A day in the life of the Emergency Room...

[Trauma1]

I thought you all would all enjoy this; some of you healthcare professionals can appreciate how accurate this really is. This is just one example of the ridiculous scenarios that we often face daily in the Emergency Room. It's unbelievably aggravating (when you're trying to deal with REAL emergencies), but this adds a nice comical spin to it. If I had a dime for every time I've had someone fake a seizure; or drug seek. Make sure you watch the whole thing.

Enjoy!

 

[Palo Alto Labs]

oh man i feel your pain... literally.

when i dislocated my elbow almost 3 years ago, i had to wait close to 5 hours to be seen. i was in excruciating pain but i still had to wait. i finally get back there and get some happy pills and there was a guy making a HUGE scene bc he was having kidney stones or something. i know that isnt any laughing matter.. but he was prescribed meds by his doc.. but chose not to take them, which left him at the ER bc he didnt follow doc orders. it was frustrating bc he got in before me..

 

[CopyCat]

Awesome

 

[toughchick401]

after my night made me laugh like he**

TC

 

[JudoJosh]

Our ER is full of ETOH patients, girls without insurance who want an preg test or ultrasound and now everyone thinking they have H1N1. It does get frustrating when you get people in the ER who have no business being there. But hey if the ER wasnt full of these people it wouldnt get crazy busy and the hospital wont offer you PIP pay ..

 

[Trauma1]

Our ER is full of ETOH patients, girls without insurance who want an preg test or ultrasound and now everyone thinking they have H1N1. It does get frustrating when you get people in the ER who have no business being there. But hey if the ER wasnt full of these people it wouldnt get crazy busy and the hospital wont offer you PIP pay ..

Lol, yep. They don't want to pay the $5.00 to buy a pregnancy test, so they come to the ER. It's even more priceless when they tell you this with a straight face. Working in triage is always an adventure.

After 10 years, I'm finally taking a break. Burnout has definitely set-in, but there is no doubt I'll be back one day. The ER nurse mentality isn't something you can't teach; it's either innately present or it isn't. Often these dayrs there are too many nurses working in the ER, rather than true ER nurses. Everytime I watch a tv show depict the emergency room all "hollywood out" it makes me angry.

I just watched this video again and laughed my ass off, lol! It really is a fairly accurate demonstration of a typical scenario we see daily. :lol:

 

[JudoJosh]

I love the hospital shows that when the patient flat lines they shock them.. even though it isnt shockable.. but the shock them everytime.. cracks me up..

I feel ER nurses should be rotated out every so often because they tend to be dead to everything. Just get emotionless and heartless afte time dealing with all the BS.. I see them tend to start act like every single patient is lying or a hassle. I think its just the result of being in the ER and dealing with all the nonsense. You know what im talking about?

 

[Trauma1]

I love the hospital shows that when the patient flat lines they shock them.. even though it isnt shockable.. but the shock them everytime.. cracks me up..


I feel ER nurses should be rotated out every so often because they tend to be dead to everything. Just get emotionless and heartless afte time dealing with all the BS.. I see them tend to start act like every single patient is lying or a hassle. I think its just the result of being in the ER and dealing with all the nonsense. You know what im talking about?

Whenever I see them shock asystole I always laugh. Most people think that shocking the heart causes the heart to "start up" again, but it infact makes it electrically depolarize the muscle; stopping it for a split second in hope that your SA node (natural pacemaker) will kick back in and deliver a normal sinus rhythm.


This is the thing: If you're the type of person that becomes too caught up in emotion (that's why there are many different areas and specialties in nursing), it will affect your ability to effectively function and perform in the emergency setting. Now, I'm not saying you need to be heartless or mistreat people by any means, but you have to have a more "robotic" if you will demeanor at times to efficiently and effectively function in the ever evolving dynamic that is the emergency room. Being able to make split second decisions and prioritize your workload is vital to being an effective emergency nurse. There is a universal creed among Emergency Room staff though - "This is the Emergency Room: we're here to save your ass, not kiss it!"

It is true that in time you become more desensitized to death in general, but I believe that sets-in with some more than others. I can honestly say that I will still tear up with some of the tragic deaths.

This all ties into where I said that there are nurses that work in the ER, and then there are ER nurses. There is a big difference. They key is that you have to know "when to say when." The stress (mental/physical) and burnout is very high in that setting, and sometimes you need to take a break and work in another area of nursing. It's not only healthy for your mentality, but it will make you a better nurse in the end.

 

[Iron Lungz]

It is true that in time you become more desensitized to death in general, but I believe that sets-in with some more than others. I can honestly say that I will still tear up with some of the tragic deaths.

I can fully relate to this, that's for damn sure. I will admit, though, that seeing some if the death's that I have, the kids always stick in my head. Always.

 

[Trauma1]

I can fully relate to this, that's for damn sure. I will admit, though, that seeing some if the death's that I have, the kids always stick in my head. Always.

Yeah, I know what you mean. There are times you'll often reflect back on things you could have done different, but in reality you did the best that you could at the time with what you had.

One of the hardest parts of the job is coming to the realization that sometimes you just can't save everyone; despite everyone's best efforts and/or limitations of modern medicine. I feel that sometimes things are just left in the hands of god to decide.

 

[CopyCat]

I'm just happy to be off the Cardiology inpatient ward. Even though it was tied to ICU as a critical care department, it was quite a downer. This may sound insensitive, but was mostly wiping old people's a$$, ambulating, and whining. I was much happier in the direct observation unit (DOU) for the post cardiac cath patients or the cardio-thoracic step-down unit. All though, beyond that I much much rather be in the field

 

[Trauma1]

I'm just happy to be off the Cardiology inpatient ward. Even though it was tied to ICU as a critical care department, it was quite a downer. This may sound insensitive, but was mostly wiping old people's a$$, ambulating, and whining. I was much happier in the direct observation unit (DOU) for the post cardiac cath patients or the cardio-thoracic step-down unit. All though, beyond that I much much rather be in the field

Lol, I hear ya bud. Sometimes it's like being a glorified "ass-wiper", lol.

I actually just transfered to the the Cardiac Cath Lab effective the end of last month, so I will start there once I'm back from paternity leave. It's almost impossible to get into a busy interventional cath lab unless you know somebody (Thankfully I did). Nobody EVER leaves because it's such a great job, with the potential to do very well financially. I'll take the better hours and money now that the wife is going part-time.

I do have to do call though, but that doesn't really bother me, because that's where the money really lies.

 

[CopyCat]

Lol, I hear ya bud. Sometimes it's like being a glorified "ass-wiper", lol.

I actually just transfered to the the Cardiac Cath Lab effective the end of last month, so I will start there once I'm back from paternity leave. It's almost impossible to get into a busy interventional cath lab unless you know somebody (Thankfully I did). Nobody EVER leaves because it's such a great job, with the potential to do very well financially. I'll take the better hours and money now that the wife is going part-time.

I do have to do call though, but that doesn't really bother me, because that's where the money really lies.

Sweet man, it is a good spot. So, what are your plans now? NP, CRNA, or what? I just have math left to wrap up my AA and like 2 other classes to get an AA in heath care administration. Those are just what I'm grabbing since they are easy while I continue to knock out my prereqs for PA. But it's a long road trying to do all that on top of work. Even longer if I can manage to get deployed to Afghanistan next year.

 

[JudoJosh]

If I can go back in time and do it all over again I would have done better in school and right outa highschool went right into nursing school then right into nurse anesthetist program. I hear from nurses it is ridiculously hard. The stories go you have to save what your salary is for 3 years or take a second mortage on your house and then basically quit your job or go per diem and ust focus all on school cuz as soon as you drop below a C they drop you from the program... yikes.... I cant imagine taking that risk now, getting a second mortage on my house so I can go back to school and not work and then end up getting dropped and now jobless with 2 mortages... scary thought

 

[toughchick401]

I'm kind of glad to hear some stories here I was thinking i was turning into a heartless B*ch although some think I am.....I work in psych and am in school to finish up, taking part time classes, it's killing me working 70-80 hours a week and paying school out of pocket....but just decided to move to LI, got a job and enrolled 4 nights a week and will be done by 2011....Just can't get side railed and need to do this, I know in the end it will be worth it but i def wont stay in psych, the restriants kill me.................

tc

 

[Trauma1]

I'm kind of glad to hear some stories here I was thinking i was turning into a heartless B*ch although some think I am.....I work in psych and am in school to finish up, taking part time classes, it's killing me working 70-80 hours a week and paying school out of pocket....but just decided to move to LI, got a job and enrolled 4 nights a week and will be done by 2011....Just can't get side railed and need to do this, I know in the end it will be worth it but i def wont stay in psych, the restriants kill me.................

tc

Keep pluggin' away, TC....You can do it!

 

[CopyCat]

Yeah, keep at it TC. You got it for sure.

 

[toughchick401]

Keep pluggin' away, TC....You can do it!

I know trauma i just need to remember that in the end it's worth it and i need to make let somethings go along the way......

TC

 

[bigdognhb]

I love this. It started floating around my ER about 3 weeks ago. Ive showed it to a couple people outside of emergency medicine and they just dont get it. Myself, I laugh my ass off every time. I know the majority of the time I come off as I dont care. And usually I dont. I have no need to kiss your ass because you've had a cold for 3 weeks and now think your the most important person in the ER. I still have compassion for the truely sick. The ones that come in that are the reason that we got involved in emergency medicine. The day I stop having compassion for those people, is the day I wll quit doing what I do

 

[ItsHectic]

I just watched this video again and laughed my ass off, lol! It really is a fairly accurate demonstration of a typical scenario we see daily. :lol:

LOL quite witty, cause xanax withdrawal can give you fatal seizures.

 

[AnthonyIOSOS]

Yes, I like this video. I will be sure to forward this to my hospital buddies. I work in security so I am the person who has to throw these patients out. Then I get to listen to how they have no ride or no money and it is my fault if they get killed or raped on the street.

 

[Trauma1]

LOL quite witty, cause xanax withdrawal can give you fatal seizures.

Yeah, and that's why there is a physical/history and diagnostic exam for any given complaint; as well as medical staff trained to diagnose and treat accordingly if found to be consistent with the findings. If you're a bullsh*tter it's VERY evident in the end.

What's your medical training consist of exactly? A "bachelor of google", huh?

Way to be an ignorant sarcastic douche bag and miss the comical spin of the video on a typical "drug seeker" completely. Then again, I guess those that don't work in the medical field (emergency room) probably wouldn't understand this video, or see/understand the humor as intended. All too often you have to sift through the bullsh*t to find the real problem; and much of the time there isn't one to begin with (and certainly NOT an emergency).....because they're plain and simply: DRUG SEEKING.

 

[natandrb]

My dad is a PA in the emergency department, and I can't tell you how many times I've heard stories like this. His hospital was across the street from a rehab center, so he would have people coming in all the time trying to get their fix. Had to change our phone number several times because those ***holes would look up his name and phone number in the yellow pages and threaten to call and harass us. Moral of the story, beware hospital jobs near rehab centers, or just don't list your number in the yellow pages