(We’ve been extremely busy in the small ER where I work. We’re completely full with people in the waiting room when an ambulance brings in a Code Blue—someone not breathing. The x-ray tech and I are standing in the nurse’s station awaiting instructions, when a patient’s relative comes up.)

Relative: “What’s going on? Why hasn’t the doctor come in to see my son? We’ve been waiting over an hour!”

Me: “Well, ma’am, we have a Code Blue critical patient in and the doctor is busy.”

Relative: “Too busy to check on his patients? This is ridiculous! We haven’t even seen a nurse in 20 d*** minutes!”

Me: “Well, ma’am, like I said, everyone’s busy with the Code Blue and nobody is free at the moment.”

Relative: “This unacceptable! My son is in pain back there, and you don’t give a s***!”

(At this point, the nursing supervisor and the relative of a different patient walks up.)

Supervisor: “Ma’am? Can I help you?”

Relative: “My son is back there in pain and these two aren’t doing a thing about it! Just standing around! And the doctor hasn’t even been in to see him!”

Supervisor: “Well, ma’am, as these young ladies have told you multiple times, we have Code Blue that needs our attention right now.”

Relative: “What the f*** does that even mean?”

Another Patient’s Relative: “It means that someone is DYING, you idiot. Your son’s headache can wait a few minutes!”

(The first relative looked absolutely ashamed of herself and quickly retreated. The other patient’s relative later went on to buy some candy for all our staff as a thank you for working so hard.)