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 Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

Shoes and earrings? Huh?

[ We were in the waiting room with a child who obviously had pink eye. Mom says "his eyes been like that for a week, I don't know what's wrong with 'em." Why she decided at 11pm on a Sunday night that it couldn't wait another second, I don't know.

It couldn't wait another second because she had been doing her thing all weekend and doesn't want to go to work on Monday morning:angryfire

We had a lady(approx 45 yrs old) come in with this complaint: " I have a bump down there".... we figured she had an abcess or cyst. NOPE.. the NP examined her and couldn't find the "bump" so asked the lady to show her where it was, we it was the "bump" she was born with!!! Everyone got a good laugh off of that one. The NP said She doesn't know what she's been missing all these years!!! We all said she would be back the next week for an irritated bump!!!:lol2: :lol2: It's bad when people don't even know their own bodies

18 y/o local college student needs 3 am evaluation of "something is growing in my belly button, and I just noticed it now." Patient is wearing a pair of well-worn black sweatpants...diagnosis: lint in belly button, removed with piece of gauze and NSS.....

I've seen a "well baby checkup" (no complaint). I saw a guy who had a wound on his head from years and years before threaten to videotape himself suturing it closed at home if the doctor didn't do it that night. What a weirdo!:idea:

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry, Hospice, Home Health.
The answer is "NO".

I think you handled it poorly. Laughing at a young girl who may be subjected to bestiality is hardly what I would call a professional intervention.

Getting more information and facts would be better than snickering.

I am with you on this one scampi - I hope I never become so jaded that I would snicker at this. I don't care how many people tell me to "get over myself" or that it is how nurses deal with stress. It is tragic and this girl needs help if not a compassionate direct answer at the least.

Signed student, ...with rose colored glasses?

"I'm hungry"

One of our frequent flyers who is a homeless asthmatic would (we suspect) purposely not take his meds in order to get seen. During each visit he would ask multiple times for a meal and frequently would get denied. One day, he came in and thought that if he complained about his "nutritional deficiency" he would get treatment. Unfortunately that didn't work...he got a couple of neb treatments and was instructed to go to the local shelter.

We get a lot of patients with "emotional upset"........generally hyperventilating, and legless.....immediately need a wheelchair or they end up flopping on the floor. Two spectacular cases come to mind....

Precipitating factor for the first - His team lost the soccer match........

Precipitating factor for the second - Lost his wallet........

:rolleyes:

We had a lady(approx 45 yrs old) come in with this complaint: " I have a bump down there".... we figured she had an abcess or cyst. NOPE.. the NP examined her and couldn't find the "bump" so asked the lady to show her where it was, we it was the "bump" she was born with!!! Everyone got a good laugh off of that one. The NP said She doesn't know what she's been missing all these years!!! We all said she would be back the next week for an irritated bump!!!:lol2: :lol2: It's bad when people don't even know their own bodies

:lol2: :rotfl: :rotfl: :D :roll HILARIOUS!!!

The best one I've had recently was a guy (approx 35 yrs) who when asked what the problem was informed me that "he had been looking in the mirror and noticed the black part of his eye getting large then small, more so when he moved his face backwards and forwards and now he had a headache".

At which point I had to excuse myself, so I could walk away and not laugh in his face!!:rotfl:

Now THAT's funny.

Specializes in ED-CEN/PACU/Flight.
Shoes and earrings? Huh?

Yes - I stood there for a moment with my mouth hanging open. So somehow I managed to respond with, "Sorry, fresh out..."

She got mad, stomped out the door, and left.

Specializes in ER.

Had a NH patient yeterday come by paramedic ambulance. The nurse said he had some green drainage from his nose and the end of his nose was red, she was very concerned about a infection going to his brain!!!! Diagnosis??? COLD!!! She seemed very annoyed that he was returning to the NH only after being gone for 30 min.

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