aside and came to the ER, he was going on 7 hours.

*Winces* I don't even have a member and I'm crossing my legs in sympathy.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

*Winces* I don't even have a member and I'm crossing my legs in sympathy.

No kidding! Yikes. I wouldn't call that a "ridiculous" reason for a visit, either! I had a Trazodone overdose patient last year ... apparently priapism is a side effect of that, too.

[rwright15]

.....There are just toooooo many. I had a woman bring her 6 yr old child in b/c she began coughing and sneezing. No fever, no n/v/d. Nothing. When asked when it began, about 2 hours prior. The child never coughed or sneezed while in my care. She only played. I had a guy come in to have an ingrown toenail cut out. Also, I had a woman who waited in the lobby for HTN after forgetting to take her morning meds. She was tired of waiting, left and went to her PCP, was administered clonidine, called EMS to bring her back to us where she was guaranteed a bed. Her SBP when she got to me was 148. I watched her for a short while while her bp magically went down, sat her a$$ back in the lobby where she then had to call someone to pick her up... Such a waste of resources.

[trippinwitchu]

By ambulance, screaming at the top of her lungs, coming from the other side of the city (passed 4 hospitals to get to mine), a toothache!!! Her continual screaming irritating the actual sick patients. And did I mention that she was wearing a short skirt with no underwear, flailing about the waiting room and terrorizing these two little old ladies.

[gardengal1, ASN, RN]

Yesterday, a 22 year old female came in by ambulance with a sore throat because she couldn't find her husband to give her a ride. Thought the ambulance ride was a "free" service!

[rph3664]

I had a guy come in to have an ingrown toenail cut out.

I know someone who let an ingrown toenail fester too long, and ended up with osteomyelitis and 6 weeks of IV antibiotics.