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 ?

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

I had one diagnosed with "razor burn". Awesome

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

We once had two patients start swapping drug overdose induced code stories. One was mad her clothes were cut off by paramedics and thought the hospital should replace them. The other kept fueling her saying "they didn't cut off MY clothes when I came in..." ***! Next time don't call the ambulance after taking all your happy pills, we'll leave your clothes on.

I love those who say, "I called ahead" thinking that it then means they'll get in right away with the sniffles........hahahaha

Those are always fun. I also love when someone comes in by EMS for some minor complaint and we send them right out to triage and make them wait like everyone else who walked in.

I love explaining to them when they come up and say "Uh, I came by ambulance! Why do I have to wait?"

"Well, sir, the way it works is that the sickest patients are seen first. It makes no difference to us how you decided to get here today."

We'll often send EMS patients out to be triaged from the waiting room even if we have rooms open. We only do this for complaints that really don't warrant an ambulance visit, such as a "toofache" or a stubbed toe. No sense in rewarding bad behavior.

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

Actually, the worst off patients usually show up by private car, but they haven't figured that out yet :doh:

Specializes in ED only.

I had one yesterday come to the ER by ambulance from local nursing home with swollen bridge of nose. Someone had put the C-PAP on too tightly the night before. And, they had to go back by ambulance because the NH has no mode of transportation for their clients. What a waste of health care dollars!

I had one yesterday come to the ER by ambulance from local nursing home with swollen bridge of nose. Someone had put the C-PAP on too tightly the night before. And, they had to go back by ambulance because the NH has no mode of transportation for their clients. What a waste of health care dollars!

Oh man! Sometimes the NHs really **** me off. I try to ignore it since I've never worked in one and really have no idea of what they are or are not capable of handling and the liabilities etc.

But I did have a patient once who was sent over (on the night shift) because in the morning he apparently stated "I don't feel good." Eight hours later he arrives at our doors asking "Why am I here? There's nothing wrong with me." We promptly sent him back since there really was nothing wrong with him.

Wasteful.

Actually, the worst off patients usually show up by private car, but they haven't figured that out yet :doh:

This is very true.

I'm trying to remember where I read this (I'll have to do some digging), but I read somewhere that GSW/stab wound patients usually have better outcomes when they arrive by car, rather than by EMS.

Something about chemo and barroreceptors and fluid resuscitation etc.

Another topic for another time...

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

Our NH is famous for sending them over "unresponsive". Funny, they almost always wake up as the EMS crew is moving them to the cot. Half the time thier hearing aids aren't in, or turned on. Then they come in wondering why they are there and we send them back. I wouldn't want to pay THAT bill.

I had a patient present once that told me he was checking his pulse and felt it missed a beat so he thought he better get it checked out, and another who came in and said i have sore leg, asked him how long it had been been like that for and said about 6 months to year, i then asked what made it so bad that you had to come today, he replied well there was nothing on tv today so i thought i better come check it out.

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

Please tell me social services got involved with the "pregnant" 4 year old........why in he He11 would they think she could be???????? :sniff:

why in he He11 would they think she could be???????? :sniff:

Because it wouldn't be the first time it's happened; although, to my knowledge, this is the ONLY time it's happened.

A 5-year-old peruvian: world's youngest mother - Oddee.com (5-year-old mother, youngest mother record)

Specializes in ED, L&D, ICU, Charge.

I hate when people come to the ER wanting us to give them ER packs of Tylenol or Motrin or antibiotics because they can't afford it...although they can obviosly afford the pack of smokes in the pocket, the soda in the hand and the decked out cell phone that keeps going off every couple of minutes........PRIORITIES PEOPLE!:mad:

+ Join the Discussion