Despite going all the way to see a medical specialist, many people will then thank them for their time, take out their prescription and then not use the meds. As it turns out, when it comes to health and just doing what doctors tell people to do, people are a lot less consistent than one might imagine.
Someone asked “Nurses/Doctors of the ER, what are some crazy behaviors patients do that are more common than we realize?” and medical workers detailed their best examples. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own examples and stories in the comments section down below.
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#1
They truly believe not being able to eat for 24 hours is unacceptable and will forego tests that could save their life, or at least lead to successful treatment. Connected to this is the number of patients who confide in me that they ate before an operation but, “Don’t tell the doctor”. I’m going to tell the doctor.
Image credits: Pistalrose
#2
There is a saying that if you don’t want to explain to nurse how it happened you probably shouldn’t do it. That being said, if you do need to explain to a nurse how it happened, tell the truth, because it is much harder to help if you lie.
Image credits: Murka-Lurka
#3
The ammount of people who stop taking a medicaton and are suprised when the symptoms return…especially when it’s their own kid.
Image credits: microbiome22
#4
Thanking god/jesus for saving people and not the actual doctors or nurses.
Image credits: rubber1duckie
#5
I’m not a doc, but I just got out of the hospital after 5 days. The nurses and techs were lovely and helpful. But the rest of the patients and families on my side of the floor were atrocious.
The lady across the hall kept pushing the call button whenever she needed anything like a straw or new pair of socks because these were too slouchy or someone to figure out where the next episode of Duck Dynasty was on the TV.
The person in the room next to me literally called in his entire family to come visit him so they could try and take turns to get the food staff to bring them meals for free.
At one point on my last day, the very nice tech comes into my room and shut the door and I asked her what was up and she just said: I just need a few minutes away from those people and you’re the only nice one.
That’s awful. It’s awful that they treat these people this way. Just trying to do their jobs. I’m not sure we’ll have medical staff in 10 years if this keeps up.
Image credits: KATinWOLF
#6
Being sexually inappropriate with younger female staff. Being racist toward staff of color. Being physically violent toward staff. Nurses bear the brunt of most of this.
Image credits: casapantalones
#7
Hallucinating is more common than you think. Dehydration alone can cause hallucinations.
Image credits: SR-Neptune
#8
Somehow trying to threaten me by refusing treatment. You’re the sick person, not me.
That and the fact that some people don’t seem to understand that acting rude/belligerent/condescending/violent will not get you better care.
Image credits: talashrrg
#9
I’m an ICU/recovery room nurse but it is absolutely mind-blowing how so many people live. Cockroaches in their home cpap machines, lice so severe they have to cancel the surgery because they keep contaminating the sterile field, toe nails curled like talons and folds that are macerated/breaking down. And you talk to the patient and they’re totally kind and appropriate people with families. I think it’s a huge sign of our lack of appropriate mental health care and health education in this country. So many people live a life neglecting their physical bodies and it’s so sad.
Image credits: Peanip
#10
Keeping their loved ones alive but with no quality of life because they feel guilty they didn’t spend enough time with them/don’t want to make the call to change goals of care. Worse if they refuse pain medication on the patients behalf….
Image credits: camithecamel
#11
ER doctor here (board certified, practicing full time in California) — mention this on Reddit and the /r/trees enthusiasts will downvote you faster than you can blink, but marijuana actually does have a lot of side effects.
One particular marijuana complication we’ve begun to see way more of since legalization (which I support, for the record) is something called Cannibinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome.
To put it simply, chronic users (especially heavier and/or daily users) are at increased risk for developing a syndrome characterized by shockingly severe abdominal pain and vomiting that is very resistant to IV nausea and pain medications. You’ll pump these people full of multiple nausea meds, numerous doses of morphine or other narcotics, and they’ll still be projectile vomiting and miserable.
Over the years we’ve found that the best treatment for it is actually an intramuscular shot of an antipsychotic medicine called Haldol (haloperidol). Another trick is to use actual clinically formulated capsaicin cream (the active ingredient in peppers that brings the heat) all over the abdomen. Neither of these work well in any other kind of abdominal pain but it’s virtually the only thing that works for CHS.
Unfortunately the only real treatment to prevent episodes is stopping the marijuana use. That, as you can imagine, is a tough pill to swallow for people who are daily users and in particular those who have projected their marijuana use as their entire personality.
Edit: also as many have said, hallucinations and paranoia. Can happen after years of well-tolerated use.
Image credits: Halefire
#12
The number of people who will cough directly on you, and not even attempt to cover their mouth or even turn their head.
Image credits: pun_princess
#13
Asking for imaging without an evaluation because their chiropractor told them to. Dude, if you want real medicine, you need to let me do real medicine. I’m not just going to order an MRI because some crackpot suggests it.
Image credits: Chiperoni
#14
Demanding tests/diagnostics for chronic illnesses or conditions when they’ve seen all the specialists in town already.
Ma’am, if GI has scoped all your holes, biopsied all your guts, and didn’t give you an answer, we are not going to be able to cure you today in the ED.
The medical specialty of the ER is EMERGENCY medicine. It even says it on the side of the building!
Image credits: kittlesnboots
#15
The amount of patients who think it’s on a first come first serve basis. No sir, your mother vomiting bile every 30 minutes with all vitals at a normal level does not take precedent over the fella we just figured is having a pulmonary embolism.
A lot of people don’t seem to realise that if we’re not rushing you through then that is a good thing! It means you’re stable and not suffering a life threatening illness at this time. People who get seen by doctors before you are obviously more in need! .
#16
Family members coming up to you while you’re IN AN EMERGENT PATIENT’S ROOM to request things. Had someone get angry with me for not getting their family member pain meds while i was with a stroke patient, others trying to ask for things while you’re actively coding someone across the hall. Please have some situational awareness y’all. If I am cracking open epis or on deck for compressions I am unavailable to grab another blanket.
#17
Substance dependency. It doesn’t discriminate. Rich people, poor people, nice people, mean people, people of all colors and health status.
Image credits: HomeDepotHotDog
#18
I will watch them walk into the ER unassisted, without difficulty, and talking. But as soon as I take them into the CT room they place possum and can’t walk, can’t move to the table, and can’t seem to talk to me coherently.
People expect to be pampered and coddled in the ER. Lately my most common used question is, “how do you get around when you’re not in the ER?” Then people realize I know they’re BS’ing me.
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Image credits: HighTurtles420