No matter what you think, coming to the ED in an ambulance does not mean that you get to STAY in the ED and not go outside to register and wait your turn.
The ambulance is not a taxi.
The ambulance is not a free pass.
Just because you picked up the phone and called 911 and they came and got you and they brought you to the ED does not mean that you are having an emergency.
Who decides if you're having an emergency? That's right. ME.
Just because you were here two days ago for your 99-degree fever and slight cough does not mean that you get to be ahead of all the people with 101 fevers and coughs who have been waiting three hours to be seen. You're no sicker now than you were then.
Lying down on the floor (EW! do you KNOW what has been on the floor before you lay there?) is NOT going to get you my sympathy. In fact, what it will get is a doctor hovering over you, telling you to get up, you're fine, and then two security guards to escort you to the waiting room.
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15 comments:
Well crap. Now how am I supposed to feel speshul?
Nah, the medics already decided it wasn't an emergency. I always took some solace in clearly pointing out that I was going to park them in the waiting room, and frequently didn't even hit up the Ambulance entrance. Just hit the drive through and dropped off.....
Nothing wrong with taking the stretcher/wheelchair/or just walking the patient right into the waiting room, having the patient sit in a chair just like everyone else and having them triaged according to the seriousness of their condition.
Agree. Amazing the waste of ambulance time by lonely LOLNADS or chronic pain patients, who think it will get them some faster attention.
Up in the Frozen Northland, our waiting room is often empty, so people DO get to "go straight back"...but all that means is that we park your ass in a ROOM where you wait until the nurses are good and ready to deal with your non-emergent problem! :-D
People often look at you agast when you tell them they can go to the waiting room. "BUT I CAME IN AN AMBULANCE!!!"
I've been telling my 'not-really-sick' patients this before we hit the road for years. Amazingly enough none of them believe me until we hit the ambulance entrance and I wave at the charge nurse as we go by they desk into triage. Then they get upset....
Haha. Whenever I hear the words "ambulance to triage" overhead, I feel so much joy. Served!
Amazingly, even people who have tried this before, try it again. Can't fix stupid I guess.
And now, faking a seizure does NOT improve the odds. At best, you get dirty clothes to sit in, at worst you have the EMS crews hold up index cards with scores on them.
Low scores.
It's even funnier when they call our service and an ambulette or wheelchair van picks them up. THEN we get to tell them it's not a "free ride" as insurance doesn't cover that kind of service;)
God, this happens ALL the time at my fire department!
We get called out on some BS medical run: nausea, flu-like symptoms, mild fever, etc.
And we explain to them that going by ambulance to the emergency department WILL NOT get them seen by a doc any quicker, because there’s someone there called a TRIAGE NURSE, who will sort their sorry-ass right out to the waiting room!
Typically we have to weave our way past a maze of personal vehicles parked in the driveway—it never occurred to them to get in one and drive themselves to the clinic.
And, oh, yes, they wait until 3 a.m. to call.
I figure you nurses must hate us, but because of liability issues the department makes us transport them.
OK, this is kind of funny - once, about 20 years ago, I had an asthma attack (I thought it was pretty bad) and called 911. They whisked me off off to the extremely busy local ER, where the triage nurse took one look at me and had me dumped off in the lobby. Huh. Guess my asthma attack wasn't that bad after all.....needless to say, I never did that again.
How about the one who goes to the counter and scream that you're discriminating against him/her by making them wait longer?
;-)
Ahhhhh.....A attitude after my own heart! LOVE THAT!
http://prisonpages.blogspot.com
Can we get this in writing for the front of our units? I'm tired of trying to convince people I'm not lazy or lying to them...
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