How To Get Immediate Attention in the ER

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Don't wait hours to be examined by a doctor. These strategies will push you to the top of the list.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Serious-sounding symptoms
Persistence
Politeness
The name of a hospital VIP

Step 1: Name drop

If you know anyone who works at the hospital, drop their name, even if the connection is tenuous.

Step 2: Make it sound serious

Don't minimize your symptoms. Saying, "I'm having chest pains; I think I'm having a heart attack" is probably going to get you seen faster than someone who says, "I'm having chest pains; it might be indigestion."

Tip: The symptoms that get people through the door are "chest pain," "abdominal pain," "difficulty breathing," and "severe headache."

Step 3: Emphasize abnormal behavior

If a loved one is with you, instruct them to tell the staff that you are not acting right. This is another symptom that gets attention because it indicates there might be a brain injury.

Step 4: Move up the food chain

Ask to speak to the charge nurse, emergency department director, or shift supervisor. If no one will to talk to you, pick up the ER phone, dial the operator, and ask them to page the patient advocate or hospital administrator on call.

Step 5: Say the situation is worsening

Speak to medical personnel in their own language: Tell them your condition is "deteriorating" and that you believe this is a "medical emergency" that requires immediate attention, in order to prevent a "bad outcome."

Tip: Be firm but polite, persistent but not obnoxious.

Step 6: Ask for a reassessment

Ask the front desk for the triage nurse to do a reassessment of your condition, saying your symptoms are getting worse. ER workers admit that the squeaky patient often gets the examination.

Step 7: Tell a white lie

Do a quick internet search for the hospital's president or administrator and say, "I think so-and-so would want me to be seen." This works best after-hours, when the staff will be less likely to track down the person. But be aware that if you're found out, you could get even slower service unless your condition truly constitutes an emergency.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HealthBeauty
• getting
• receiving
• immediate
• attention
• emergency
• room
• hospital
• doctors
• office

[MrPizzamanz]

yell out, "I think i felt my heart stop!" then fall to the ground. WIN

[IOUthelove]

I am just wondering, if you do all this, what about the guy that is actually in more pain.

[Sansovic]

OR JUST WAIT!!

[davison7891]

I work in an ER. The triage nurse(s) and registration employees are a lot more intelligent than this video gives them credit for, and they would see right through this. No one wants to wait for treatment, but if you are waiting, there is a reason for it. The medical team does not make patients wait for the joy of watching them squirm.

[rimlanin]

Don't do this. State your condition truthfully and let the experts decide who has the more serious condition. Someone might be of more need than you, so just stand your head up and accept your fate with pride!

[helloprettypie]

lol this is is creepy..

[azautodave]

None of these would work in my ER while I'm in Triage... Stupid People... If they make you wait than it is not an EMERGENCY... Remember this is a EMERGENCY ROOM... Now go home and take some over the counter medication...

[hannahwantcookie]

My moms a nurse and she says that when comes in with a headache or chest pain she kinda ignores them because most of them are just winey......

[Sparker408]

let me get this straight ... so people with REAL medical emergency's will have to wait because you found a way to beat the system......... not cool man ... not cool at all

[Rubix0517]

What if your screaming, puking into a bucket, and saying 'I think I am honestly going to die. Why is this taking so long?' and all they do is keep pushing you around? lol >.<

[irishgirl13rules]

Or you could just start screaming

[carsontroeh]

I hate it when youtube auto likes videos...