Doctors study for years to be able to 'dish out' medical advice. They're trained to know whether or not it's safe for a patient to be discharged from hospital. Yet, every so often, they're met with someone who thinks they know better and refuses to stay for further treatment.
Against Medical Advice, or AMA as it's known in expert circles, can have serious repercussions and could even land you six feet under. That's why many hospitals will ask you to sign a form stating that you've chosen to go AMA. It ensures you know the risks of your actions and protects the hospital from legal backlash.
A nurse asked their peers to share the "Worst patient (clinically) that you've seen/heard of that left AMA (Against Medical Advice)," and the replies ranged from shocking to tragic: From a man who passed away shortly after his wife wheeled him out the door, seemingly against his wishes, to another who went AMA on his birthday after stating, "I’m going to go have my fun then I’ll be back, I promise” (spoiler alert: he attended his own funeral shortly after).
Bored Panda has put together a list of the most sobering AMA tales for you to scroll through should you ever need a reminder that often it pays to just shut up, sit (or lie) down and listen.
#41
Had a patient who coded due to a reaction to contrast. We resuscitated them and obviously admitted them but there was going to be a wait for a bed upstairs. They didn’t want to wait in the ED so they left. They ended up coming back into the ED because the compressions we did on him messed him up pretty good.
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11points
#42
COVID + patient on 12L O2 left AMA because he was tired of "being in prison." He had no O2 to bring home and walked off the unit on room air. Made it all the way down to the lobby before passing out and smacking his head. Had to go to the ICU from what I heard.
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11points
#43
A hgb of 3.4 after feeling weak s/p hysterectomy. Left because family/patient was not getting blood. (Religious reasons).
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11points
#44
Covid patient on high flow o2 with symptoms of dysphagia. Npo. She wanted to eat. Vídeo swallow would have been that day but she couldn't wait any longer. Walked out (mask less) with her son (also mask less) didn't get very far on room air so the son had to pick her up and carry her out of the hospital so they could go to another ER and maybe stop at Wendy's on the way. Our wait times in the ED are anywhere from 8-24+ hours most times in the metro these days.
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10points
#45
Pediatric clinical rotation. Mom accused the nurse of stealing her phone then walked out AMA with the IV still in her kids arm.
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9points
#46
Had a guy leave with an unstable C4# from falling down the stairs drunk. Took his aspen off in the parking lot.
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8points
#47
Pt came is with "eye pain"-unrelated but worth noting for a chuckle she was an esi 4 (was spanish speaking and was not actually assessed in triage). The pain was due to a penitrating trauma sustained 6 hrs PTA. Allegedly she was climbing a metal chain link like fence chasing her cat when she lost footing and was stabbed in eye by top of fence (not sure I believe mechanism but she had an open globe injury). Ophthalmology was preparing to take her to OR. She left AMA as we would not give her a turkey sandwich.
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7points
