Turfing gomers

[newyorkcougar]

Have any of you heard any of the terms from "House of God" used (jokingly or otherwise) in your rotations? Has anyone ever actually been called a "gomer" or have they ever been "turfed?" Did those terms exist before the book?

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[Dr JPH]

I have heard those terms used quite frequently. They were around prior to the book being written...thats where Shem got them from.

 

[medic170]

What is turfed?

 

[NotShorty]

Get Outta My Emergency Room

Turf - synonymous with kick out? to "street" them?

NS

 

[medic170]

Get Outta My Emergency Room

Turf - synonymous with kick out? to "street" them?

NS

Thanks for the lesson.

 

[tkim]

What is turfed?

Oh my lord - have you never turfed to BLS?

 

[medic170]

Oh my lord - have you never turfed to BLS?

Duh to me! I just was not thinking.

BTW, for the gomer definition, I think he may been only part right. I looked it up in Websters online:

Main Entry: go·mer
Pronunciation: 'gO-m&r
Function: noun
medical slang, usually disparaging : a chronic problem patient who does not respond to treatment

 

[Aero047]

www.urbandictionary.com

1. gomer
Medical slang for a patient who "has lost--often through age--what goes into being a human being" (quote from Samuel Shem's "The House Of God"). Typically an old demented noncommunicative patient. Stands for "Get Out Of My Emergency Room".
I wish that gomer in room 3820 would stop moaning.

 

[mddo2b]

Have any of you heard any of the terms from "House of God" used (jokingly or otherwise) in your rotations? Has anyone ever actually been called a "gomer" or have they ever been "turfed?" Did those terms exist before the book?

These are the rules of the house of god....memorize them and never forget

 

[DOtobe]

When you do an ER rotation you will find the frequent flying, drug-seeker patients referred to as "gomers."

And when I did an ID rotation, my attending would often say that patients were "turfed" to our hospital from the smaller surrounding hospitals because they had HIV. Patients are "turfed" to other services all the time in the hospital.

 

[FlemishGiant]

When you do an ER rotation you will find the frequent flying, drug-seeker patients referred to as "gomers."

And when I did an ID rotation, my attending would often say that patients were "turfed" to our hospital from the smaller surrounding hospitals because they had HIV. Patients are "turfed" to other services all the time in the hospital.

We always used the term Gomer, or the feminine Gomere to describe someone old. Sadly, at times, we were more liberal w/ our usage to include even non-decrepit old people, i.e.. "yeah, there is some Gomer visiting the patient in 12. I think its his grandpa." I really don't feel too bad about using the term because I know in 50 some odd years, some punk OMS (vs. the BMS of House of God) will be calling me the same thing. I'm Ok w/ that too. 🙂

As for the Turf, never forget your greatest weapon, the "BOUNCE" which usually works better after a "BUFF." While doing SICU we skillfully bounced many a decub ulcer back to medicine after a simple buff on the chart.