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 CVICU, ER.

.....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.

Specializes in ER/ICU/Dialysis.

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.

Specializes in ED only.

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!

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.

Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
I know someone who let an ingrown toenail fester too long, and ended up with osteomyelitis and 6 weeks of IV antibiotics.

And he didn't go see his family doctor, a walk-in clinic, free clinic or podiatrist because...? An ingrown toenail does not warrant a trip to the emergency room, barring a diabetic whose foot suddenly is turning black where it was pink yesterday.

And he didn't go see his family doctor, a walk-in clinic, free clinic or podiatrist because...? An ingrown toenail does not warrant a trip to the emergency room, barring a diabetic whose foot suddenly is turning black where it was pink yesterday.

He was about 14 years old and didn't tell his mom.

Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
He was about 14 years old and didn't tell his mom.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
He was about 14 years old and didn't tell his mom.

That is really sad.

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
and he didn't go see his family doctor, a walk-in clinic, free clinic or podiatrist because...? an ingrown toenail does not warrant a trip to the emergency room, barring a diabetic whose foot suddenly is turning black where it was pink yesterday.

not an er nurse but i do live in a town of 4,000. many have no insurance or medical assistance. because no pcp or ob/gyn or other m.d. other than one elderly pedi will treat them, they end up in our 99 bed hospital's er for virtually every problem. the closest free clinic is almost 50 miles away. our town's one podiatrist is recovering from an m.i. so he's currently unavailable.

what the heck the answer is, i have no idea. none. none at all. most of these people don't want to use the er that way, but have no practical alternative. as one woman i overheard said, "it's embarrassing to have no choice in the matter."

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

Specializes in CVICU, ER.
He was about 14 years old and didn't tell his mom.

This was not the case here. This guy was in his mid 30's, and perfectly capable of seeing one of the NP's at the 500,000+ minute clinics in middle tn. Not having the $60 is no excuse to me when he had a pack of Marlboro's hanging out of his shirt pocket and brand new tennis shoes on. My hospital is community based non-profit and cannot refuse anyone, even losers like this. We will never see a dime of that money. Meanwhile, someone comes into the waiting room with abd pain and has to wait while we finish cutting this guy's toenail out. If I were the practitioner, I would have gave him a handfull of cotton balls to place under the toenail and tell him to let it grow out. When my 12 yr old son came to me about a month ago with an infected ingrown toenail, this is what I did for him. I am fortunate enough to know how to treat it. Before becoming a nurse, I would have took him to the pediatrician or a podiatrist for his first visit, not the nearest ED. If it's been "festering", as you put it, for some time, why all of the sudden is it emergent enough to rush him to the ER?

Also, I had a woman come in on Christmas night for a "gassy" like pain. When asked how long she's been experiencing this, she says "for a while". I say "how long is a while", she then tells me "like a year or longer". When asked if she'd been treated for this year long condition prior to coming to the ER on Christmas night, the answer of course is no. I mean COME ON.... Why come to the ER by EMS on Christmas day for pain that is the same pain you've been having for over a year? Why is it all of the sudden an emergency? Like I said, a total waste of resources. I try hard not to develop prejudices, but it's hard when you repeatedly see situations such as this. My all time favorite has to be a gum chewing toothache pt with multiple narcotic scripts filled in the past month, who brings 3 of his "buddies" with him into the room. Um yeah, you're getting tramadol...

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
When asked if she'd been treated for this year long condition prior to coming to the ER on Christmas night, the answer of course is no. I mean COME ON.... Why come to the ER by EMS on Christmas day for pain that is the same pain you've been having for over a year? Why is it all of the sudden an emergency?

I see a lot of patients do this in the context of seeking attention from friends and family; they're the ones that like to be able to tell their peeps that "It was so [bad/painful/horrible], I had to be [taken/rushed] to the ER [on Christmas/on Thanksgiving/during a blizzard]." You know, those fun patients who call everyone on their shiny new cellphones the minute their behinds hit the mattress, exclaiming, "OMG, I've been admitted to the ER!" *snort* That's no feat ... we take everyone! :D

A sore throat that slightly bothered her. She spent the whole time on the phone in the exam room.

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