Friday, December 17, 2010

Epidurals are for Chicks

While working on a paper during the night shift, I got a patient complaining of severe 10/10 back pain. The guy was wearing a brace, grimacing, could barely walk, the works. I did my standard assessment, got him changed into a gown and called the doc over. The doctor ordered some toradol and dilaudid which I proceeded to give to the patient. After I had given him the meds I told him that I would reassess him in about half an hour. In half an hour, he still was not a happy customer because when I came back into his room, he was ranting on about how the doctors just expect everything to be fixed with a pill (at 0230 that pretty much is the only thing that can be done). I asked him what he would like done because he was given some pretty high doses of pain medication to which he replied, “can’t you give me like a needle in my back nerves so I don’t feel anything?” “Like an epidural?” I asked. “Fuck that shit! That shit is for chicks! I don’t want no fucking epidural bullshit! I want a needle to make the pain go away!” He didn’t take too kindly to my explanation nor did he view the IM injection of toradol as a needle to make the pain go away. I went back to working on my paper because that seemed like the only rational thing to do. And the guy walked out of the department without his back brace.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a moron... yes, epidurals are ONLY for women in labor. What a moron.

I"m starting to doubt that it was 10/10 back pain.

And seriously dude, don't bite the hand that feeds you! You want your pain meds? treat the nurses and Doctors a lot better!

Anonymous said...

wow. creep factor 10/10. i hope the paper goes well. your time is better spent there.

OMDG said...

Oh well. Too bad for him.

Dipshit.

NPO said...

I love patients who amazingly are able to walk out.
I stopped putting up with non-compliant patients a long-time ago, and now just go get the AMA sheet to let them sign themselves out.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

LOO-ZER!

RehabNurse said...

Maha:

That's my latest gig: providing assistance to the pain docs who stick people all day in the back, neck, shoulders, you name it, just depends.

Ours are all chronic pain folks, though.

RxCello said...

Ungrateful SOB. I would've been happy with the hydromorphone.