Here is an easy way to have a prolonged, unpleasant, and inconvenient ER stay.
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Call ahead, demand to speak with the doctor, and then yell and scream at her spewing out foul language.
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Arrive and become verbally abusive with the triage RN.
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Wait in a room, then yell at the PA that went in to see you, demanding to only see a doctor (for your chronic cellulitis which is more annoying than dangerous).
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Storm out of the room and yell at the RN in your zone, demanding to immediately see a doctor.
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Yell at the security guard posted at your door due to your abusive, potentially terroristic tone of voice.
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Grumble at the doctor who finally sees you because he says that the treatment you are already on is adequate for your condition.
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Threaten legal action at the hospital as you sulk out of the department.
And some people think death panels are a bad thing.
Also having an bullying family member with beer breath harassing the nurses as to when you’ll be seen is another sure fire way of getting put in the cast room (a.k.a no mans land) and your chart ending up at the bottom of the pile.
Sorry bud, you just became a CTAS 5.
If you have time to call ahead, it’s not much of an emergency, Being abusive never gets you anywhere, and of course threatening to sue people is a great way to make friends.
This person is a wonderful individual and is a great candidate for some kind of award. Possibly for “extreme douchebaggery”
I love the word “douchebaggery.”
Being kind, thoughtful and patient can get you all kinds of wonderful treatment.
Tiger, I disagree. My one and only trip to the ER we called ahead on our car’s bag-phone. True, I wasn’t dying in the next ten seconds but medical attention was needed before the doctor’s office opened the next morning. Screaming and yelling is definitely unnecessary but just because you have time to call ahead doesn’t mean it’s not worth a trip to the ER.
< Katie
@ Katie
This is true. I didn’t really give it all that much thought.
It still baffles me how someone can be so much trouble to medical staff and expect it to be helpful..
Berating staff always ensures the highest level of care and treatment:) 42 in our waiting room when I walked in last night and at least 3 acted the same way.
Berating staff loudly and endlessly while claiming you’re ’short of breath’ just makes you look like a sad silly little SOB.
…you left out the parts about yelling that “I am a lawyer and I will sue every ONE of you!’ and my personal favorite, calling “911″ FROM the ED waiting room!!!!!
[...] honor of Patty, RN’s comment from this recent ER Stories post … Woman upset because she didn’t get “necessary procedure” in ED, cusses [...]