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 think my #1 is patients who come in with their own plan of care, and/or refuse anything we advise, particularly blood work. This just baffles me. Patients come in with chest pain, abdominal pain etc and become shocked and agitated because we wanna draw their blood. How on earth do they expect us to help them if we can't gather any diagnostic info? Just look at them and provide a diagnose with pain-free treatment?! And really, it's blood work. This is not invasive surgery. It's a tiny pinch and done. Just wish ppl would grow up a bit...
Yes this.
The kind of patients who refuse everything or argue about routine tests and exams where you are just thinking in your mind "So why did you come here, to an emergency room???"
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!
OMG yes, and MEN with rotten smelling feet and who haven't showered in God knows how long so they just smell like a** all over!!! That just grosses me out.
Let me share with you some of the most common responses I get to "When was the first day of your last period?"
... I'm on it now.
... It just finished.
... I haven't start yet this month.
... It just ended yesterday.
It's actually one of the things that grates on me the most when I work Triage. That, and people who don't know how tall they are. SERIOUSLY?? You realize it probably hasn't changed in YEARS and it's printed on your driver's license and you can't be bothered to memorize that???
Let me share with you some of the most common responses I get to "When was the first day of your last period?" ... I'm on it now. ... It just finished. ... I haven't start yet this month. ... It just ended yesterday. It's actually one of the things that grates on me the most when I work Triage. That and people who don't know how tall they are. SERIOUSLY?? You realize it probably hasn't changed in YEARS and it's printed on your driver's license and you can't be bothered to memorize that???[/quote']
Yes!!!
Or in similar fashion, the pain scale. "How bad is your pain from 0-10?"
This question requires a response of ONE number. That is it. Instead we get
"Well it was really bad yesterday"
"It's the worst pain ever"
"It hurts the most in my belly"
"It's getting a little better from when it first started"
"I have a really high pain tolerance and this is really bad"
and on and on.
Ughhh just and we the stupid question so we can all move on with our lives.
This is an Emergency Department, not an Emergency Denny's. You're the one who came in at 0400 for minor abd pain. Don't ***** at me for two hours about how hungry you are, then when you can eat you complain about the quality of our fine turkey sandwiches. Go home.
Labs/footies/blankets. Updated, no more tears. Cool
Visitors, over hear in double room, could possibly be attention seeking visit (I don't care, hey, they are great pt's/visitors)
Pt asks for food after work up. Cool. Can't have anything.
Everything's back, everything looks great. Asks for food.
I bring ginger ale and crackers. They say 'hey, what about that turkey sandwich' ok, you've been here too many times if u know we have turkey sandwich's.
This is an Emergency Department, not an Emergency Denny's. You're the one who came in at 0400 for minor abd pain. Don't ***** at me for two hours about how hungry you are, then when you can eat you complain about the quality of our fine turkey sandwiches. Go home.
We must all have the same turkey sandwiches. There must be a factory somewhere in the Midwest.
How about the ones that call ahead and ask who is the ER doctor that is currently on duty and then ask how busy it is and the approximate wait time. It's as if they are trying to make an appointment.
I had a guy once who was basically trying to give me his order, as if I was a waitress. 'Go get me something to eat, this food sucks.' 'Sorry sir, that's all we have and kitchen is closed' 'Ugh, well then go find me some cereal or cookies.' 'Sorry sir, we don't have any cereal, and the cookies we have are Graham crackers. Do you want those?' 'No, go to the vending machines and get me something. Just get the hospital to pay you back for me'
Armygirl7
188 Posts
Yes this.
The kind of patients who refuse everything or argue about routine tests and exams where you are just thinking in your mind "So why did you come here, to an emergency room???"