Are all ER patients nuts?

[ToxicFugu]

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Ok, so this is gonna sound terrible. But don't normal people ever come into the ER? I've been reading the "things i learned in the ER" thread (which is hillarious, by the way), and it seems that EM people treat more uncooperative drug addicts than normal people who are hurt/ill due to something other than their own negligence. How many of your patients end up coming back to the ER because they don't care about their own health and do something stupid? How much of your time and energy is being used to treat these people? Don't get me wrong, I would never propose that health care be allocated only to people who I deem "worthy" of it. It's just that...do you ever feel that your time and effort is being wasted on loons? Give me a ratio. 60%normal/40%crazy?? more? less?

 

[Sessamoid]

Ok, so this is gonna sound terrible. But don't normal people ever come into the ER?

Yes, but not often.

How many of your patients end up coming back to the ER because they don't care about their own health and do something stupid?

Most of them. It's equal parts frustrating and entertaining.

It's just that...do you ever feel that your time and effort is being wasted on loons?

Sometimes, but I felt that way much more about financial analysis before I went into medicine, so it's an improvement.

 

[Seaglass]

I'd say it's like 70% sick (to some small degree) and 30% nuts, but like Sess said, the nuts are entertaining. Plus you get to yell at them.

 

[roja]

I concur with seaglass.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Ok, so this is gonna sound terrible. But don't normal people ever come into the ER? I've been reading the "things i learned in the ER" thread (which is hillarious, by the way), and it seems that EM people treat more uncooperative drug addicts than normal people who are hurt/ill due to something other than their own negligence. How many of your patients end up coming back to the ER because they don't care about their own health and do something stupid? How much of your time and energy is being used to treat these people? Don't get me wrong, I would never propose that health care be allocated only to people who I deem "worthy" of it. It's just that...do you ever feel that your time and effort is being wasted on loons? Give me a ratio. 60%normal/40%crazy?? more? less?

you only hear about the crazy ones because talking about normal people isnt funny

 

[funkless]

you only hear about the crazy ones because talking about normal people isnt funny

Unless you're crazy. 😎

 

[cooldreams]

Unless you're crazy. 😎

you are sooooo right my friend!! 😀

 

[DrQuinn]

I concur with seaglass.

Agree with roja. 😍

I spent this month as the MICU resident, and even up there, its about a 40% abnormal mix of people. Peeps doing cocaine and throwing themselves into DKA, people ignoring the gigantic chronic cellulitis on their legs and only coming into the ED when they're septic, countless # of drug ODs...

Q

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I would guess its about 50/50, but the problem is figuring out which of the 50% nuts are also sick.