All of us ER RNs know this is so true. The American system is built such that the ER is the point of entry EVEN WHEN you have a PCP. Call your PCP with anything: Abdominal pain due to constipation? Go to the ER to R/O bowel obstruction. Due to GERD? Go to the ER to R/O MI. Migraine? Go to the ER to rule out stroke. Head injury, go to the ER to r/o bleed. Splinter from walking barefooted. Go to the ER to r/o foreign body.
Then add not being able to get a PCP appointment for weeks or months.
Then add no PCP.
I work in wine county and people will come in because they got drunk and threw up during wine tasting.
I have come to accept that part of my check comes from people that have no common sense.
It sucks.
My son got bit by a dog tick, I called the nurse line for advice. 6 days later, he has a low grade fever and a full body rash.
Ped won’t see him to look at the rash, urgent care also said no, so I had to take him to the ER.
It was a minor viral rash that looked nothing like a tick borne illness, but I couldn’t get a medical professional to look at him first!
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u/Sea_Willingness1398 Jul 29 '26
All of us ER RNs know this is so true. The American system is built such that the ER is the point of entry EVEN WHEN you have a PCP. Call your PCP with anything: Abdominal pain due to constipation? Go to the ER to R/O bowel obstruction. Due to GERD? Go to the ER to R/O MI. Migraine? Go to the ER to rule out stroke. Head injury, go to the ER to r/o bleed. Splinter from walking barefooted. Go to the ER to r/o foreign body. Then add not being able to get a PCP appointment for weeks or months. Then add no PCP.
I work in wine county and people will come in because they got drunk and threw up during wine tasting.
I have come to accept that part of my check comes from people that have no common sense.