vaginapagina | Request/PSA *primarily for U.S. residents* (Reply)

*Just to be clear, I am posting this as a member of this community (who is an RN) and not as a Safe Space Maintainer*

I've been noticing that people who post about medical situations and are asking for help are frequently referred to emergency rooms, especially if they don't have insurance.

I just want to point out that not every ER in the U.S. is free and it typically costs six times as much as a doctor's office visit to be seen in an ER. The one's that are not free will come after you for the money you owe, to the point of turning you over to collection agencies if you are unable to make payments/set up a payment plan. Not to mention that if our ERs get overused by people without insurance for things that they could be treated for in an urgent care office (aka Doc in the Box) they're all going to end up so far in debt that they'll start closing more and more of them and then we'll all be in a mess.

Here are some examples of what ERs are really for:
* Chest pain (possibly a heart attack).
* Breathing difficulties that don't improve.
* Sudden numbness, weakness, disorientation or difficulty speaking (possible signs of a stroke).
* Severe abdominal pain, especially if you have a fever.
* Sudden severe headache without a history of migraine headaches.
* Severe bleeding or a deep wound (may require stitches).
* Broken bones.

Utilizing "Ask-a-Nurse" type services (nursing phone triage) before showing up at the ER can greatly cut down on costs and help calm your fears.

I wishwishwish the U.S. had a medical system in which we were all insured and able to get the medical care we need and deserve, but for now we really need to be aware of the system in which we live in and use its resources wisely.

So, long story short, please be mindful of this when you are replying to people who are asking for medical advice.

Thank you!