Waiting For Her Ride
A 20-something female called 911 for vomiting once during a massive snowstorm. After being discharged, she was told the ambulance would not be taking her home. A few hours later she was still waiting in the lobby waiting for her ride, she came up to the window and told staff that we needed to provide her with a meal because she was hungry.
Glass of Water
When I was a resident in ED, a patient yelled at me that he was leaving because he had waited hours to see a doctor. This was at 2am. The triage nurse later told me that he had presented with hiccups and was given a glass of water on arrival which stopped the hiccups. That was at 4pm. He then left quietly.
Seen First
Patient had the gall to say, “I’m allergic to other people so I need to be seen first.”
Might Be A Hernia
Patient in to ER with stomach pain and said to triage nurse, “I had lunch and then drove back to work on a bumpy road. My stomach hurts…do you think it might be a hernia?”
Oxygen and Friends
I just love when a patient comes into the ER 4-5 times a week for SOB as diagnosis. Especially when they are prescribed 5 liters of oxygen while at home, weigh 400 pounds, and don’t have oxygen on when they arrive. Then while in an ER bed they tell you they are here to visit their “friends” because they are lonesome and ask for 4 boxed lunches.