Separating who really needs narcotics:
This is honestly the most emotionally challenging thing I have dealt with as an ER doctor — not as hard as having a child die on you, but more of an every-day sort of low-level emotional parasite. Some ER docs say “Why bother?” Give ’em what they want — it’s easier and everybody’s happy.” No complaints to administration that way, either. We euphemistically call these docs the “candy men,” but in truth I feel like a more honest appellation would be “pushers.”
