If there’s one thing this planet will never run short on, it’s sheer, unbridled human audacity. We’ve always had an embarrassing surplus of it. And somehow, it has a special talent for showing up at the absolute worst moments.
One flight attendant on Threads recently shared how a passenger interrupted him during a medical emergency to ask when food service was starting. Naturally, that opened the floodgates. People piled on with their own stories about breathtaking entitlement and a complete inability to read the room. Find them below!
#1
i was giving oxygen to a panicking 14 year old who had an asthma attack (one parent was flying him to the other w an empty inhaler, oxygen and calming the panic he felt was my only solution as we were landing in 30m), a woman really stopped me HOLDING OXYGEN to complain she hadn’t gotten her drink and snack yet. people don’t care. i’m sorry you had to deal with that. take care of yourself and your colleague. ♥️
Image source: euphoricjules, Jeffry Surianto
#2
Just like when I was an ICU nurse in the middle of a code blue and we were all switching off doing CPR and a family member of the patient next door walks into the room wanting to know why the water pitcher is empty and they need ice. As I’m pumping on the chest I say “get the hell out, this man is literally passing away right now”
Image source: erinwhodatgray, RDNE Stock project
#3
As an ER nurse, I feel for you. Our brains can never wrap itself around some people entitlement and lack of empathy.
A family member once watched me and my colleagues running a code, trying to resuscitate a patient, as I ran out to grab something he calmly said: we asked for a blanket 15 min ago…
Image source: bkindbelle, RDNE Stock project
#4
My brother removed a guy’s polyp during a routine procedure and explained it could have turned into bowel cancer, but they caught it.
Guy gave him a horrible review on Google because the parking sucked. I asked if it was expensive? No, it was free, he just didn’t like the parking and having to walk so much.
Image source: okcoolthx, Tony Wu
#5
Retired ER/Trauma nurse here 👋 Busy shift, only 3 of us nurses for 11 beds of critical trauma patients. I had just started an IV and drawn labs on a new patient and was rushing to get them sent off to lab when I was stopped by a family member of a stable patient waiting for admission who asked me to get her a cup of coffee. I’m holding tubes filled with someone’s blood, she can see the chaos all around (we had just pronounced someone) and she’s asking me for coffee. I just pointed to my Badge which has in large red letter in the bottom RN and said “I’m a nurse, not a waitress” and kept moving.
Image source: elizabethinfabulouslasvegas, Efrem Efre
#6
I work at a restaurant. I was the only host at the host stand (temporarily) on a busy Friday night. A man literally collapsed walking out the door and I had a woman upset with me that I called 911 before helping her get a table.
Out of spite, I skipped her 4 times on the wait list 🤷🏽♀️
Image source: hey.its.chani, Mikhail Nilov
#7
I was having my first baby and had to be induced. After a few hours of Pitocin labor, the baby’s heart monitor flatlined. The doctor yelled something and all the staff started throwing equipment on my gurney and wheeling me down the hall for an emergency c-section.
My husband (at the time) yelled “wait!”
Everyone stopped and looked at him.
“I have to eat.”
Everyone laughed at him and we went and had a healthy baby without him. Yes, he went and ate.
Image source: annieeitman, DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
#8
Our county was on fire.
Coworkers were leaving work to go and evacuate their homes.
“Excuse me but we spent A LOT of money to visit this winery and the vibes are completely off and all of the pictures are ruined” ( because of smoke and falling ash).
People, man. People.
Image source: missjewguuurl, Eclipse Chasers
#9
Had a driver of a supermarket delivery company go into cardiac arrest. While we were doing CPR, we were interrupted by a couple who wanted to know when they could get their groceries. One of those occasions where I really wanted to say “frick off, we’re busy and he’s passed away”. But of course I didn’t.
Image source: djbrain1965, Kampus Production
#10
I was doing CPR on a 5-month old in the back of my ambulance, when a woman yanked the door open and started shouting about how we couldn’t block her, she would be late for a hair appointment, and she was calling the police (who were already there).
Image source: medicdrc, RDNE Stock project
#11
My first job was cashier at a buffet chain. I was frozen watching one of my managers give another manger who was having heart attack CPR when a family tried to ask me to ring them up to enter. I calmly said, “Due to the medical emergency we’re not letting anyone one in at the moment.” But worry not the third manger there that night tells me that we’re still open. When that family came back asking if they could eat yet, I rang them up. He ended up passing away in the restaurant. People suck.
Image source: seaniece.tree, Towfiqu barbhuiya
#12
I work in public transportation, for a train system… TW: jumpers
There will literally be a, and passengers will ask, “when is the next train coming?”
The general public is beyond selfish and cold hearted.
Image source: chelsofab
#13
My colleague received a complaint letter and a subsequent formal warning for our airline for failing to give a pax a Bloody Mary.
She’d ordered it during the bar service in Economy just as the pax in front of her passed away. My colleague and I began CPR in the aisle beside her. After the medical emergency was over and we’d dealt with the body, there was still 10 hours of flight time left…
She didn’t open her mouth or ring her call bell to remind us that she hadn’t got her drink during the emergency.
Image source: ipenelopedwyer
#14
I was once performing CPR on a client at a homeless shelter where I worked. I got a punch to the back of the head from another client because I didn’t stop CPR to get him socks.
Image source: kathmandoo_7, Getty Images
#15
Hospital nurses enter the conversation.
Of course I will get your mom a glass of ice water as I am running down the hallway with a code cart.
Image source: kelly_bradley1602, Hush Naidoo Jade Photography
#16
During my intern year we were in a code, trying to resuscitate a patient, a Karen from the room next door walked into the room to complain that we are too loud and she cannot get her rest.
Image source: songsongheeyah, Frederic Köberl
#17
my husband, who was a cabin crew member for over 20 years, told me that unfortunately this happens all the time. one time when his colleagues were giving CPR on a passenger on a flight, another one started asking when is the food going to be served (after PA was being made explaining the situation) and when he was separately told that he has to wait, he said “I’m going to complain!”. this is the biggest reason why I couldn’t be a flight attendant, cause I don’t have patience for that
Image source: annalisacharlotta, Chris Brignola
#18
Delivering narcan to a person on the sidewalk, while people drive by, yelling things like, “Just let them pass already.” An elderly woman, walking by asked if we know when the next bus is…
Image source: the_real_oh_g
#19
My husband gave CPR to a man that had a seizure on the commuter train in the morning rush our. The man lay with half of his body outside and half inside of the train. Two women came over and asked my husbsnd to drag the man out of the train so that the train could continue on its journey.
Needless to say, he didn’t listen to this nonsense.
Image source: katalinh
#20
I was on my home from the hairdresser one afternoon, when I realized there was a man lying on the pavement in the shopping arcade, surrounded by people watching.
While a beauty therapist and I knelt on the pavement giving CPR, with the man’s weeping family watching, a woman with a pushchair said “can I just squeeze through?”
“Go the other way” was my response, very politely, out of respect to the man and his family. Why are people so self-centered? And why do they think it’s a free show to watch?
Image source: kiradarcie
#21
I had my first “medical professional on a plane” moment a couple of weeks ago. The flight was delayed multiple times, we sat on the tarmac for 2 hours in 90+ degree heat, tensions were already high. A FA had a medical episode, I went up and dealt with it and on the way back to my seat other ppl were yelling at ME for delaying the flight. 🙄 Sorry guys, should I have just let her lie there on the floor unconscious so we could take off? Jesus.
Image source: bessietoohey
#22
My partner was in an ambulance outside a restaurant having a panic attack. I was standing outside waiting to see if I’d have to follow in my car. A woman approached me and asked if we would be much longer because she had somewhere to be, and the ambulance was blocking her in. I shrugged at her, and then she stepped INTO THE AMBULANCE to ask the EMTs if they could move!! 😵💫
Image source: pinkythepink
#23
I was working in a restaurant and a man in a table near the front door had a heart attack. As we’re all doing our best to clear out tables and make way for the EMTs, a table maybe 6 feet away leans over and asks me “do you know how much longer our soup is going to take?”
Image source: theconstantbartender
#24
My sister and I were bartending a wedding when the bride’s father went gray and slid off his barstool. As she was easing him to the floor and unbuttoning his collar to ease his breathing, and I was on the phone with 911, a guest came into the bar. I told him we had a medical emergency, please go back into the dining room, he asked “not even a beer?”. No-WE HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY THAT IS OUR PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
Image source: mccurryscull
#25
I once spent most of a 2hr flight dealing with an 18mo old child who had an oxygen sat below 90%.
I swear, the next week one of the passengers told me I was so much better than the flight attendant last week who made him wait for his refills I looked at him… “Mr. ___, that was me. We had a serious medical emergency on board last week and that will *always* take priority over your gin and tonics.”
Image source: notsodumbgirl
#26
As a former flight attendant this has been going on since the 1970s. We had a passenger pass away in flight (747 LHR-YYZ at about the half way point) and people had the audacity to complain they didn’t get served another whatever.
Our airline did not sanction the crew in any way. In fact we received letters of commendation.
Image source: sheppasn
#27
As a nurse this happens regularly. I remember a code, I was running with a cart and a family stopped me “my mom needs to go number 2” yeah sorry I’ll come as soon as I can but right now someone is really unwell.
I heard that jerk come back to the room (next to my coding patient) and say “take your pants off and poo in the bed, since she doesn’t want to do her job, it’s her job to change your sheets too”.
After my emergency, I told her that if her mom had pooped in the bed (she had a diaper on so even if it was not ideal… since we were ACTIVELY saving a life…), I would have made her change the bed and would have called my manager. I wrote a note in the charts.
I might have told other things, not very nice ones. I work in a public hospital and I do my best, but sometimes people are just absolute jerks.
Oh and my coding patient got better. This is the most important thing. And I helped the nice mom with her trip to number 2. Ice, coffee, water… when you’re being nice (and sometimes patient) I get it allll for you.
If you’re a jerk, I will kindly remind you that as the patient’s family you can go get it yourself. There is a coffee machine, tap water and a bonus blanket can wait until I’ve finished something only I can do (you know, as a nurse, like IV stuff and painkillers, etc)
Image source: lexinepwns
#28
As an ED nurse many years ago, we were working a full code with all the attendant activity, people, equipment, etc., when I was stopped as I left the room to get something needed by a patient in the next room who reminded me that she had gotten here first.
Image source: napajudiefnp
#29
Somewhat related, but I was going on life support for bilateral pneumonia and the doctors weren’t sure if and when I would wake up and my mom was emailing all my professors since it was finals week. One of my professors actually said he would just have to fail me because I wasn’t the one to contact him and there “wasn’t enough notice.” Needless to say, while I was on the ventilator, she took it up with the Dean and managed to get me to at least have a passing grade when I came out of sedation.
Image source: okmeghan
#30
My dad required CPR on a plane and the flight was diverted to the nearest large airport. I wonder how many passengers were pissed that they were delayed because of my dad.
Image source: julieann.718
#31
Peds trauma nurse here. Had a walk in code. No time to move the pt from the hallway bed in front of trauma room. The mother of the hallway bed pt sees us literally drilling IO’s into the child’s legs to get access. Code unsuccessful, have a moment of silence and speech for the baby. Lots of tears, can hear the parents screams of agony. I walk out with a few tears on my face. Parent in the hallway bed: I know you’re busy but my child deserves her Tylenol too. I just walked away, no response.
Image source: hailey._.hoy
#32
Not medical but had a sprinkler head fail in my store, there’s water everywhere and it’s gushing out like Niagara.
More than one person asked if they could come in to shop and just wait until the registers opened back up. The registers were in a foot of water!
Image source: beautiful_dreams_artisan
#33
Happens to nurses with some frequency. Doing CPR? “HEY!! My mom needs ice!” from the doorway.
Image source: gaga_6_rn
#34
Waitress here. Older women passed out near the bathroom hit her head hard when she fell. It took me a few minutes to figure out which table she’d been at. I finally found her husband informed him and said an ambulance was coming. YOU CALLED AN AMBULANCE!! She does this all the time and doesn’t need an ambulance. He absolutely did not give a darn.
Image source: momyslilmonster
#35
I was on a flight where we were asked to stay in our seats so a sick passenger could disembark first as EMS was waiting for his arrival. Everyone got up to get there bags and blocked the aisles. His daughter was crying. It was disgraceful.
Image source: cathymcdamn
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