I often wonder if the public knows the meaning of emergency?

Question

For instance. I work in an ER as a nurse and see and hear more stupid complaints. Also more people seeking narcotics. I wish people would evaluate their actual complaints before seeking medical treatment at an er versus a clinic or shocking enough try something at home first. So the actaul question...Why does everyone run to the ER right away for obviously minor CRAP?

Answer 1

Because they don't have to pay for it ... taxpayers pick up the tab in a lot of those cases.

My husband is also an ER nurse & complains about the very same things that are in your question ... in fact, if he wasn't sleeping right now, I would think that he wrote it!

He talks about illegals coming in with their whole family because the kids have the sniffles, people coming in with hangnails, drug seekers etc. The drug-seekers are especially amusing ....

I guess it also probably depends on what shift you work ... my husband works nights, so a regular clinic isn't available here during those hours.

Answer 2

Sometimes people don't know that it's minor. I know this sounds stupid but it's true. I don't know about scratches and such.. but if my 8 month old has a fever.. and I give him tylenol and a cold cloth.. and it doesn't go away after 8 hours.. then I'm taking him to the ER.. it may sound like minor crap to you.. but not to a mother who has a little kid..

When my son was born, he threw up EVERYTHING.. and I mean everything. 5 minutes after I nursed him.. it was coming back up. I took him to the ER and they told me that he was lactose intolerant.. I should have known this by the vomitting and sent me home.. SO.. I bought several cases of EXPENSIVE lactose free formula, and guess what? Still threw up everything.

I took him back to the ER.. and I was told that I was a new mom, didn't know what I was doing and that I was feeding him too much at once..

NOW .. I know that when I left that hospital.. people thought I was an idiot. I was 22.. and didn't know what I was doing.. I was abusing the system because I was stupid.

SO.. after 3 more days of vomitting.. I took him to ANOTHER hospital.. and after 5 minutes.. the pediatritian told me there was a problem. my 3 month old son had Pyloric Stenosis (you're a nurse you know what it is).. that doctor told me that My son should have been diagnosed and had surgery by the time he was 2 weeks old.. when I took him to the ER the first time.

SOMETIMES..... overworked ER staff miss problems.. they mistake symptoms for something simple to get them out.. and tell them to stop wasting their time. SOMETIMES.. you only think stupid people come in with lame complaints.. SOMETIMES.. it's alot more.

Answer 3

I have to tell you, you struck a nerve here. I myself work at a hospital , and quite frankly I am surprised at the abrupt slowness, and incompetence of most ER stations. I have seen nursing staff walking past patients in the ER room, in which all a patient needed was a rest for their shoulder, they just walk by and did nothing.

I was once even in a very bad mountain biking accident in which my cartilage and tendons in my neck were severely injured, and live with pain in my neck ever since. The nurses manning the ER station didn't even provide me with a neck support, even after telling them the pain was becoming unbearable. Then somehow someone got the bright idea to put me in a stretcher and a neck brace, only after an hour of waiting! Of course now they tell me "if you move your neck you might break it" which of course is common sense. I know for a fact, that that day the ER was very slow, and only blame the absolute incompetence of the ER nurses and doctors on duty.

I have seen nurses trying to move elderly patients by their thighs, when they had broken hips, I have seen imaging mix ups ( due to the fact that the nurses fail and refuse to give the last name of a patient, and only the room number).

Your an ER Nurse, if you payed any attention to science concepts 101 in school you would realize that interpretations are based on observations. You, as an ER nurse need to realize that you are there because you have been trained to correctly interpret these observations, the patients however, do not have this knowledge.

Secondly, you work in the ER, its fast paced and action packed and open to the public. What were you expecting, to sit in front of a computer all day? You're there to help people through thick and fine.

Answer 4

I absolutely understand your frustration. Unfortunately, in many cases I think people run to the ER during nights and weekends, when their doctors don't tend to see their patients.

But also, as I've been told, when they can't seem to get an appointment at their doctors right away.

And also, out of my very own experience, patients get referred by their very own physician during non-business hours, when calling the call center, to go for even minor 'problems' to the ER if the patient is concerned. I am happy about the recent changes some insurances have implemented, to say, if their physician has not been contacted upfront and it wasn't a life-or-death situation, that they might have to pay for the services rendered. I think that's an effective beginning to start reforming the habit of straight away going to the ER when gas hits rather than sitting at home and 'stinking' it out...

Answer 5

I agree with u 100%....(I am an X-Ray Tech). I've seen a lot of nonemergencies in the ER too. And the people have the nerve to complain when the process doesn't move fast enough for them. Looking at their watches....after I take the X-Ray they are like so how long after this? I'm thinking if someone comes in with a limb hanging off, or in a REAL emergency it could be 4evah! LOL. But I tell them the Doc has to prioritize, view their films and make a diagnosis. It is crazy though.

Answer 6

How many tens of millions of people do not have healthcare? In my town there is not a free clinic and many of us do not have doctors because most of them want insured patients only. So we have to either live with what ills us or go to the emergency room. I realize there are a lot of narcotic heads looking for some demerol or delauded, and there are some people who will come in for a hangnail.

But realize that the system has trained those lacking insurance that the ER is their family doctor.

Answer 7

Cause what is an emergency for them might not be an emergency for someone else... Imagine this: you are driving home and you really really gotta pee... That's an emergency for ya, but not for anyone else...

People are stupid and spoiled so they run to the ER for stupid things... What else would you expect of someone who has been used to being pampered and spoiled all their lives?

I go to the doctor only if I really really need to. Otherwise I just wait at home and hope it will go away with home treatment... which is not the best thing to do in some cases as well...

Answer 8

Some people don't have a regular doctor and since you don't need an appointment for the ER they go there. Also, for the narcotics seekers, I guess no reputable doctor would see them. I know an ER is for serious stuff like life or death only!!!

Answer 9

It's because of the way the government has set up welfare. If you go to the emergency room, you are covered. However, if you go to a doctor's office or a clinic, you actually have to pay for it yourself.

Trust me. People who have to pay a deductible and/or a percentage of their bill only use the emergency room for actual emergencies. What you have the misfortune of dealing with are the dregs of society - the leeches and takers who contribute nothing, yet take all they can whether or not they need it.

And, an emergency room can not refuse a patient for any reason - no money, no insurance, not a legal citizen, etc. YOU have to take them. A doctor can turn them away if they can not pay.

Answer 10

No one would seek advise unless they really think there is a need. If people are visiting ER for silly complaints( minor CRAP) the reason is they are needing reassurance.
If you are nurse your responsiblity would be to reassure them if there are no concerns.

I hope that this is answering your question