|
Post by mcscrapper on Mar 30, 2016 4:44:27 GMT
For the LOVE....please don't ever say, "It sure is quiet in here today," while sitting in the ER. You are also not allowed to say, "Y'all look kinda slow for a Friday." We are never, EVER slow in the ER. Ever.
"You just need to go ahead and call the IV team. No one can ever get an IV on me." Dude! I AM the IV team. If I can't get it in your arm on the first shot, I'm going for your neck. Now zip it and remember, *I* get to chose the needle size.
"What is taking so long? I've seen X amount of people go back before me and I know I'm sicker than they are." Me thinking: Oh really? And where did you go to medical school? What I actually say: "Sir, I cannot discuss other patients' medical histories with you or why he is here. The fact that you aren't being rushed back means you aren't dying."
"I haven't eaten in six days." Blood sugar reads 350.
"My pain is a 10/10" while pt is texting and walking back and forth to the vending machines, or outside to smoke, and drove themselves to the hospital. Want to really make an ER nurse mad? Tell 'em your pain is a "20"
Just don't ever say "quiet, slow, or not busy" while in the ED. Baaaaaadddd juju.
**EDIT** In my comment about IVs...I mean to include, "At least let me try before assuming I'm not going to get you on the first try." I usually DO get those harder sticks on the first try, I might add.
meredith
|
|
theshyone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,422
Jun 26, 2014 12:50:12 GMT
|
Post by theshyone on Mar 30, 2016 4:50:47 GMT
I told my lab tech I was a bad blood draw please use a butterfly. Close my eyes and pretend I'm anywhere else. After three sticks said lab tech says, I guess I'll try a butterfly. Grrr.
|
|
The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,340
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
|
Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Mar 30, 2016 4:51:19 GMT
I am sure you have heard and seen some doozy's!!!!!
|
|
TheOtherMeg
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,541
Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
|
Post by TheOtherMeg on Mar 30, 2016 4:54:40 GMT
I told my lab tech I was a bad blood draw please use a butterfly. Close my eyes and pretend I'm anywhere else. After three sticks said lab tech says, I guess I'll try a butterfly. Grrr. I, too, am a bad stick. I hate even mentioning it because it seems like many phlebotomists take the comment as a thrown gauntlet. I screwed either way.
|
|
|
Post by scrapsuzy on Mar 30, 2016 4:56:17 GMT
I work in the ER, and agree with you on these.
But, at the same time, I am a terrible stick and have had too many times where the nurse was confident that she could for sure get it, no matter what I said. And then she doesn't. Now I request one of the medics to do it, because those are the folks that can get an IV in while a patient is hanging upside down from a tree, or while they are speeding 90mps down the interstate. I have NEVER had a medic take more than once, even with a larger needle. I don't care what size is used if a medic is doing it (and my favorite medic actually prefers to use an 18!,) but anyone else, yes, I'm going to ask for a smaller needle.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 20:51:44 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 5:04:36 GMT
If I can't get it in your arm on the first shot, I'm going for your neck. Now zip it and remember, *I* get to chose the needle size. Anything medical related terrifies me to no end. Needles are especially terrifying. While I get that medical personnel are very good at knowing their stuff, they can't even begin to understand my fear or how their attitude towards me affects it. The approach above would have me avoiding seeking further care for sure. L
|
|
|
Post by justkat on Mar 30, 2016 5:07:10 GMT
As a physician I agree with you on the ER/ED stuff. We get an idiot who makes one of these comments about how quiet it is and you can hear everyone gasp. That's the night we'll have 3 mass casualties and multiple GSWs from the brand new gang war that just started.
I hate when patients tell me they have a years worth of vitals in a spreadsheet they've created from their Fitbit. Uumm ok what the hell am I supposed to do with this?! And why do you have it?
Another is telling me your pain is a 10. Really? A 10? It's not that I'm skeptical but when you went outside to smoke and then went to the vending machine 6 times it really didn't look like a 10.
When I did a peds rotation: I had one woman come in for a well baby check. I explained to her nicely that she shouldn't give her baby chocolate milk (could see the bottle). She laughed and said "oh no that's silly I'd never do that. This (holding up bottle) is coffee with lots of milk. He really likes it".
Telling me I'm too young/too pretty/boobs too big/smell too good etc etc to be a doctor.
Telling me your sexy nurse/sexy doctor fantasy as I'm trying to examine you. And yes it's happened more than once. (sigh)
Telling me you don't need follow up to remove stitches or a cast because you can do it yourself. Yeah, no you can't. Well ok yes technically you can but you shouldn't. I can use a blowtorch to light a match but should I? I can remove a sore tooth with a rusty pair of pliers but should I?
|
|
|
Post by tinydogmafia on Mar 30, 2016 5:32:06 GMT
Oh yes... as a nurse when someone says it's quiet, I immediately want to run and hide because I know the shit storm is coming. When you're texting on your phone and dragging your IV pole outside to smoke I have hard time believing your pain is 10/10, but I have to take your word for it. When someone says they are allergic to tylenol but ask for percocet, I had a good laugh to myself. I try not to let people who say they are a hard stick get to me. Anyone can be a hard stick, but it's the people who go on and on and when you're done ask when you're going to stick them that make me laugh. I was done 3 minutes ago and you didn't even notice.
|
|
|
Post by manda on Mar 30, 2016 8:41:01 GMT
I work in the ER, and agree with you on these. But, at the same time, I am a terrible stick and have had too many times where the nurse was confident that she could for sure get it, no matter what I said. And then she doesn't. Now I request one of the medics to do it, because those are the folks that can get an IV in while a patient is hanging upside down from a tree, or while they are speeding 90mps down the interstate. I have NEVER had a medic take more than once, even with a larger needle. I don't care what size is used if a medic is doing it (and my favorite medic actually prefers to use an 18!,) but anyone else, yes, I'm going to ask for a smaller needle. When I was in an ambulance completely out of it, neither medic could stick me for the IV while the ambulance was moving so they actually pulled over on the way to the hospital to try and still couldn't. It took the ER a couple tries too but I was in bad shape I guess. Besides that traumatic experience, I had another one years ago where three different techs tried to draw blood before one used a butterfly needle.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 20:51:44 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 12:44:22 GMT
"I read on Google..."
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 20:51:44 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 13:11:19 GMT
For the LOVE....please don't ever say, "It sure is quiet in here today," while sitting in the ER. You are also not allowed to say, "Y'all look kinda slow for a Friday." We are never, EVER slow in the ER. Ever. "You just need to go ahead and call the IV team. No one can ever get an IV on me." Dude! I AM the IV team. If I can't get it in your arm on the first shot, I'm going for your neck. Now zip it and remember, *I* get to chose the needle size. "What is taking so long? I've seen X amount of people go back before me and I know I'm sicker than they are." Me thinking: Oh really? And where did you go to medical school? What I actually say: "Sir, I cannot discuss other patients' medical histories with you or why he is here. The fact that you aren't being rushed back means you aren't dying." "I haven't eaten in six days." Blood sugar reads 350. "My pain is a 10/10" while pt is texting and walking back and forth to the vending machines, or outside to smoke, and drove themselves to the hospital. Want to really make an ER nurse mad? Tell 'em your pain is a "20" Just don't ever say "quiet, slow, or not busy" while in the ED. Baaaaaadddd juju. meredith I so feel your pain! Even now, after not being an ED nurse for many years, I still get nervous whenever I see a full moon and thank my lucky stars that I now have a much less stressful day job!
|
|
|
Post by MorellisCupcake on Mar 30, 2016 13:21:31 GMT
Telling me you don't need follow up to remove stitches or a cast because you can do it yourself. Yeah, no you can't. Well ok yes technically you can but you shouldn't. I can use a blowtorch to light a match but should I? I can remove a sore tooth with a rusty pair of pliers but should I? I'm not an MD, but I work in a surgical office. When you remove your own stitches, because you think it's time, and then run into problems, it is not our fault. When the doctor says to come back for 4 week post op follow up, and the clinic time happens to be 4 weeks and 3 days, I'm not trying to screw up your care. Surgeons do not see people 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. Trust me, I want the best for you and am fitting you in where you need to be - screaming at me won't help. And this one.. stop calling me because the patient portal isn't updated for OTHER offices. I am not tech support.
|
|
scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
|
Post by scrapaddie on Mar 30, 2016 13:48:27 GMT
For the record, I Will happily admit that nurses love my veins! They are very easy to stick! ( just sayin because so many people have reported that they are bad sticks, I thought at least one should say they have easy veins )
|
|
|
Post by brina on Mar 30, 2016 14:48:50 GMT
"What is taking so long? I've seen X amount of people go back before me and I know I'm sicker than they are." Me thinking: Oh really? And where did you go to medical school? What I actually say: "Sir, I cannot discuss other patients' medical histories with you or why he is here. The fact that you aren't being rushed back means you aren't dying." meredith Before my daughter had her CHD repaired we had to take her to the ER. She was wheezing. She was almost 2 years old, recently adopted and had a defect that would have been repaired by the time she was 6 months old had she been born in the US. She was in the waiting room, smiling, waving at people and scribbling on a piece of paper. When they called her back after only about 15 minutes I am sure there were a lot of pissed off people wondering why that happy child was called before them.
|
|
|
Post by jenjie on Mar 30, 2016 14:59:50 GMT
I did say that to our oncologist regarding weird symptoms dh was having late in the game. We had already established a rapport after working together a few months. He of course wasn't thrilled. I said "I know but please hear me out..." MIL had dh taking an extremely high dose of vitamin D. After I shared what Dr. Google had to say, the doctor's reply was "I really hope that's the explanation" and had him reduce the amount. Sadly it wasn't the reason for his strange symptoms. But I appreciated that the doctor was willing to consider and discuss.
|
|
|
Post by pastlifepea on Mar 30, 2016 15:00:00 GMT
Getting called in at 3am to do a STAT ultrasound on an ER patient. Asking patient, "So, how long have you had this problem?" Patient replies, "2 years." Two years??? And you just decided to come up to the ER at 1am tonite? And no, this was not a GB attack, anything life threatening, or appearing to cause the patient extreme pain.
|
|
|
Post by gryroagain on Mar 30, 2016 15:03:02 GMT
I have totally awesome veins! Well, they are sort of gross actually, big and visible, but easy peasy for IVs and blood draws and all that. At combat medic school I let everyone practice IVs on me because it was easy, and I never bruise. Some of the poor soldiers were covered in bruises trying so it seemed like a good idea. FYI, if you get a whole bunch of IVs, even not the whole bag, you really, really, really, REALLY have to pee. A lot. The most ever.
I doubt anyone here needs this PSA but now you know anyway, and vein talk made me think of it!
|
|
Nink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,955
Location: North Idaho
Jul 1, 2014 23:30:44 GMT
|
Post by Nink on Mar 30, 2016 15:23:20 GMT
Go to call a patient and they get up with three young children in tow. "We'll be doing an X-ray, they can't be in the room with you. Do you have someone who can watch them"
"No, but they'll be fine in the room"
"We're not bringing them in the room. If you don't have someone who can watch them, you'll have to come back alone another day"
"Can't someone here watch them?"
No lady, we can't! We're all busy doing our jobs and none of us want the liability of watching your kids. If you're having an extended radiology test, don't bring your kids.
|
|
|
Post by monklady123 on Mar 30, 2016 15:35:38 GMT
I agree with everything you wrote, except for the part about the IVs. I've had chemo and now everyone has trouble drawing blood from me, so you'd better believe that I'm going to mention that and also mention that smaller is better (needle-wise). As for the "it's awfully quiet in here tonight" comment.... I know it's just a superstition but seriously I've seen its effects in real life. I was on call one night and called to the ER for someone. A family member said how quiet it was and ten minutes later there was a multi-car accident on the interstate right down the road. Another time a brand new chaplain said it, and boom an ambulance arrived witha heart attack and suddenly the waiting room filled up. I felt responsible for that one because I was the one showing that new chaplain around. oy. -- You'll never get me to admit that those were just coincidences.
|
|
mlana
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,523
Jun 27, 2014 19:58:15 GMT
|
Post by mlana on Mar 30, 2016 16:00:47 GMT
You might be the IV team, but I am the owner of this body and I am going to tell you something even if you might find insulting if it might spare me some pain. It would never occur to me that a medical professional would retaliate to receiving such information by deliberately choosing a tool that would cause unnecessary pain.I don't hesitate to tell a nurse or phlebotomist that I have bad veins with a tendency to roll. I also don't allow the same person to stick me more than 3 times. If you can't get the vein, and keep it, in 3 tries, you're out; call in the relief vampire. I came to this conclusion after a phlebotomist stuck me 14 times while I was in labor and never got a usable vein. My OB ran him off when he came in and saw me crying with band aids all over me.
My DH is needle phobic and getting a simple blood draw can be hell for him. I can not tell you the number of times I have said to the person coming in to draw blood that he is needle phobic, please keep the needles covered and don't discuss them with him only to have that person decide that they have the right to demand that he get over it or that he look at how TINY the needle is or that he know that they are "going to stick him until the job is done." No, you're not - his body, he decides when you stop.
There are many reasons that I love Kaiser, but their sensitivity training for their phlebotomists is definitely one of them. Kaiser has DH's file flagged for his needle phobia. When he goes in to have blood drawn, they have all the needles covered and they ask him if there is anything they can do to make this easier for him - would he like to lie down, stand up, face away from them - whatever works for him they are willing to do. No one touches him until he puts his arm out, no grabbing his hand and pulling on him. They ask if he wants to know when they're going to "begin" , i.e. stick him, or if he prefers they just do it quietly. His favorite lady told him to breathe out as she began and it would confuse his nerves and lessen his body's response. True or not, he believes it and it gives him a measure of control during the process. Before his stroke, I had to almost wrestle him down to get him in the car to go get blood drawn; since his stroke, he will go to one of the 2 Kaiser facilities we frequent for a blood draw ON HIS OWN with no arguing.
My mom was the intake person for my home town's ER for several years. She said she could not believe the number of people who used the ER as a dr's office. The hospital opened a clinic and the ER nurses were told to direct patients towards the clinic if the initial interview showed the illness was not an emergency. The clinic had a fee upfront and the ER didn't, so many patients would refuse to go to the clinic. The nurses were told they were to call security when that happened. When news of this new policy got around, people who couldn't afford the clinic fee just started waiting until the clinic closed at 2 am to go into the ER.
Marcy
|
|
|
Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Mar 30, 2016 16:05:40 GMT
It would never occur to me that a medical professional would retaliate to receiving such information by deliberately choosing a tool that would cause unnecessary pain. Me either. That truly frightens me. What happened to "Do no harm"?
|
|
|
Post by pelirroja on Mar 30, 2016 16:41:47 GMT
"Dr. Oz says . . ."
|
|
TheOtherMeg
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,541
Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
|
Post by TheOtherMeg on Mar 30, 2016 17:15:10 GMT
I honestly don't think it's "retaliation" so much as a "We're forging on because I know what I'm doing!" attitude.
|
|
|
Post by mamatoa on Mar 30, 2016 17:17:52 GMT
You know what I hate the most is when I medicate a patient and one of her her visitors says "hey can I get some of that". I know they are just trying to be cute and I always respond with a polite smile, but it drives me bananas.
I panic when a patient says they think something bad is about to happen to them or when they say they think they are going to die. They are often correct.
In OB, I hate it when parents want their free car seat. There is no free car seat people and I would love to just smack whoever is passing that rumor around town.
|
|
|
Post by malibou on Mar 30, 2016 17:36:54 GMT
I got pregnant at 36. Until that time I had never really been sick and had seen very few Drs. I had had blood drawn a handful of times. They always looked to my right arm first, but no one has ever founding anything to stick, so it's off to my left arm where I have a nice vein, that is small, but willing.
I did not pass the glucose test while pregnant and had to do the 5 hour test that is a total 6 sticks. I am not bothered by needles. Holy cats, I apparently only have one decent vein. Lol I ended up cycling thru 7 phlebotomist for a grand total of 32 sticks. By the time I came out of there I had bandaids every where. Oh, and I had a borderline case of gestational diabetes that I controlled with diet.
A year later I was diagnosed with cancer. Blood work galore! And then chemo and on and on. I feel so lucky that I had loads of wonderful phlebotomist and nurses. They always listened to me and seldom did they ever have to go at me a second time. I reserve my left arm for blood and only blood. I let them put chemo in my hands and IV goes in my right forearm. They always thanked me for the info and no one ever tried to do something other than what I recommended. I assumed they figured after all that I had been thru, that I knew my body pretty well. I truly hope now I didn't misread that and they were all eyerolling me the whole time. Lol
J
|
|
|
Post by lisacharlotte on Mar 30, 2016 17:44:07 GMT
I'm a bad stick. I always warn them so they're prepared. They never believe until they're tapping and moving and I'm clenching and sighing. If you can't get it in 2 tries I'm not giving you a 3rd. When I had a port for chemo they couldn't get a blood draw out of it. Some idiot decided to try and access a vein. Ouch and blew it out. Asshole.
|
|
|
Post by jovifan on Mar 30, 2016 17:45:29 GMT
I am an xray tech. I went to school and learned everrrrrrything there is to know about xray. We are taught how to do certain views on every body part and what to look for on the xray with those views.
PLEASE do not ask me why I am not taking an xray, and then hold your body part in a certain position. If a doctor orders an xray, we do set views put together by the radiologists who read the xrays. It doesn't matter where your pain is. You get the same pictures as the other guy or girl. There are reasons we do the positions we do.
|
|
|
Post by hop2 on Mar 30, 2016 17:55:53 GMT
"What is taking so long? I've seen X amount of people go back before me and I know I'm sicker than they are." Me thinking: Oh really? And where did you go to medical school? What I actually say: "Sir, I cannot discuss other patients' medical histories with you or why he is here. The fact that you aren't being rushed back means you aren't dying." meredith Before my daughter had her CHD repaired we had to take her to the ER. She was wheezing. She was almost 2 years old, recently adopted and had a defect that would have been repaired by the time she was 6 months old had she been born in the US. She was in the waiting room, smiling, waving at people and scribbling on a piece of paper. When they called her back after only about 15 minutes I am sure there were a lot of pissed off people wondering why that happy child was called before them. Yea some people just smile thru everything no matter.
|
|
|
Post by mcscrapper on Mar 30, 2016 18:32:40 GMT
For the LOVE....please don't ever say, "It sure is quiet in here today," while sitting in the ER. You are also not allowed to say, "Y'all look kinda slow for a Friday." We are never, EVER slow in the ER. Ever. "You just need to go ahead and call the IV team. No one can ever get an IV on me." Dude! I AM the IV team. If I can't get it in your arm on the first shot, I'm going for your neck. Now zip it and remember, *I* get to chose the needle size. "What is taking so long? I've seen X amount of people go back before me and I know I'm sicker than they are." Me thinking: Oh really? And where did you go to medical school? What I actually say: "Sir, I cannot discuss other patients' medical histories with you or why he is here. The fact that you aren't being rushed back means you aren't dying." "I haven't eaten in six days." Blood sugar reads 350. "My pain is a 10/10" while pt is texting and walking back and forth to the vending machines, or outside to smoke, and drove themselves to the hospital. Want to really make an ER nurse mad? Tell 'em your pain is a "20" Just don't ever say "quiet, slow, or not busy" while in the ED. Baaaaaadddd juju. meredith I so feel your pain! Even now, after not being an ED nurse for many years, I still get nervous whenever I see a full moon and thank my lucky stars that I now have a much less stressful day job! OMG!!! The full moon the other night? Black cloud, shit magnet, horrible day. We had about 24 inpatient holds in our ER, we started our shift at 0645 with a level 1 trauma, we had two heart alerts, one stroke alert, by 10am, then a pt in 4pt restraints, and ended with a level 1 trauma at 1835. That was just ONE of our pods with 12 beds. I don't even know what happened in our other 75 beds. m
|
|
|
Post by monklady123 on Mar 30, 2016 18:40:22 GMT
I'm a bad stick. I always warn them so they're prepared. They never believe until they're tapping and moving and I'm clenching and sighing. If you can't get it in 2 tries I'm not giving you a 3rd. When I had a port for chemo they couldn't get a blood draw out of it. Some idiot decided to try and access a vein. Ouch and blew it out. Asshole. Yep, two tries is about it. -- Although when I was having my chemo and had to go get blood work done every time I turned around I asked for this one guy, no one else. He was a miracle worker and could coax blood from my very-reluctant veins. I always called ahead to be sure he was working that day. This was at a teaching hospital and one time the receptionist asked if I minded that a student would be there. I said "of course not, I don't mind anyone watching". She replied "Oh I mean the students are doing the blood draws today." Um, no. I said "nope, he/she can observe, but only my guy gets to stick me."
|
|