The emergency room is not for sniffles.

Published on April 8, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

I'm faced with having to go to the ER again today. I still haven't got rid of this stone, and I'm running a fever...they told me if that happened I was supposed to go in, and because there's no clinic today, the ER is the only place to go.

Every time I go in there, I see people who really have no business being there. People who bring their kids in because they have runny noses. People who have hangnails that they want clipped because they are "bothering" them (don't laugh, that really happened). I've seen people bring their children in because they're "not feeling well" and commence to feed them Burger King in the waiting room whilst the child is running around like a dervish. Yeha, they're not feeling well alright.

The last time I was there I asked the doctor if that didn't bother him. He said that that kind of stuff was the bulk of their work...that if people like that would understand that that kind of stuff really could wait until the next duty day, the rest of us with a genuine need to be seen would have our wait time drastically reduced.

I feel bad for possibly having to go over there today....I feel like I'm not really an emergency case. However, when I talked to my doc yesterday, he said that if I got an infection on top of a stone, and left things too long....that I could lose a kidney.

I think that qualifies as 'emergent'.

Comments (Page 1)

Harumph

on Apr 08, 2005

I work in a medical clinic, and the term "Emergent" is something that most people understand, they just choose to ignore.

Harumph

on Apr 08, 2005

I work in a medical clinic, and the term "Emergent" is something that most people understand, they just choose to ignore.

JillUser

on Apr 08, 2005

Your case is emergent for sure! I know what you mean about all the nonemergent cases at the ER though. I wish they could all know the pain of what 2hrs with gall bladder attacks because every Tom, Dick and Harry in town was there because they "didn't feel well". I honestly wanted to die when I was having gall bladder attacks (ended up getting emergency surgery).

If you have something obviously emergent like spewing blood or bones protruding, they will get you right through, but if you have something internal, you could very well practically die waiting. Heck, I've heard of people with heart problems do just that. Because of the ambiguity of heart symptoms with women, I highly support them going to the Dr when they "don't feel right".

Boy I hope they get this thing out for you and get you over your fever. So sorry you had to go through it. Best wishes and hugs to keep you company in the waiting room

ParaTed2k

on Apr 08, 2005

Oh the stories and memories you conjure up in my mind Dharma!! In fact, if you don't mind, I think my article for today just might have something to do with this. I have posted an article or too based on non emergent "emergencies", but with your article as inspiration, it just might be time for another.... on second thought, I'll just link to one I did before.. call me lazy!!... ;~D

"Dialing 9/11 For Dummies": http://parated2k.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=59043

Either way, pass that sucker soon!!!

Myrrander

on Apr 08, 2005

For people with no medical insurance, the ER is sometimes the only doctor they can see. Poor people get sick, too. I think you're being a tad unfair.

BlueDev

on Apr 08, 2005

People really need to try to educate themselves as to basic principles of their own health. If they would only do that (with the host of free resources available to anyone with or without insurance), the load on the ER would be dramatically reduced.

If people would avail themselves of the host of free (for both insured and uninsured) nurse help lines before they actually come to the ER (and will now absolutely be seen and create quite the hold-up in the system), the load on the ER would be dramatically reduced.

It is astounding the number of people I have seen who seem to think that their child who was running a fever all day long, suddenly needs to come to the ER at 10:00 that night (when the very best thing that child could be doing is sleeping). I understand many of them work during the day and cannot take the time off to go to the doctor then, but a simple call to the ER, a description of the symptoms to a nurse could alleviate much of this stress on the system.

MarcieMoo

on Apr 08, 2005

I grew up in a small town with a teeny Catholic hospital with no trauma or resources for more difficult cases--like heart attacks, strokes, major car accidents, etc..

So when I get to Vegas and I hear that ambulances are parked outside of the ER like limosuines waiting to drop patients off...it totally terrifies me. Car accidents are a dime a dozen down here...what if I'm in one and need to be seen immediately? It's probably not going to happen.

For people with no medical insurance, the ER is sometimes the only doctor they can see. Poor people get sick, too. I think you're being a tad unfair.

Yes...that's true...and the drs. in the ER are under legal obligation to see them, and that's great...because people who can't afford insurance deserve medical care, too.

On the other hand...just about EVERY community in America has some sort of health resource for those with little or no income. I know doctors in my tiny hometown that won't charge a patient if they can't pay, and just an hour away in Fargo, ND, there is a clinic that will charge you based on your wages--meaning if you don't have any wages you won't get charged. And those places probably have even less of a wait time than the ER. Lots of people living in poverty don't know how to tap into those resources is another excuse I hear alot...and all one would have to do is call the county health and human services office to find out about that stuff or just open up the phone book....

Reiki-House

on Apr 08, 2005

Bravo for this post. Though we have free health care here, we also have long llllloooonnnnngggg waits at the ER. They do it on a priority basis. Even so, when I and my pregnaat wife went to the emergency, along with the usual runny nose people was a lady who was holding a rag to her bloody head for at least 1 1/2 hours.

ParaTed2k

on Apr 08, 2005

For people with no medical insurance, the ER is sometimes the only doctor they can see. Poor people get sick, too. I think you're being a tad unfair.

Another lie from the left! Those medicaid and medicare cards used at the ER (and ambulance) work at any clinic that accepts them. The fact is any clinic that accepts medicaid and medicare must accept ANY patient, regardless of the ability to pay.

I've offered to take unemployed patients to clinics instead of the ER, they usually refused.

BlueDev

on Apr 08, 2005

Spot on Ted. Saying the ER is the only option is just lazy and untrue.

Myrrander

on Apr 08, 2005

Those medicaid and medicare cards used at the ER (and ambulance) work at any clinic that accepts them.

Ah yes, everyone has medicaid and medicare. I had forgotten. I forgot we had universal health care in this country.

BlueDev

on Apr 08, 2005

Convenient how you ignored this part of Ted's reply, isn't it:

The fact is any clinic that accepts medicaid and medicare must accept ANY patient, regardless of the ability to pay.

If the clinic accepts Medicare and Medicaid patients they cannot turn anyone away who legitimately needs to be seen. No one. Whether they have Medicare or Medicaid or nothing. The clinic will lose their federal funding the second they do that.

ParaTed2k

on Apr 08, 2005

Ah yes, everyone has medicaid and medicare. I had forgotten. I forgot we had universal health care in this country.

I wonder Myrrander, would you accept that kind of selective attention from a student? Apparently you just couldn't get yourself to notice the part of my lengthy and ever so wordy reply that went...

The fact is any clinic that accepts medicaid and medicare must accept ANY patient, regardless of the ability to pay.

Of course, you do serve a purpose... You are a great example of why teachers should be required periodic retesting. ;~D

ParaTed2k

on Apr 08, 2005

Wow BlueDev... Sick minds do think alike!! ;~D

dharmagrl

on Apr 08, 2005

I work in a medical clinic, and the term "Emergent" is something that most people understand, they just choose to ignore

yes, I know!

I wish they could all know the pain of what 2hrs with gall bladder attacks because every Tom, Dick and Harry in town was there because they "didn't feel well". I honestly wanted to die when I was having gall bladder attacks (ended up getting emergency surgery).

I had mine removed too, so I know all too well that that feels like. It sucks....I had mine emergently removed too because it almost ruptured.

Oh the stories and memories you conjure up in my mind Dharma!!

Oh, I can imagine!

For people with no medical insurance, the ER is sometimes the only doctor they can see

Not in this case. This is a military medical facility. You have to have an ID card to be seen, meaning you have free medical care available to you on a routine basis. I'm sorry if you think I'm being unfair...but I think it's unfair that people like me, who have a genuine medical problem, have our treatment and care delayed by people who should have been seen in the family practice clinic.

I was talking to the med tech about that this morning. The wait time in the ER was over 2 hrs today...I got triaged and seen almost immediately, much to the chagrin of the lady who checked in before me with her child who had a sore throat....but not to sore that she coulnd't eat an egg McMuffin and sing along to Dora The Explorer at the top of her voice.

And those places probably have even less of a wait time than the ER

The family practice clinc will see people on a walk-in basis. Yes, you're going to have to wait, but it's a damn sight quicker than the ER.

Bravo for this post. Though we have free health care here, we also have long llllloooonnnnngggg waits at the ER. They do it on a priority basis.

As does my homeland, England. There you can wait for over 12 hours to be seen, and people regularly die waiting for treatment.

Ah yes, everyone has medicaid and medicare. I had forgotten. I forgot we had universal health care in this country.

No, we don't. However, there are facilities that cannot refuse people treatment, and they're not all emergency rooms.

If the clinic accepts Medicare and Medicaid patients they cannot turn anyone away who legitimately needs to be seen. No one.

Exactly.

You are a great example of why teachers should be required periodic retesting.

Ted...you know I love you, so know that I say this with love: no name calling or insinuating on my thread, please. No-one gets to do that, not even the people I detest.

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