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 ?

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, emergenceRN17 said:

I have no words.. yikes

One hour in triage is like fifteen dog years

[emergenceRN17, ASN, BSN, RN]

4 hours ago, gere7404 said:

One hour in triage is like fifteen dog years

I believe it.. ?

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

Healthy 30 something male came in complaining that he had felt light headed at work 8 hours prior to entering our doors. He also had his discharge paperwork from the ED he had visited before coming to us. They had given him a liter of NS and a full work up but didn’t find a reason for his transitory experience. Since they didn’t have an answer for him, he came to us.

 I imagine that guy could still be on a lifelong mission to find out why he had that one particular episode. 

[amyjm333, RN]

My very first day in the ER an ambo brought in an 8 year old girl with a stubbed toe. Her parents followed in their private vehicle. Medics were shitty and I was shocked. That was almost 6 yrs ago. Since then I’ve learned that people come in to the ER for some of the absolute stupidest reasons you could imagine and that common sense is not common at all. 

[Nightshade1972]

I once read about a guy who showed up at his local ER, screaming and hollering about how his back hurt, it was killing him, he needs treatment *now,* why is the ER staff so rude/slow? Finally, after a few hours, it's his turn to be examined.  Suddenly, he stops screaming and he's perfectly calm.  They ask him why he's there.  Turned out that, at the beginning of the week, he woke up with back pain.  He hoped it'd be gone by the end of the week, since the US Super Bowl was that Sunday (he went to the ER on Saturday).  When the back pain wasn't gone by Saturday, he went to the ER, fully expecting them to give him an instant fix for his back pain.

"Well, if you've been living with the pain all week, why is it suddenly an emergency now?"

"The Super Bowl is tomorrow! I'm supposed to be having a big party with lots of friends! How am I supposed to host a Super Bowl party if I can't even sit up without pain?!"

IIRC, they gave him some muscle relaxers and sent him home.

[FiremedicMike, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

After 25 years of EMS, I had an ED patient a few weeks ago with my top #1 stupidest complaint.

Medic arrives with a 25ish year old female, abdominal pain, no obvious distress, no pregnancy, normal elimination.  I ask her what she thinks is going on, she literally tells me “I think my pants are too tight”.  I said “when you loosen your pants, does the pain go away?”  “Yes”.  

I sent her to triage. 

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

On 10/21/2022 at 11:59 PM, FiremedicMike said:

I sent her to triage. 

This is the one you hope LWOBS. LOL. WOW. 

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

And a new guy moved into first place for ridiculous. Chief complaint was "I missed work today and need an excuse that I was at the ED. I thought about saying I had a cold but then you'd have to swab my now and I don't like that. So I told them I hurt my hand.” 
Me: Does your hand hurt?

Him: " No, but I need a note that I was seen here for hand pain because that is what I told work.”

Thanks to EMTALA we have to let him check in but with appropriate and accurate notes of his complaint. Good luck buddy. 

[Mikey31079]

From my new gig as ER registration:

18 y/o, chief complaint: was taking a shower and water dripped in my ear. Also, it was raining real bad out when the person left...I was thinking "Please god please don't make her come back here, I might have to run over her foot with my wheekchair LOL"

[Mikey31079]

From my new gig as ER registration:

18 y/o, chief complaint: was taking a shower and water dripped in my ear. Also, it was raining real bad out when the person left...I was thinking "Please god please don't make her come back here, I might have to run over her foot with my wheelchair LOL" 

Oh, I forgot this one...this lady brings in her whole family because they thought they were all allergic to the same brand of toothpaste.  It turns out the "burning in their mouth" was actually the mint flavor...gotta love medicaid LOL

 

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

RNin92 said:

 

Can we give him his boosters...and will the ER doc sign his physical?

And his sports physical form?

Are ya kiddin' me or what!!!????!!

I'm surprised he didn't just sign his the physical himself....I've seen that before...

[FiremedicMike, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Had someone come in yesterday for acne.