ER Tards

Stories

Inconsiderate TARD

When I was little(12 yo), I was in the ER after being sent from my pediatricians for an asthma attack that wasn’t responding to medication. As I’m in the room with serious SOB, there’s a woman with a ‘headache on the left side’ demanding treatment ahead of everyone else because she had a meeting to get to. I am so ...

Still Naughty at Sixty

I work at an Emergency Center, and we had a 60 year old woman come in with a cucumber stuck up her hooha.

What Happens In Louisiana…

At a rural Louisiana ED, man brings himself and 3 children in after they "bumped another car in the parking lot at WalMart." Everyone's clearly ambulatory and in no distress. Man insists they be seen immediately as I try to prevent the three kids from dismantling everything in the triage room. He says the kids are "suffering."

Waiting For Her Ride

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.

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.

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

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.

Balls Are Too High

The child's family were worried because "his balls are too high, so we keep trying to pull them down and he screams, so there must be something wrong."

I Should Be Dead By Now

Male patient in ER was high as a kite. After a couple of hours he started saying "I should be dead by now!"

Pain in the Ear

We had a patient come into the ER that was evaluated for an earache.

A Bug Done Bit Me

Woman in the ER complaining of an incredibly painful bug bit. She explained it as, "I was sitting on a park bench, minding my own business, when a bug done jumped up and bit me..."

911 From the ER

Patient called 911 from the ER waiting room because he thought he would be able to be seen quicker.

An Aspirin and a Fingernail

18-year-old girl presents to ER demanding attention and pain killers because she had, in a fit of rage with her boyfriend, ripped off one of her false nails. She then proceeded to become abusive when offered aspirin and a seat in the waiting room.

Under Pressure

Man presents to the ER with chest pain. Taken back to a tele room for evaluation, patient admits chest pain is not his primary concern, it's his blood pressure. Patient's BP is normal for his age.

Not Enough Narcotics

Pt drove over 2 hours in the snow to come in for "back pain" meds. He was allergic to: Tylenol, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Yet, he was NOT allergic to: hydrocodone, Vicodin, Oxycontin, etc... Guy had a narc rap sheet a mile long.

Do Not Do the Dew!

Admitting a pt from the ER who was told they had to remain NPO until we had orders from the doctor. Come into the room to find the boyfriend feeding her french fries and a large Mt Dew!

New Year’s Party in the ER

Pt came into the ER on New Year's Eve night for a doctors note to avoid going back to work the next day. He also brought with him a girlfriend who said she had a red lump on her chest for 2 years!

A New Fashion Statement

When I say "put this gown on and I'll be right back," it doesn't mean put it on over your jeans and t-shirt.

OMG Becky, Look at that Wart!

I was a patient waiting in the ER at 10:30pm for an allergic reaction to medicine that caused my throat to start closing.

Just Say No!

Patient can no longer afford $13 a day for the methadone clinic so they came to the emergency room and refused a transfer to a treatment center! Moral of the story? Just say no to drugs!

Call Ahead Reservation

We had a parent ask if they could fax their insurance cards in ahead of time so they wouldn't have to wait so long. If you have time to do that you probably don't need to be in the ER!

Michael Jackson and a Banana Peel

It was an exciting day to be in the ER: chief complaints of "My neck hurts because I'm sad about Michael Jackson" and the classic "I slipped on a banana peel"

The Mysterious Bug Bite

Woman races to ER for a "possible bug bite" on her leg. During triage, we search but couldn't find the mark.

Five Times to Stay Alive

Pt in to ER 5 times in less than 24 hours for dry mouth and left foot pain. Left every time after triage and refused to go to his own doctor!

Can you check these bumps?

Patient in his 60s in ER with severe dyspnea, O2 sat in the low 80's. We start working like mad to get his sats up.

A dang hangnail?

Had a very distraught mother bring her 2-year-old child into ER with CC of "foot pain".

Will this take long?

A women with two toddlers is in our fast track. Her CC is "vaginal D/C".

I Want Them Tested!

We had a mother come in and yelling, "My kids were EXPOSED to pneumonia and I want them tested!"

I’ll Be Back

18 y/o female in ER for URI symptoms that presented earlier in the day. She had no fever and I told her it was likely viral and sent her home.

What’s Your Status?

Woman was admitted a few days before for various reasons and was under surveillance. However, she had a tendency for psych episodes and would fake seizures.

Fast Track to a Transfer

We had a patient come in one day by ambulance for a cold sore on her lip. After being placed in a hall bed in fast track (really it was the only bed open at the time and we can't put ambulance pts in the hall), she requested to use a phone.

Calling in “Sick” for Work

Lady presents to ER c/o bruise on leg which had been there 1 1/2 to 2 weeks and hurt.

Mommy’s Meltdown

18yr old pt came in w/ father. Dx: fx requiring ORIF. He consented to surgery and was taken up to the OR quite quickly.

“C” is for Cookie!

Patient comes in to emergency room with toothache and terrible jaw pain. He has "trouble" talking and moving his jaw.

Energizer Bunny

A frequent visitor comes into the ER with her latest attempt for pain medications, complaining that she is dying of pain.

Casper the Unfriendly Ghost

We had a female patient that presented in the ER with palms that she thought looked weird.

Manual Labor isn’t for Everyone

We had a male patient come in with a bandage on his hand and a shirt covered in sweat and dirt. Turns out, he had been outside digging a hole in his yard without any work gloves on.

Cough One Up to Overprotective Parents

We had an ambulance bring in a child with a "bad" cough.