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 ?

Pt came in for low grade fever. Otherwise felt great. Had not tried anything OTC. Recent death in family from cancer and first symptom had been fever.

Doc humored the pt by doing a work up. Gave pt tylenol and thought are you kidding me right now. Imagine our surprise when the tests confirmed our pt's worst nightmare. Can you say impending doom?

poor pt. I guess its a good thing they came in. They were just freaked out and normally that wouldnt warent a visit to the ER. At least the doc humored the pt. wow.

poor pt. I guess its a good thing they came in. They were just freaked out and normally that wouldnt warent a visit to the ER. At least the doc humored the pt. wow.

I have a good relationship with the doc so after initiating the orders I went up to the doc and asked why we were even working up the pt thinking perhaps there was something I missed. The actual response from the doc was "just to humor the pt." The doc was just as shocked as I was. VS could not be more normal except temp was exactly 100.4 F. Good learning experience for me.

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
poor pt. i guess its a good thing they came in. they were just freaked out and normally that wouldnt warent a visit to the er. at least the doc humored the pt. wow.

when a relative's husband was in med school, she worked in a maximum security prison as a rn.

one great big, mean, tough, scary, baaaad, prisoner was a ff in her infirmary. nothing was ever

found to be wrong. not. ever. ever.

come monday morning, there he was again. there they were. same inmate. same rn. same ol' md.

same complaints. same tests. same tylenol ordered and taken.

tests back wednesday. guess what?? lung ca with mets.:eek:

where in the heck was it hiding the prior week?:uhoh3:

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I'm waiting for all our FF pts to come back, glowing in the dark and riddled with CA after all the CT Abd/Pelvis studies every time they visit with the same belly pain.

Pool table 8 ball in the rectum.....had to be surgically removed. Gross.

Pool table 8 ball in the rectum.....had to be surgically removed. Gross.

Did he slip in the shower? :smokin:

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Pool table 8 ball in the rectum.....had to be surgically removed. Gross.
Was his opponent angry with him?:D

I recently had someone who came in because their sunburn itched.

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I recently had someone who came in because their sunburn itched.
:rolleyes::down:

during the great katrina invasion, my rural hospital was inundated with the katrinites. we had electricity supplied only to red outlets, no a/c, limited lighting. most nurses were in shorts as it was incredibly hot in our dept, all surfaces were sweating including ours. in pulls an ambulance with a patient who activated ems because her armpits were itching!!!! *****?? she was seen and summarily discharged.

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
during the great katrina invasion, my rural hospital was inundated with the katrinites. we had electricity supplied only to red outlets, no a/c, limited lighting. most nurses were in shorts as it was incredibly hot in our dept, all surfaces were sweating including ours. in pulls an ambulance with a patient who activated ems because her armpits were itching!!!! *****?? she was seen and summarily discharged.

that's certainly not a valid reason to call ems or for an er visit, but about 10 years ago, a great big spider bit me on my left armpit and it didn't itch. it itched! i couldn't use any deodorant for about two weeks, which was...uh...um...the pits(?) and used cornstarch instead.

while i realize just how wrong her transportation and visit were, it can still sympathize in some small way.

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