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 ?

tink you are right about using the chest pain to get in the fast lane....my DON told me if i ever wanted to get through er fast to c/o chest pain and act like i had dyspnea...by the way i love pic of sleeping cats

I used to work with this triage nurse who just loved the expression "therapeutic wait", at first I was a little shocked but I must admit that the expression has grown on me somewhat.

I'm sure I don't need to (or probably want to) elaborate.

Suffice to say, there is limited scope for deterring inappropriate presentations

or unreasonable demands, but the "therapeutic wait" ensures that they don't get it all their own way at least.

I'm on dialysis and have Medicaid, so when anything happens to me-- like when I had a badly sprained ankle-- I get told to go to the ER by the dialysis unit. My nephrologist isn't going to do anything not directly kidney-related, so I have to go to the ER because I don't have any other doctor. (But you can bet your a** I make sure it's a real emergency-- and I don't bring six friends with me, either!)

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
This is completely true, a couple of weeks ago it was around 0200 on a Sunday morning. It was actually not too busy. Man arrives with his wife with him, she is sitting in the waiting room and he comes in to triage and says he wants "to have my wife checked out to see of she has been sleeping around" (he didn't use the word sleeping). Stated they were "doing it" when he put his head "down there" and thought he could smell a condom. Wants the doctor to check her out to see if she has been unfaithful. All the while the wife is just sitting in the waiting room, patiently. I told him that my physician was not going to examine her for this complaint and that maybe they needed to seek some counseling for this concern, opened the door and said "have a nice day". I have received numerous laughs over this one.

I think we have a winner. Judges?

These trivial complaints are generally not covered by any form of insurance and even medicaid is cracking down on non emergent visits. The patients are usually very angry when they receive a bill for $600.00 in the mail. More and more hospitals are becomming more and more aggressive at collecting on these bills also. The way to treat under educated consumers who utilize a resource for the wrong reasons is to hit them in the pocket book. Paying a huge bill will get them to think about visiting their primary care physician first or trying home treatments. People just dont want to think any more. They'd rather go crying to "Mommy" aka the "ER" than to try to take care of it themselves. We've created a very dependent society.

I work for an HMO, so the patients only have to pay their co payment-usually $50-100--and they still complain about the "high cost" of an ER visit.

Medi Cal patients come in to the ER because, according to them, they don't have a copay, but if they visit their physician they have a copay.

-Mark

Anything can be a suppository if enough force is applied.

Medic946RN said:
I always seem to get the ones who come to ED for routine illnessess, chest colds, strep, etc that have just come from their doctor's office. You see the doc examined them and gave them an RX but they want a second opinion, or they don't feel any better yet. Never mind they haven't gotten the script filled or even taken a pill yet. I'd love to say "Lemme see what Dr Jones gave you. Yep, looks like the proper course of treatment for bronchitis to me." Rings little bell. "Thank you. Next!"

LOL- had one of those last night. I suggested they might want to try the med that was prescribed to them and that they hadn't had filled, before they went to the ER. (just a suggestion of course):rolleyes:

Broken nail. 20 year old, broke her nail on a desk at college. Called the ambulance, and they had someone transport her private vehicle to the ED.

Swear to god.

Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
Broken nail. 20 year old, broke her nail on a desk at college. Called the ambulance, and they had someone transport her private vehicle to the ED.

Swear to god.

But were you able to save the nail?

Seriously, though, don't ambulance drivers have the authority to refuse to transport people who obviously don't need it?

Broken nail. 20 year old, broke her nail on a desk at college. Called the ambulance, and they had someone transport her private vehicle to the ED.

Swear to god.

I may have posted this before...so sorry if I did!

20-ish female...

Transported to ED by rescue...

CC...

Cut herself shaving.

Swear.

No One could make this stuff up.

Primary assessment?

Couldn't even find the scratch.

The setting three am Sunday morning. A middle aged female presents to the ED.

Chief Complaint Headache.

How long have you had this headache I asked. "all my Life " was the reply. What made it different tonight,what made you decide to come in to the ED

(at 300 on Sunday I wonderedto my self) the answer....................

With a sigh, "I just got tired of it" . I kept a straight face throughout.

I just loved that one and it remains one of my favorite ED stories.:p

Tampon "lost" for two days. One of the few times I almost blew chow from the smell. :chair: :chuckle

Pam

That is SO FUNNY! :chuckle :rotfl: :coollook: :chuckle :rotfl:

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