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 Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Okay, so this wasn't ridiculous.... we had a lady who really did get a bat bite, woke up with the bat on her face biting her lip!

So she comes in, gets triaged, brings the bat with her in a paper bag. Middle of shift change, so the triage nurse brings her back, the oncoming nurse is heading out to the triage room and starts to sit down. First nurse runs out and yelps "Don't sit there, there's a bat in the bag" ..... which then starts moving. And yes, it did test positive for rabies (after somebody killed it) :roll :roll :roll

Whaddayamean you left a live rabid bat on my seat??!!!

When I got bitten by a wild raccoon - a very deep bite, I presented to the ER.

At least three separate HCWs asked me, "Did you bring it with you?.

(Uhhh, yeah, after I got the crap bitten out of my hand, I grabbed the little monster and stuffed him in my 6inch by 6inch purse - NOT!!!!!!!!)

Specializes in ED-CEN/PACU/Flight.
Like the back pain who calls ems and is standing in the doorway with purse in hand ready to go!

And practically skips across the yard and climbs up into the unit without any difficulty or visible signs of distress...

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Came in by ems for chest pain, but he only wanted to see the rest of the football game. His tv was broken by his wife.

actually seems reasonable

This happened when I was an EMT--not to me, but to someone else I worked with. Got called out late at night, call was "ineffective airway". EMS gets there. Lady is obviously a prostitute. Stated she couldn't breath because she had a pubic hair caught in her throat from last night....

I had a patient that came in recently because "her pee felt too hot".

Specializes in ER.

Three really stick out in my mind...

1) Had a patient that came in with a "toy" stuck in his rectum - states that someone put it on the seat of his car as a joke...now, I ask, how many of you get into the driver's seat of your vehicle naked and do not notice something like that standing up in the seat (fake story, you think???!!!):confused:

2) Had a guy who was "experimenting" with his wife and actually had a Yankee candle (you know, the ones in the big jars) stuck in his rectum...OUCH!:smackingf

Both of them went to surgery, of course.

3) Had a girl who came in through triage and said that she had a tampon inside of her that she couldn't find. MD did a pelvic and didn't find it either. She came in next night through triage for same problem, but it was really busy so she went home and called an ambulance to bring her in - thought she wouldn't have to wait. Got to ER and we sent her back to triage (haha). Anyway, another pelvic by another MD who couldn't find tampon. She never came back - maybe we should've made her a psych patient?:roll

Just a SN for now, but work registration in the local ER so I've seen a few... And this is my first post here, I feel like I fit right in!

10yo boy - I asked "What brings you in today?" and he replies: Well, I had me an itch on ma butt, so I went to scratch it. And when I pulled my fingah out, I had me a big ole WORM!" (all said with a huge grin on his face).

19yo girl who wants a pg test. RN triage informs said girl we do not do pg tests, try the local health dept, wal-mart, or dollar store (yes, they have them for $1!). Pt leaves, returns w/in 5 minutes c/o abdominal pain and lady partsl bleeding. *sigh*

40ish yo male presents with "headache" x1 hours. RN triage asks pt to remove hat, at which point blood pours down pt's face from a gaping head wound. Gee, bet he did have a headache!

50ish yo female, looks like Elvira... "What brings you in today?" : well, when I was about 3 I got hit by a car... blahblahblahblah and then when I was 14 I was raped and caught chlamydia so I had to take some pills for a while... blahblahblahblah and then : RN triage interrupts "What is your chief complaint TODAY?" : I just been feelin' tired. (brought by EMS of course)

Specializes in NA, Stepdown, L&D, Trauma ICU, ER.
Came in by ems for chest pain, but he only wanted to see the rest of the football game. His tv was broken by his wife.

actually seems reasonable

So using limited resources (there are only so many ambulances available at any given time) to take you to the hospital for a bogus complaint to watch tv is reasonable now? Interesting concept...:uhoh21:

Most rediculous happened last night: 8 month-old got hold of flour, ate it, and then fell asleep. Parents were worried.

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
So using limited resources (there are only so many ambulances available at any given time) to take you to the hospital for a bogus complaint to watch tv is reasonable now? Interesting concept...:uhoh21:

Well I did say his TV was broken by his wife, maybe he feared she would break him.

It really makes me angry to go through the checkout at the grocery with a $100+ grocery that I had to scratch for and the woman in front of me is paying for a crapload of junkfood, seafood, steaks, etc. with foodstamps....and she's wearing Abercrombie/Hollister/American Eagle clothes and jewelry there's no way I can afford.

When I was in college, I knew students who found ways to get food stamps, not because they came from struggling families, but because they had a limited budget and wanted to save their own money for other things, like beer. One guy I knew who did this was a member of a frat that was known for being a haven for young Republicans... and he said he knew lots of guys in his fraternity who did exactly the same thing. I also knew a girl who was planning to transfer to a nursing program who was talking about pulling the same stunt. :( They may not have been rich, but they weren't really poor, either. They'd just found a way to work the system, despite the ethical issues.

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Well Beer is a basic food group isnt it, when in school anyway

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