Patient rant
I had a pregant 19 year old come into my ER last night complaining of abdominal pain. I told her that we needed blood and I was going to start an IV just as I do on 99% of the patient who walk through the door. She starts crying hysterically. Her boyfriend says, "she's got a phobia of needles." Really, dude? The patient has her ears pierced multiple times and had a few little tattoos. Finally, the doc and I talk her into it telling her that she at least needs to do it for her baby. She then starts crying hysterically AGAIN and as I am about to stick her moved her elbow as I go into the vein, thus making me poke through it and screwing it up. She then refuses to let me do it again and is hysterical still 10 minutes after the fact. I cannot stand girls who whine about blood draws when they have multiple piercings and tattoos. Tattoos and piercings hurt far more than a blood draw. I have NEVER expierienced a patient cry and become so out of control over the THOUGHT of an IV. Needless to say, we had her sign out against medical advice. What does she think once she has a baby?!? She is going to have to have an IV during labor.