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 ?

Itchy hands. I asked the woman how long her hands had been itching and she said 15 mins. Mind you, there was no contact dermatis or allergic reaction of any kind. Just a simple random itch. It was 3 in the morning and I was thinking to myself what the hell?

Specializes in Emergency, PACU, Cardiac.

The other day, I triaged someone with cc of broken artificial fingernail :eek:

The other day, I triaged someone with cc of broken artificial fingernail :eek:

Oh, yeah, I remember on of those. Most expensive manicure she ever had when the doc cut her fake nail off. I'm quite sure her insurer rejected that claim! Came by ambulance, too!

Savvy

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

COOL! I didn't know we gave MANICURES TOO!!!! LMAO

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
cool! i didn't know we gave manicures too!!!! lmao

well, if you didn't give manicures, i'd have to somewhere else!:lol2: :devil:

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

well, if you didn't give manicures, i'd have to somewhere else!:lol2: :devil:

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

bet she really wanted her brows plucked, or a bikini wax!:uhoh3:

savvy

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
a bikini wax!:uhoh3:

savvy

careful grooming? yes.

but hot wax there?????:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

i fear my age is showing here...:uhoh3::D

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
careful grooming? yes.

but hot wax there?????:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

i fear my age is showing here...:uhoh3::D

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

kathy, that is an entirely different thread ;)

anyway, i've never worked er but i've heard some good ones from friends (i've even admitted some doozies :uhoh3:)

i think my favorite chief complaint is "wants to be admitted." really? really?

i also like "i want to die." well, my friend, this is a no-kill shelter, and the bridge is that-a-way. jump with the wind, not against it.

and you've gotta love "i'm drunk." i'm not talking about drunk to the point of potential death, i'm talking about...drunk. the last place i want to experience a hangover is a hospital. so go home, to your own bed and wake up hungover on your own time, not with people poking and prodding at you.

not really ridiculous, but posted as "face vs. tree." yep, alcohol was involved.

I think my favorite chief complaint is "wants to be admitted." Really? REALLY?

I have a relative who, when she was married to her first husband, found a way to have surgery at least once a year. I asked someone else if he was a pervert and she did this to have an excuse to fend him off, and was told that she just did this to get attention.

After they got divorced, she took the kids to doctors on a daily basis and the ER regularly because he had to pay the kids' medical bills and she did this just to soak him. There was a stretch of time where I honestly believe those kids would have been better off in foster care.

:down:

I have a relative who, when she was married to her first husband, found a way to have surgery at least once a year. I asked someone else if he was a pervert and she did this to have an excuse to fend him off, and was told that she just did this to get attention.

After they got divorced, she took the kids to doctors on a daily basis and the ER regularly because he had to pay the kids' medical bills and she did this just to soak him. There was a stretch of time where I honestly believe those kids would have been better off in foster care.

:down:

Pretty sad. I hated it when those frequent fliers wold come in, the ones who really knew how to make you look bad. Would complain dramatically of chest pain at the doorway on their third visit of the day, exhibit severe symptoms of Dying Swan Syndrome, always when the place was jammed, and would make a loud fuss when you more or less ignored them to take care of the REAL emergencies. The other patients always look at you like you have no compassion and no judgment but they have no idea what the real problems are w/ these patients. "I'm dying! I'm dying! Won't nobody take care of me? I'm having a heart attack, I can't breathe, I'll be dead before I even see the doctor...' Why is it that they always have such carrying voices? I want to be one of them when I grow up! That or a circus clown. come to think of it, maybe they're one and the same?

Right now I work on a unit which has the highest patient satisfaction scores for similar units (P M & R) in the entire state; we have plenty of difficult patients too, and plenty w/ DSS symptoms, but the other patients get to see that that's the problem and how difficult it is to deal effectively w/ some of these people. We do have our own psychologist, and that helps. We sure could have used one in the ER! :banghead:

Savvy

Specializes in ER.

I triaged a guy that wanted a vasectomy once. He stayed even after being told it wouldn't happen, he said it was a real emergency because his wife just had her tenth child. Left after an hour because the wait was too long.

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.

I know this post is ancient, but I can't sleep...and I just started working at a hospital again, so I'm reading this! :)

I think some of it is that when families get together, they discuss their health. Someone always knows someone who "DEID" because of untreated gas or heartburn or hangnails or a rash under the breasts. So...they start discussing their horror stories and eventually someone is convinced that they have to call 911. Or the oldest son who lives clear across the country and never calls or vists suddenly hears about mom's abdominal pain (which the daughter who lives with mom is correct in thinking is only gas and the fact that mom eats chocolate and sunflower seeds all day), so the son does his duty and calls 911...he HAS to show mom that he loves her!

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