1. Ambulances for clearly non-emergent conditions (my personal most notables are of dental pain and a "possible UTI" but I know they're used for far more silly complaints than that. Just the two I've seen myself).
2. Chief complaint of fever, yet they have not so much as taken a temp at home, and if so, even taken tylenol or ibuprofen
3. Mom who brings in all 3 kids because they all have colds at the same time.
4. I'm allergic to tylenol, ibuprofen, codeine, aspirin, hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, and zofran. All of them have caused anaphylaxis.
5. The patient that claims their police report PROVES their medications were stolen.
"I'm a really hard stick...no one ever gets it" (Wish I got a dollar for every time I heard that)
"I've never seen it so busy here" (Really?! This is the busiest you've seen it? How often are you here???)
"I don't want an IV..." (Then WHY are you here??)
"How long is this whole thing going to take??" (This is usually the first question they ask before I even start an assessment on them)
"Am I going to be admitted?" (Asked immediately after I take blood...how the HECK would I know this yet?)
"I need pain meds" (Within first minute of sitting on the bed...you KNOW the drill, you KNOW the doctor needs to see you first)
...and of course my favorite "Last time I was here they gave me that pain med that starts with a D...Di...Dil...something like that, it really works well" (Am I surprised? No.)
Patients that take their pulse ox off all the time. They seem to have to be on their stupid phone all the time. I hate when I have a DIB and am busy with other patients and I go to the monitor to "see" how they are doing or to trigger another B/P and their equipment is not on!!!! So, I have stated to use the sticker pulse ox on any patient that needs to be monitored even somewhat closely. I want so badly to tell them " you came here so we could treat you, keep the equipment on, put your stupid phone away, and let us do our job!!! Or GO HOME!!!"
And this one- patient is all hooked up to equipment, C/P, DIB ETC and CT/X-RAY etc will take them for studies, BUT no one tells me when they are back in the room, the monitor etc is not on, and the patient is on a Cardizem Drip or something similar!! I have forwarded this concern to my manager, and it was forwarded to CT/ X-RAY ETC and nothing has changed....
Some of you get peeved over regular stuff. I've been working ER for only 9 months but im so used to not having lists of medications it doesnt even bother me any more.
The one thing that bothers me is a pt that comes in every couple days by ambulance for chronic pain in his shoulder. Always states its chest pain, fall , etc. Last pick up he had fallen and was unable to get up when they were dispatched. When they got there he got up and got on their cot. when they got there he was kind enough to get off the cot and go down the stairs and then get back on the cot. At the hospital he walked to the bathroom three times not problems..... these people frustrate me especialy when they think the should be cared for and medicated right away (like that guy over there unresponsive and tachy should have to wait )
I find myself rolling my eyes at frequent flyers who always use EMS for whatever.. Then get mad when they have to go upfront for 'foot pain x's 1 year'
Here's 1 that seems to rub me a way.. People who put their gowns on backwards and get completely naked..
1) I DESPISE when patients try to tell me where, when and HOW to start their IV. You know what, why don't you let me stick where I feel the best spot, rather than where you're convinced is better. 90% of the times I miss, it's because the patient insisted they HAD to be stuck there even though I tried to explain why that wasn't the best spot.
2) "I am deathly afraid of needles," yet they have dozens of tattoos all over them.
3) "I'm going to need 15 mg of Valium before you can start my IV, oh and do you know how to take care of me when I go into shock and pass out?" You're laying down, so if you're going to pass out, just get on with it, and I'll do the IV sans Valium. SERIOUSLY? In case you're wondering even IF the MD will write for the Valium, the chances of me waiting 30 minutes for PO Valium to take effect to start your IV are pretty much zilch.
4) The non-English speakers who have been told (through interpretation) MULTIPLE times that their form of Medicaid won't cover our hospital, and will only cover the hospital that's exactly FOUR BLOCKS away, yet they keep coming back here for minor complaints because it's not their money.
5) The fever that's not even a fever, but suddenly became emergent at 3:00 am. If you tell me your kid has a fever, then 1) you'd darned well better know what it is, and not tell me they "felt warm," 2) you'd better not have withheld meds to "prove" they actually have a fever, and 3) you'd better not bring in your extremely febrile infant in wrapped in 500 blankets, a winter coat, and thermal PJ's and tell me you can't figure out why the fever won't break.
The lady who brought her 8week old baby to us the same night she received her shots because her "my baby does not have a fever & has not been acting excessively cranky or anything" and "the handout said fussiness & fever were common following vaccination!" !
the wrong size bp cuff, if you have to manually keep the Velcro from ripping away, use the next size up. going to get a portable monitor or dynamap and it wont even turn on (you actually have to put the plug IN the outlet, close doesn't count). patients who hit the call light almost as soon as you close the door. visitors that are more demanding than the a&ox3 pt....sorry the sandwiches and sodas are for the actual patients. the dramatics that go with acute hypohydromorphonemia and hypohydrocodonemia....the list could go on
the wrong size bp cuff if you have to manually keep the Velcro from ripping away, use the next size up.[/quote']
THIS!!! I can't tell you how many times someone from employee health has taken my bp with the wrong cuff and tried to tell me I have high bp. Um, no. Retake it with the right size and oh my look at that! It's actually on the lower side. *shakes my head* I've excepted that I have big arms, maybe you should, too.
Dirty, filthy people. Sorry but, you know, the rotten crotch women of any age, who for some reason cannot smell that infested vajayjay of theirs. Or worse yet, they can smell it but don't do anything about it. That is one of the worse odors ever!
Dirty, filthy people. Sorry but, you know, the rotten crotch women of any age, who for some reason cannot smell that infested vajayjay of theirs. Or worse yet, they can smell it but don't do anything about it. That is one of the worse odors ever!
1) I DESPISE when patients try to tell me where, when and HOW to start their IV. You know what, why don't you let me stick where I feel the best spot, rather than where you're convinced is better. 90% of the times I miss, it's because the patient insisted they HAD to be stuck there even though I tried to explain why that wasn't the best spot.
I've had a couple of nurses like this. I told them not stick me in the hand yet they know best and did so. They hit a valve. By the time she is done it's bruised. Had one that kept digging around in the same spot for a vein. Hurt like hell but she didn't care. It was all to prove she knew what she was doing. In the end they wound up sticking me where I told them to and got it the first time.
)
LeahGRN
3 Posts
"I'm a really hard stick...no one ever gets it" (Wish I got a dollar for every time I heard that)
"I've never seen it so busy here" (Really?! This is the busiest you've seen it? How often are you here???)
"I don't want an IV..." (Then WHY are you here??)
"How long is this whole thing going to take??" (This is usually the first question they ask before I even start an assessment on them)
"Am I going to be admitted?" (Asked immediately after I take blood...how the HECK would I know this yet?)
"I need pain meds" (Within first minute of sitting on the bed...you KNOW the drill, you KNOW the doctor needs to see you first)
...and of course my favorite "Last time I was here they gave me that pain med that starts with a D...Di...Dil...something like that, it really works well" (Am I surprised? No.)