General
whine line
What does whine line mean?
Cynical slang for the stream of patients presenting to the emergency department with very minor complaints.
"Half of tonight's whine line could've seen a pharmacist."
Origin
US ED slang.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 'whine line'?
Cynical ED slang for the stream of patients turning up with very minor complaints that don't really need emergency care.
Where does the term come from?
US emergency-department slang, playing on 'whine' (complaining) and the queue of low-acuity attenders.
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