Patient's frequently come to the ER with different forms they want filled out. In the ER, we do not really fill these forms out. They are usually for monetary purposes....disability, workman's comp, social security, etc. It is not proper for an ER doc to fill these out when we don't know the patient and will never see them again. If you come to the ER with these papers, we usually suspect it is something frivolous.....bc most patients that have these forms actually have a doctor who will do this for them. They don't need an ER doc they have never met before.
This patient was a real winner. Here is a copy of his chief complaint and nursing note
CC-
Pt here with c/o having back pain for last 30 days. Pt states "I'm a mental health patient and I'm trying to get diablility for my back because I deserve it". Pt then said he would need to get some medications so he can convince social security that he needed diability
So of course I said no and explained why it was inappropriate. He was upset, but agreed to go as long as I gave him a supply "of those 10/650's" (strong Vicodin). I said no again. The patient became belligerent, was screaming, and tried to attack me and the staff. The police arrested him and took him to jail. The jail promptly sent him back b/c his blood pressure was "high." It was only like 160/95 and they had a doc there. They just didn't want to deal with him....so guess who got to again!
-ER Doc
6 comments:
I love it! I had a pt recently who wanted me to fill out his disability forms bc he had a foley anchored... seriously he only had it for a week! I told him we couldnt do that because he wasnt unable to work (desk job) and nor was i going to defraud his insurance company for funds not needed... He didnt really like that answer... ;-)
Uro*MA:
Should have told him he needed a leg bag...would have burst that bubble.
Doc:
I'd guess that back pain guy just needed a few narcs to help his "pain" too, huh?
I work for SSA. I wish I could start a blog about the things I've seen here...this post is 100% dead-on.
I need SSI and Disability because I have to deal with all these patients and my sometimes crazee nursing students. I canot take the anxiety anymore. $6K a month should do me fine......
Whatever happened to "shut up and deal with it!"
Pattie, RN
what happened to "shut up and put up with it"?
Congress happened and Workers Comp law that encourages these behaviours. Those caught red handed are not punished severely enough to become a deterrent. Instead they just get a slap in the hand.
These are the monsters that our government created then leave us to deal with the result.
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