GOMER

A GOMER (commonly Gomer or Gomere) is a medical slang term for a patient in a hospital who is fully demented (and not fully conscious) or bordering on death, hence taking up room unnecessarily in the hospital. Gomers are sometimes despised by doctors and nurses who feel that they shouldn't receive medical attention and should just be left to die peacefully.

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Origins and entomology

"Gomer" stands for Get Out of My Emergency Room, reflecting the annoyance of the doctors. It first appeared in widespread print in the medical book "The House of God" by Samuel Shem, and was used mostly in the 1980s and 90s. It is still used today, although many medical professionals find it disrespectful and unprofessional. In 2004, the television show Scrubs used the term in an episode to describe an old demented patient who could only say one word.