I had my jaw broken in two places. It did not kill me to wait a few hours, but I waited those few hours at the emergency room.
I had my jaw broken in two places. It did not kill me to wait a few hours, but I waited those few hours at the emergency room.
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,920
- 46
- 91
People who do well with their money don't go to the emergency room for non-emergencies, they make an appointment with their doctor. You don't end up with a lot of money by blowing it all frivolously. The people who use the ER as an appointment-free doctor's office are people who won't be paying the bill regardless of how much it costs.
I think the worst part is that they don't adjust the wait time for case duration. For instance: Waiting 12 hours for stitches. Something that takes a nurse 5 minutes shouldn't be a 12 HOUR wait. This was one of those friday night escapades and in the south side of Chicago its basically U of C Hospitals or bust
isgust;It's time to lay off the steroids if you are getting into a fight with your roommate that leads to a 3" gash that bleeds uncontrollably.
911paramedic
Diamond Member
- Jan 7, 2002
- 9,448
- 1
- 76
Triage, limited resources, and lots of paperwork for every patient. (If the doc sees you he makes a note in the chart, nurse reads note, does what dr. asks, doctor re-evaluates pt., and makes more notes, nurse reads new notes... this goes on until discharge.) I only know that because of my paramedic internship rotation in the ER. As a medic, I learned much more over the years.
If you go to the trauma center, which is usually only by ambulance, you are in and out in less than an hour for a broken bone or four. The trauma center is dedicated to that only, and they get you in and out FAST. You either get discharged, go to surgery, or the Trauma ICU.
The ER, well, even with a patient on a gurney getting oxygen and albuterol I have waited up to 45 minutes for a bed in the ER. ER's get so busy some times they go on divert status, which means an ambulance can't even go there because they are so backed up.
My favorite is when somebody calls the ambulance, and just like an ER if they want transport they get it, so we take them. They think they are getting a fast pass into the ER, until we talk to the triage nurse and they evaluate them... oh how sweet it is when we roll the gurney into the waiting room and have them get off and take a seat in the waiting room.
If you go to the trauma center, which is usually only by ambulance, you are in and out in less than an hour for a broken bone or four. The trauma center is dedicated to that only, and they get you in and out FAST. You either get discharged, go to surgery, or the Trauma ICU.
The ER, well, even with a patient on a gurney getting oxygen and albuterol I have waited up to 45 minutes for a bed in the ER. ER's get so busy some times they go on divert status, which means an ambulance can't even go there because they are so backed up.
My favorite is when somebody calls the ambulance, and just like an ER if they want transport they get it, so we take them. They think they are getting a fast pass into the ER, until we talk to the triage nurse and they evaluate them... oh how sweet it is when we roll the gurney into the waiting room and have them get off and take a seat in the waiting room.
Since you didn't choose to explain it, I can believe whatever I want. I've not gotten into a fist fight with someone in over 15 years, since junior high school basically. I'm finding it hard to think of a scenario where I would get into a fist fight with a roommate.
The emergency room is suppose to be for emergency care not people needing to see a doctor for a cold. This is suppose to be for people with broken bones and gunshots.
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,920
- 46
- 91
I *think* spidey07 is making a distinction between afflictions that would warrant a trip to the ER (which would include everything on jdogg's list) and afflictions that would warrant immediate care at the ER.
My doctor has a number that you can call for after-hours "emergencies." If it's something they can handle, they'll come in and take care of you. Otherwise they'll tell you to go to the ER.
lupi
Lifer
- Apr 8, 2001
- 32,539
- 260
- 126
Real easy one:
People with no health insurance go there as a means for standard health care.
People with health insurance but not a regular doctor or not wanting to schedule a regular doctor appointment uses the ER as their primary care source.
Then there are those that actually need to go there for a urgent situation.
The ER is only funded for the amount of revenue they take in, and since many will receive care without or below cost those that do utilize the service get to enjoy the resultant.
And it was fun sitting in the ER for 13 hours when the wife got kidney stones, the first 5 of which she enjoyed a spot on the floor in the waiting room until they had an open bed.
People with no health insurance go there as a means for standard health care.
People with health insurance but not a regular doctor or not wanting to schedule a regular doctor appointment uses the ER as their primary care source.
Then there are those that actually need to go there for a urgent situation.
The ER is only funded for the amount of revenue they take in, and since many will receive care without or below cost those that do utilize the service get to enjoy the resultant.
And it was fun sitting in the ER for 13 hours when the wife got kidney stones, the first 5 of which she enjoyed a spot on the floor in the waiting room until they had an open bed.
purbeast0
No Lifer
- Sep 13, 2001
- 53,644
- 6,527
- 126
when I went in with a broken ankle and a sprained other ankle, i waited there in pain for atleast 45 minutes before I called my dad who works at another hospital 15 minutes away, and he pulled some strings so that I could be seen pretty much right away when I got there.
there were people with stuffy and runny noses and people who were coughing that were being seen before me, and it was pretty damn obvious that I had broken bones.
there were people with stuffy and runny noses and people who were coughing that were being seen before me, and it was pretty damn obvious that I had broken bones.
It takes on average 4 hours here in the ER, twice a long on weekends... That's because it is usually full of people with colds, who sprained something, gave themselves a paper cut, have a bit of heartburn... etc.
I would guess that maybe 10% of folks who go to the ER here have an actual problem. That's what we get for free medical care.
I would guess that maybe 10% of folks who go to the ER here have an actual problem. That's what we get for free medical care.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
- 16,240
- 7
- 76
I too have gone to the ER, been the only one there and been left sitting for two hours.
This was after I had cut my index finger and the finger was dangling loose.
(never cut insulation on pipes under the house using a steak knife in low lighting )
I did it so quick that it didn't even feel more than a little cut, till I pulled my hand back and my index finger had a new joint halfway in the middle.
The intake nurse looked at me when I walked in with a sock wrapped around my hand , it was the first thing I could grab off the washing machine that was nearby to stop the bleeding.
She asked me, oh its a cut, how bad is it, let me see.
I told her it was bad, when I removed the sock, blood went everywhere, she freaked, put it back on put it back on.
I then sat there for almost two hours holding pressure on my hand with a blood drenched sock while they located a doctor.
This was after I had cut my index finger and the finger was dangling loose.
(never cut insulation on pipes under the house using a steak knife in low lighting )
I did it so quick that it didn't even feel more than a little cut, till I pulled my hand back and my index finger had a new joint halfway in the middle.
The intake nurse looked at me when I walked in with a sock wrapped around my hand , it was the first thing I could grab off the washing machine that was nearby to stop the bleeding.
She asked me, oh its a cut, how bad is it, let me see.
I told her it was bad, when I removed the sock, blood went everywhere, she freaked, put it back on put it back on.
I then sat there for almost two hours holding pressure on my hand with a blood drenched sock while they located a doctor.
AgaBoogaBoo
Lifer
- Feb 16, 2003
- 26,108
- 5
- 81
I agree with the posts above...
ER - Emergency Room
If it's an emergency, they'll take you in, otherwise it's on a basis that they'll get to you when they get a chance. Their purpose is to help with emergencies that are life threatening.
ER - Emergency Room
If it's an emergency, they'll take you in, otherwise it's on a basis that they'll get to you when they get a chance. Their purpose is to help with emergencies that are life threatening.
That's a good point because it applies to a very large portion of people that go in there. It's almost like some people have been waiting for a chance to explode and complain over nothing at all, they don't calm down and think as they should. When sh!t hits the fan, you can see who was being their true self and who was just putting on a show for everyone.
- Aug 20, 2005
- 2,685
- 11
- 81
Fine, you want an explanation ? I'll give you one even though you chose to come off like an arrogant prick.
It was my Jr year in college and my roommates, one in particular were big partiers. That one roommates name is Russ, and he was an old step brother that our parents kind of forced us to move in together. He was a punk, a brawler. He liked to get drunk and be an ass.
Well over the course of the year he threw a lot of parties that resulted in fines from the police for noise violations. I would sometimes stay for the parties, but I quickly started avoiding them so as not to be the one to have to sign for the tickets. I was pretty vocal about keeping the noise down b/c the landlord was getting pissed.
One night I came home around midnight and a party was in full swing. Not 5 minutes after I walked in the police knocked on the door. They asked if i lived there and said yes but that it wasn't my party. They said that since I lived there I would need to sign for the ticket or get the roommate responsible. So i said i'd be right back and i'd get him.
I went to the back of the apartment and told him that he needed to talk to them since it was his party. He refused to open the door and said "You f-ing live here too, you sign for it". At that point I lost it, i wasn't about to eat a $200 ticket b/c he wasn't about to man up. Since we had lived together for several years when we were younger and his mom had been my step mom for a while I said, "Fine, i'll sign for the ticket but i'm calling Gretchen (his mom) right now to let her know that you dropped out of school and are using the money she gives you for it to throw parties - which i'm having to sign tickets for"
That was a mistake. He flew out of his room and tackled me. I was about 160lbs at the time and he was around 260, and he wasn't fat - but he was drunk, pissed, and scared that mommy might find out she's paying for a college dropout to party and cost his roommates hundreds of dollars.
He surprised me and slammed me back against the wall. Hard. My head hit the corner which is what split my scalp. He tried to choke me out and it was all I could do to break his nose and try to get him off of me. We had rolled to the ground and he was on top of me - the police heard the commotion and hit him over the head with a night stick. It didn't knock him out, but did daze him really bad.
To this day I don't know why I didn't press charges. Maybe b/c of our history... or maybe it was b/c I knew that when he got out he'd seek revenge. The fire dept came b/c there was so much blood and wanted to take me in the ambulance, i decline b/c I didnt need it, i just wanted to get it patched up quick and be done with it, w/o the ridiculous and unnecessary cost of an ambulance.
The Sauce
Diamond Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 4,741
- 34
- 91
Exactly right. Perhaps 80% was a high estimate but it is quite high. Indigents, welfare, medicaid, drug abusers and seekers, and the mentally ill have no respect for the system at all because they don't pay for it or contribute to it, and they make up the majority of the ED volume. They are the most litigious and demanding population as well. They care nothing for credit reports or societal contribution in any form.
The Sauce
Diamond Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 4,741
- 34
- 91
Originally posted by: 911paramedic
My favorite is when somebody calls the ambulance, and just like an ER if they want transport they get it, so we take them. They think they are getting a fast pass into the ER, until we talk to the triage nurse and they evaluate them... oh how sweet it is when we roll the gurney into the waiting room and have them get off and take a seat in the waiting room.
Yah, I make lots of EMS arrivals get up and walk out to the waiting room. Some of them have learned to complain to triage of crushing chest pain, regardless fo their real issue, in order to bypass triage. Those are the ones we are stuck dealing with because it's illegal to triage someone with a potentially "life-threatening" complaint to the waiting room.
That's funny, I thought you were being a macho tough guy by saying it was due to a fight with your roommate since it was totally irrelevant how you got it for this thread. My apologies for assuming you were showing off.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
They don't keep it slow...it's those people with just a flu or headache or looking for an excuse to call in the next day that cause the delay.
There should be someone in charge of prioritizing cases always...if you are finding you are waiting hours chances are you don't have an actual emergency.
I went to ER once because I dropped a desk on my leg. It didn't end up being broken, but it looked horribly crushed. Infact it's been several years and I still have a dent. The funny part was waiting in the waiting room, I kept getting these horrid looks from people who were obviously there for trivial crap. It's the emergency room people, don't look so shocked that I'm hurt.
Chaotic42
Lifer
- Jun 15, 2001
- 34,818
- 1,998
- 126
Like everyone said, it's a matter of priority. I've broken 16 bones in my life and every time I went to the ER, I was looked at quickly. I was in a car wreck when I was 7 and I don't remember waiting at all, I think we just busted right in to the doctors.
- Aug 20, 2005
- 2,685
- 11
- 81
I think the trend here is whats irritating me. It seems there's only 2 stages of triage. Either you're dying or you're not. If you get there with a nearly severed finger, you wait in line after the lady with the sniffles that got there before you. I think thats my irritation with the system.
waggy
No Lifer
- Dec 14, 2000
- 68,143
- 10
- 81
hahah yeah.
I go to a pain clinic. its located in the hospital but the waiting room is the same waiting room as the emergancy room (same entrance).
well i was sitting waiting (got there 20 min early). Well a guy came in with a cut on his head. he was holding a bloody towel over it.
a couple (you can tell they were poor.) were makeing remarks about how he was bleeding on the floor (wich he was) and how he should not be there.
I was like WTF its the emergancy room! he has a emergancy! heh he sat there the 15 minutes i was waiting. he went in just before i was called up.
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