Any down side to 0 wait at ER?

[pyroknight]

Our policy is that anything greater than 3 has to be addressed by the physician before discharge, if analgesics are not administered or prescribed, then it has to be documented why it was not ... not why it was.

Policy is policy, but my personal policy is to ask them what a tolerable number for them is. Most patients will tell you 2 or 3, but there are those patients who will tell you that they live with a 7 every day and that today is a 10. They just want to get rid of their breakthrough pain and get back to their normal, tolerable level.

IMHO, the patient I referred to received appropriate treatment the first time. His a$$ just should have stayed at home instead of making a return visit.