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 LTC, Correctional Nursing.

Oh my goodness!!! I just thought that working in corrections in a mental health dorm was bad! I don't work the ER but I didn't see a comment regarding anyone shoving anything up in their member hole... we have inmates do that so they can come to the hospital and have pretty nurses give them good drugs. They get mad when they don't get anything but an outpatient surgery and expedited back to the prison infirmary when "Big Buck, RN" gives you some Ibuprofen for your discomfort.

I really enjoy reading this thread though.. I felt the need to say something beings I have read over 100 pages of rip roaring laughs! Your poor ER nurses... much respect to you. (BTW, when I do go to the ER, I am the patient one that understands that you have so many idiots to deal with, I ask for nothing, and leave you to do your job and I thank you on the way out and smile at you. Because I know that's a rarity in the ER.)

We recently had a patient who arrived via ambulance. He had called 911 because he vomited ONE time. He said he was afraid he had eaten bad peanut butter. This perfectly healthy man in his late 20's then needed his wife and mother there for support.

This was so outrageous I couldn't let it fall into the depths of oblivion and get consumed by this thread and thus, created a new one. Interesting... to say the least.
Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
We recently had a patient who arrived via ambulance. He had called 911 because he vomited ONE time. He said he was afraid he had eaten bad peanut butter. This perfectly healthy man in his late 20's then needed his wife and mother there for support.

Surely you're joking!! :)

I'm wondering how a little weenie like that got married! Ack!

Anne, RNC

Specializes in Emergency Department.
This was so outrageous I couldn't let it fall into the depths of oblivion and get consumed by this thread and thus, created a new one. Interesting... to say the least.

...just when you thought you had seen it all....wow.

You could kindly hint to the person that they're probably not getting a Dilaudid & a script for Norco for their CC, and that their CC isn't really an emergency, and that there's a 3 hr wait time. Be like "choice is yours"...

We had a pt come in for cc of "I need to sign up for food stamps and Medicaid"

Also a pt with possible genital herpes for 7 months. Really? Ever heard of a clinic?

Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

We would triage them a five (least urgent), which may mean they get seen within 6 hours. We would also suggest if they are unhappy with that weight time that they could visit the after hours GP

OK - dumb question - I understand that you can't refuse to treat someone in the emergency room. Can you refuse to see an obvious non-emergency like the hangnail?
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

A friend of a friend who was a paramedic got called out to a large apartment block as someone was hearing moaning from inside an apartment. It turned out that the resident had an orange stuck where no orange should ever go. The ambo's had to keep going outside beccause they were struggling to keep a straight face

Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
A friend of a friend who was a paramedic got called out to a large apartment block as someone was hearing moaning from inside an apartment. It turned out that the resident had an orange stuck where no orange should ever go. The ambo's had to keep going outside beccause they were struggling to keep a straight face

OUCH!!

Insomnia, two visits in one night.

Hahaha do you ever get to the point where you're trying to fall asleep and you're so exhausted you start coming up with terrifying things that would never cross your mind if you were well rested? I have insomnia and after being up 48-72 hours and laying in bed and not being able to fall asleep, my mind starts to wander and I convince myself I have that condition where you can never sleep again and it kills you. Then I usually fall asleep.

Have I mentioned in slightly hypochondriacal?

Specializes in ER.

I have had a guy come to ER for a stubbed toe via ambulance.

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