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.
People who keep talking on their cell phones about nothing important like what's on TV. They come in begging and crying for pain meds and then act like I'm disturbing them if they have to move the phone to other hand so I can medicate them....sheesh!
Mother's who treat their grown kids like 3 years old to the point where they even answer for them if they are in pain or not and where the pain is. How about the grown 30 something year old man can tell me himself how he is feeling...?
Asking if they are going to be admitted or when they can go home, before they even take their coat or shoes off!
Stinky feet....eeewwww!
And my favorite the crazy patient who refuses to take part in personal hygiene and calls 911 because their skin develops a "rash" that hurts....when the cure is called soap and water
-Getting called out the the waiting room by registration for someone who "has a question". That someone proceeds to give me lengthy chief complaint and entire health history and then wants know what they should do about said complaint. I don't dole out free advice- if you feel like you need to be seen, then sign in.
-This has been mentioned a few times already- but people who think they need to sign all 4 of their children to be seen at one time for cough/cold symptoms.
-People who sign in for a level 4 type complaint and then inform me during triage that they have a doctor's appointment in 2 hours, but "I didn't want to wait that long to be seen."
-This may be a regional thing, but people calling ibuprofen I.B.Profen. (Sometimes that's cute if it's a little old lady/man. :) )
-People who call the ER for pre-op surgery questions. Really?
-People who think hovering in the door to their room and giving the stink-eye to the nurses at the nurse's station will get their visit with us expedited in some way. All it gets from me is a request to step back in the room and keep the door closed for "patient privacy".
-Dirty kids/infants. Like ones who you can tell haven't been bathed for days.
The other day a guy who was signing in said to registration, "I am here to see the ER dentist" (with a totally straight face--well it would of been straight if not for his cracked tooth).
-This has been mentioned a few times already- but people who think they need to sign all 4 of their children to be seen at one time for cough/cold symptoms.
The other day I was in triage. Called a pt who had just signed it. No one acknowledged me. The registration clerk then said "oh she is signing in her kids too." (It happened to be 3 kids...all with different last names, all different than the mom's--I'm not a prude, but I do find it a bit annoying). She wrote the same CC for all of them, and none of them appeared sick and they all had VS WNL. What really peeved me though: the youngest child kept ripping his BP cuff off and would not let me get a BP measurement (no, that is not what irritated me). The mother they said: "[son's name] you have to keep that on. Do you want to get better? They will not make you better if you don't keep that on." Yes, let's teach 3 year olds that every time they have a sniffle, run the ER so we can 'make them better.'
The other day I was in triage. Called a pt who had just signed it. No one acknowledged me. The registration clerk then said "oh she is signing in her kids too." (It happened to be 3 kids...all with different last names, all different than the mom's--I'm not a prude, but I do find it a bit annoying). She wrote the same CC for all of them, and none of them appeared sick and they all had VS WNL. What really peeved me though: the youngest child kept ripping his BP cuff off and would not let me get a BP measurement (no, that is not what irritated me). The mother they said: "[son's name] you have to keep that on. Do you want to get better? They will not make you better if you don't keep that on." Yes, let's teach 3 year olds that every time they have a sniffle, run the ER so we can 'make them better.'
I had a young, strong 24 y/o male that came in for fever/flu like symptoms. Basically came and and slept the entire time, nearly refused the IV, etc. Swabbed him and he had H1N1. He got tamiflu, fluids, and went home. He had no medical history. I could understand if he was a CA patient but the whole time in my head I'm thinking, come on kid.... you're my age! Go to your doctor if you're concerned, drink fluids, and sleep it off! Whenever I get sick I basically lay in my bed to die (yes, I'm probably a little stubborn too) and guess what? A couple days later after my body does it's job, I'm A-OK.
I also hate the mother's who baby their children who are in their 20's. 26 y/o female with belly pain, mom at the bedside. "Okay, I'm going to put an IV in your arm, draw blood, and give you some fluid and medication."
Mother practically pushed me out of the way as I have the tourniquet on, "It's okay honey, I'll hold your hand! OMG she hates needles!" When the girl looked anxious but never said anything. You're making her anxiety worse! She is a grown ass woman!
And going to 2nd whoever mentioned this... I hate when family is answering all the questions I'm directing toward the patient when they're perfectly capable of answering.
Patients who don't know their meds and don't keep a list. Even worse, patients on a TON of medications but deny any medical history. "Do you have asthma/COPD?" "No." "Then why do you use these medications/this inhaler?" "For my short breathing." "Yeah, but WHY do you have SOB?"
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.
They probably want to know if their favorite, most generous with Dilaudid Doc, is on.
I had a 23 year old with abd pain.. her mother answered every question I asked. Including that she was not sexually active and she didn't miss her period... well when mom walked out of the room the patient informed me 'what mommy doesn't know doesn't hurt.' Which may be true except I can't treat you if you lie!
Got a new one. Come in Monday, stomach pain, maybe you drank heavily, ate some bad fish, GI cocktail helps. You got some iv pain meds. Sent home with rx.
Come back Tuesday because your pain isn't completely gone.
We have a university close to us to that is very prestigious. As such their students are quite eccentric and, well, let's just say that they don't get out much (not that there is anything wrong with that). Several times, a student from that university will check in on a Sunday morning with a CC of nausea/vomiting/headache. When asked, they will say "yeah, I drank alcohol for the first time ever last night." When they do this it is really not a pet peeve (more amusing than anything actually), but I want to say to them "Ok, this is what happens when you drink. I'm not judging you for drinking, but this is what you are going to have to deal with the next day. Go home, drink lots of water, take some ibuprofen, and avoid bright lights for a bit."
chatty-cathy
33 Posts
People who keep talking on their cell phones about nothing important like what's on TV. They come in begging and crying for pain meds and then act like I'm disturbing them if they have to move the phone to other hand so I can medicate them....sheesh!
Mother's who treat their grown kids like 3 years old to the point where they even answer for them if they are in pain or not and where the pain is. How about the grown 30 something year old man can tell me himself how he is feeling...?
Asking if they are going to be admitted or when they can go home, before they even take their coat or shoes off!
Stinky feet....eeewwww!
And my favorite the crazy patient who refuses to take part in personal hygiene and calls 911 because their skin develops a "rash" that hurts....when the cure is called soap and water
That's all for tonight haha!