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 ?

Someone was hungry

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Jmarty31 said:
Someone was hungry

:brb: GOOD GRIEF!

Yeah.... Apparently they didn't eat all day & had a headache... Hmm food? Food helps.

Specializes in Emergency.

Ridiculous is a daily occurrence in this business.

I have seen a patient in her 60s who came to the ED because she had a bad dream, that was one of the most ridiculous I guess.

A favorite ridiculous patient is the one that comes in with a vague chronic complaint of several years duration that a dozen specialists have failed to diagnose who comes into the ED expecting a definitive diagnosis.

Another favorite of mine is the folks the police bring in on mental health holds even though there is no mental health complaint simply because they were annoying people and generating 911 calls.

Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

I don't think I already posted this but forgive me if I have... 30ish year old pt came in with c/o being "too horny" and that his frequent masturbation was upsetting his sister.... whiskey tango foxtrot?!?

Specializes in ER.
WKShadowRN said:
Christy1019 said:
I don't think I already posted this but forgive me if I have... 30ish year old pt came in with c/o being "too horny" and that his frequent masturbation was upsetting his sister.... whiskey tango foxtrot?!?

Amp of salt Peter stat!

The part that gets me is:

Christy1019 said:
his frequent masturbation was upsetting his sister

I don't even understand. I guess it is better to not know sometimes.

Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
Bobjohnny said:
The part that gets me is:

I don't even understand. I guess it is better to not know sometimes.

That was definitely the part that got us too! It was very awkward!

Specializes in critical care.
Jmarty31 said:
Someone was hungry

This actually makes me so sad. :( We really treat our hungry and homeless population like garbage. Better mental health care access and funding could make such a difference to this population. We'd hopefully prevent people from having a chief complaint related to hunger.

Specializes in NICU, ER.

I didn't see the patient, but I was reading through the waiting room c/o list and saw. "Right knee itching x1 day, no pain"

Today I had a patient come in by ambulance due to nausea. Said nausea has been going on for >5 years, per patient. She also complained of breast tenderness, which had begun in 1969. She already had an appointment with her primary, and had been getting treated for her chronic nausea, but figured we would be able to do more than her primary. Her nausea/tenderness was no worse today than it was 5 years ago. Her vitals were taken and she was discharged within approx 5 minutes.

I read this entire thread from start to finish because I love the ER so much.

Had a patient brought in to the ER by the police after being arrested, she was claiming she had mad cow disease because she had eaten a lot of beef. She was really proud of herself because she thought she had outsmarted the cops by pretending to be sick, and was outraged when they actually came back to discharge her to jail. Also, lunch that day in the ER Secure Unit was meatloaf.

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Princess Bubblegum said:
Also, lunch that day in the ER Secure Unit was meatloaf.

:roflmao: PERFECT!

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