Re: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion
From: Kathryn (PocaNC@aol.com)
Mon Jun 25 18:13:22 2001
At Tue, 19 Jun 2001, anonymous wrote:
>
>I found this site by accident and have read so many stories of
>"mistreatment" by nurses and doctors in ERs when you come to us in pain.
>I want you to think of it in our terms.
>
>You wander in day and night, most of you walking on your own, in no
>apparent acute distress.
>You register and wait, telling everyone in the busy waiting area that
>you MUST be seen immediately, "because you hurt so badly."
>You take up valuable space in busy trauma and emergency medicine
>departments complaining of terrible pain in your abdomen, and you tell
>us you must get pain meds for the pain.
>
>One a pain assessment scale of 1-10, virtually all of you cite between
>an 8 and a ten. But you aren't perspiring, crying, vomiting, bloated,
>or acting like you are acutely ill.
>
>Many of you refuse to have x-rays, scans and other diagnostic studies
>because you say "all those tests have been done a million times and they
>are always negative" but you demand pain medication!!
>You tell us you have adhesions but adhesions are nothing more than
>layers of scarring that have no nerve endings. How can this cause pain?
>
>I am told "I need 100 mg of Demerol, IM " by someone who refuses to
>allow us to examine them, and when we refuse to give you narcotics you
>become upset.
>
>What do you want from us? If every drug addict walked into my ER and did
>what many of you do, they'd be booted out by Security but for some
>reason, you feel we are treating you unfairly??
>
>Maybe instead of asking for pain medication, you might benefit from
>talking to a therapist who can help you deal with your "pain"?
>
>If we do an MRI or flat plate and see something suspicious., of course
>you'll be treated aggressively, and receive sympathy and medication.
>Otherwise, please understand, we are not a narcotic dispensing
>department for everyone with indigestion or cramps.
WOW !! What a hornet's nest!!
I totally understand the anger and frustration on both sides. Because of
ER staff having to double as a doctors office for some people, they spend
too much time on sniffles, sneezes, and upset stomachs that should not be
treated in an ER. Then people with real pain are mistaken for people just
seeking attention or looking for free care.
I think the an.ER Nurse is over worked and burnt out. I agree that a long
vacation or change in career may be a good idea. Possibly even some
sensitivity training. I hope this nurse never has ovarian cancer or
adhesions because the medical community addresses both of these diseases
with the response of it "Being In Your Head", "A Mental Disorder", "Is
Probably IBS, or Constipation".
I hope you will read all of these responses and re evaluate your words and
opinions and decide to be a bit more open minded and caring to your
patients. You have no idea how helpless it feels to come to someone for
help and have them treat you so poorly. Remember that one day it may be
you Mother, Daughter, Grandmother or best friend that someone takes this
same attitude with. Take a LONGGGG Vacation and return to
HELPING People not insulting and doing harm. Nurses are special people
(I know MANY) you go into this line of work to DO GOOD, but your words
are now DOING HARM. So take a step back and think long and hard about this.