What is the weirdest thing someone has been admitted to the hospital for?

Munch · Dec 4, 2011

When I was on med-surg we had an older gentlemen admitted with a swollen toe. No infection, no clots, no allergic reaction, no diabetes, no gout, no other medical problems with the exception of high blood pressure which was controlled with medication, he had some minor pain but nothing to be hospitalized for. I think he just stubbed his toe but his family didn't tell anyone in the ED that. But there he was with his swollen toe and all we did for him was give him ice packs, his BP medication and motrin. He had blood taken in the ED and nothing came up out of the ordinary. The ED should have discharged him. He could have iced the toe at home and motrin is available for purchase at basically any store. The ED said his daughter was really pressing on them to admit him for extra testing(which he had an exray to make sure it wasn't broken..it wasn't). His wife passed away a few months earlier and he moved in with his daughter and son in law. I think his daughter just wanted a break from watching over her father..which by the way he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself...he was elderly and healthier than most people in their 30's.

Apparently people think hospitals are hotels that they can just check people into when they need a break. Too bad we discharged him two days later. The daughter NOT happy about that. I think she wanted a week or two off not a day or two off.

Murse901, MSN, RN · Dec 4, 2011

A whole family was admitted for food poisoning after spending 10 hours in the ED, taking up 2 adjoining trauma rooms (they didn't want to be separated). They didn't have a single episode of vomiting or diarrhea the whole time. One of them was a physician and was on the phone complaining to administration within 5 minutes of arrival because we didn't take them to a room as soon as they walked in the door.

Munch · Dec 4, 2011

I am in the mood to read some reasons that patients were admitted to the hospital. Working on a general medical surgical unit, I see a little bit of everything. I often see patients admitted for strange conditions and I thought we could all compare stories and get a few chuckles. Ok so I will start I have a toss up between internal hemorrhoids and constipation x 2 days(no bloating, no abdominal discomfort they just said that they felt they should poop everyday and were concerned). Nursing can be happy, sad, humorous and stressful so with that being said let the stories begin.

I wonder how some of these patients have things that can be treated at home and they wind up taking up a bed that can be used for someone who is REALLY sick or injured...I always wonder why the ED docs admit some patients with things that can be treated at home or even in the ED(and not have to be admitted) like constipation, food poisoning without a symptom or swollen toes.

Trekfan · Dec 4, 2011

When I was on med-surg we had an older gentlemen admitted with a swollen toe. No infection, no clots, no allergic reaction, no diabetes, no gout, no other medical problems with the exception of high blood pressure which was controlled with medication, he had some minor pain but nothing to be hospitalized for. I think he just stubbed his toe but his family didn't tell anyone in the ED that. But there he was with his swollen toe and all we did for him was give him ice packs, his BP medication and motrin. He had blood taken in the ED and nothing came up out of the ordinary. The ED should have discharged him. He could have iced the toe at home and motrin is available for purchase at basically any store. The ED said his daughter was really pressing on them to admit him for extra testing(which he had an exray to make sure it wasn't broken..it wasn't). His wife passed away a few months earlier and he moved in with his daughter and son in law. I think his daughter just wanted a break from watching over her father..which by the way he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself...he was elderly and healthier than most people in their 30's.
Apparently people think hospitals are hotels that they can just check people into when they need a break. Too bad we discharged him two days later. The daughter NOT happy about that. I think she wanted a week or two off not a day or two off.

What :eek: two days for a stubbed toe:eek: how in the he@l did they get his insurance to pay for that :lol2: :confused:

I thought they have to ok stays with the insurance before they adment you .

Mulan · Dec 4, 2011

... and what is wrong with the doctors that actually admit these people

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2011

Had a patient who took her bp at Walmart to find it was 150 systolic. She raced to the ER and demanded to be admitted. She was discharged. She came back the next day for a second opinion and was admitted just to shut her up.

Had an elderly patient admitted for syncope. No abnormal labs or anything. She just syncoped and the MD admitted her. He said he wouldn't discharge a lady that old from the ER in a million years. He said "let the hospitalist discharge her."

Cuddleswithpuddles · Dec 4, 2011

Had an elderly patient admitted for syncope. No abnormal labs or anything. She just syncoped and the MD admitted her. He said he wouldn't discharge a lady that old from the ER in a million years. He said "let the hospitalist discharge her."

How old are we talking about here?

Why was that doctor so afraid to discharge her? Lawsuit-shy? Afraid she might break a hip a hour after getting home and he'd get sued:confused:?

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2011

How old are we talking about here?
Why was that doctor so afraid to discharge her? Lawsuit-shy? Afraid she might break a hip a hour after getting home and he'd get sued:confused:?

90 something. And he just lazy and pushing off liability onto someone else. Lol. He knew there was probably nothing particularly wrong...

DookieMeisterRN · Dec 4, 2011

Yea I hated taking care of the 32 yr old female admitted for constipation d/t opiate use from an abscessed tooth. She was actually crying and carrying on to get IV dilaudid claiming abd pain 10/10. The dr who ordered it got tired of me paging for stupid odd requests from this pt and D/C'd the IV dilaudid and ordered GoLytely. I told the pt if she kept getting admitted for this problem she'd end up needing a colonoscopy and possibly a colostomy bag. Never saw her again, tee-hee.

Zookeeper3 · Dec 4, 2011

Pt. drove from Florida to NC having a aresol bottle stuck in the nether region. Was too embarrassed to seek care close to home, why my hospital, I have no idea.

X-ray showed the can so far up that an open lap had to be done to retrieve it. The OR story is that the can exploded/ and /or leaked causing sepsis, hence the double colostomy and admission to the ICU for sepsis.

He gave a fake name and address and died in 48 hours, before he could be identified.

Have worked ER in the inner city of Buffalo, and have come across many lodged object, nothing like this that have caused death. (obviously many facts left out to protect confidentiality).

Trekfan · Dec 4, 2011

Pt. drove from Florida to NC having a aresol bottle stuck in the nether region. Was too embarrassed to seek care close to home, why my hospital, I have no idea.
X-ray showed the can so far up that an open lap had to be done to retrieve it. The OR story is that the can exploded/ and /or leaked causing sepsis, hence the double colostomy and admission to the ICU for sepsis.
He gave a fake name and address and died in 48 hours, before he could be identified.
Have worked ER in the inner city of Buffalo, and have come across many lodged object, nothing like this that have caused death. (obviously many facts left out to protect confidentiality).

Omg :yawn: how did he drive ? And how and why did he do That . I hope They where able to identifi him at some point .