Emergency vs. Non-emergency

Ok so here is the deal, I want to clarify something to the world.
ER=Emergency Room
ED=Emergency Department
Notice the first word EMERGENCY.
People come to the ER for stupid stuff, and they complain when it takes forever for us to get to them. See the ER is not first come, first serve. It is sickest first, stupid last. My theory is if you are well enough to complain, then you are not sick enough to be in the ER.
I love it when people say, we have been waiting 30 min, I laugh and tell them to get comfy. Oh and when people threaten to leave, Ok, I am not on commission. I did not ask you to come, and if you feel well enough to walk out because you had to wait, then you never should have been there to begin with. Get out so we can treat someone who is really sick.

These are just some of the fun things that people think are emergencies:

• colds - take some NyQuil and move on will you.
• vomiting - tossing ones cookies once or twice is not an emergency. Especially if drinking was involved the night before
• small cuts - band-aids can be bought at CVS and Walmart
• medium cuts - Larger band-aids and gauze can be bought at CVS and Walmart
• bruises - yep they hurt but guess what, there is nothing that can be done, and just because its bruised does not mean its broken.

Any thing that goes like this..

• "When I do this it hurts." Ok don't do that, and see your doctor.
• "My child has a fever." Did you give them tylenol? advil? Both can be found at... You guessed it CVS and Walmart. Now if it is still high and you have given Tylenol/advil, then yeah bring them in.
• "My child has a runny nose" ok so? Kids are snotty germ factories. Get some tissues and children's cold medicine at CVS/Walmart
• "I have had this pain for a few months" ok so it has not killed you yet, it wont kill you to call your doctor.
• "I could not sleep" So watch TV like the rest of us. Walmart has a great selection of TV's

Now there are sometimes when a trip to the ER is called for:

• Chest pain - come immediately to the ER, DO NOT go to CVS/Walmart.
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Broken bones

There are many other reason to come. I just ask that you use common sense please.

Now we can not turn you away if you come to the ER for any reason. But please if you have a splinter and feel the need to visit your local ER. Do not complain when you sit and wait for hours upon hours to be seen.

Ok I am done ranting