Why do people wait twelve hours for a toothache in the emergency room of a hospi!
Question: ER RN in New Orleans for 16 years. Most of my patients were poor and often truly "In pain" from an abscess or an infection. The poorer patients know that they must be seen under federal gov't COBRA rules. Many have no intention of paying a hospital ER bill when it arrives, they must wait hours after being triaged in hospital since their condition is unlikely "urgent" or "emergent". I'm sure that most are seeking some/any remedy or at the very least a referral for free or cheap dental care. We discussed this phenomena amongst ourselves many times in a very busy urban ER. Being poor usually doesn't have the benefit of regular dental exams or preventative care, so they are only familiar with ER "fix it ASAP" mentality".
Answers: ER RN in New Orleans for 16 years. Most of my patients were poor and often truly "In pain" from an abscess or an infection. The poorer patients know that they must be seen under federal gov't COBRA rules. Many have no intention of paying a hospital ER bill when it arrives, they must wait hours after being triaged in hospital since their condition is unlikely "urgent" or "emergent". I'm sure that most are seeking some/any remedy or at the very least a referral for free or cheap dental care. We discussed this phenomena amongst ourselves many times in a very busy urban ER. Being poor usually doesn't have the benefit of regular dental exams or preventative care, so they are only familiar with ER "fix it ASAP" mentality".
Because a toothache isnt an emergency. There are other people with life threatening conditions who will get seen before you-depending on how many people come in with worse things than a toothache depends on the length of the wait.
It's either wait, or go home. What are they supposed to do?
If you are part of the HMO scheme, then this is what happens.
Private dentistry would cost you a fortune!
because they are retarded enough to assume that all kinds of doctors hang out at the hospital and if they complain enough they might be able to get some painkillers out of you
simple for som sampathy from the nurses.
If you came into the emergency room with a heart attack would you want to wait for someone with a tooth ache. You would probably die waiting. It is just a matter of priorities. In hospital language its called triage. Most critical patients first.
I USE TO HAVE REALLY BAD TOOTHACHES. SOMETIMES I'D JUST CRY THEMM OUT AND TAKE MEDICINE. BUT THE ONE TIME I DID CHOOSE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL I DIDNT HAVE TO WAIT BECAUSE MY MOTHER WORKED THERE. THEY SEE A TOOTHACHE AS SOMETHING MINOR SO OF COURSE YOU GOING TO WAIT LONGER BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE ITS NOT THAT SEVERE. BUT A TOOTHACHE IS THE WORST PAIN IVE EVER HAD... SERIOUSLY.