Biased care in the ER?

[Mijourney]

Hi,

I inquired about the following topic in the general forum. An article was published in this month's AJN about an Emory University study which recorded that black patients with trauma dx have been receiving substandard care in the ERs. Would like to see the opinions of ER nurses and other staff regarding this. Thanks.

[pickledpepperRN]

As a critical care nurse I have floated to the ER only when it was extra busy because I am not competent to care for children or some other emergency patients. I have never observed any difference in the care of patients except the difficulty of communicating with a patient without a translator.

There is one hospital with the most varied ethnicities of physicians and staff. Sometimes I've been the only U.S. born, others the only white. This hospital has without exception the most polite doctors and staff I have worked with. No verbal abuse. Our work is respected.

I credit the management by the Catholic Sisters. Patients as well as all level of worker are treated as family. Even though we work hard just like all who do this work now, it is rewarding. The patients appreciate it (usually).

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[babynurselsa, RN]

Tobash,

To some extent I think you may be right. IF the other parameters are there we usually respond quickly. We always do the basics immediately- O2, Iv, monitor, ecg.

I know personally that the atypical ones I have responded to a little less than enthusiastically. Such as the 35 yo female c/o chest pain and is coughing. That bit me in the you-know-what one night. I went in to help check just such a pt in, rolling my eyes, thinking costochondritis. Never even glanced at the monitor as I started a line and drew lab until my tech pulled the ecg off the machine and said " I'll show this to the doc right away. One glance showed and acute MI. Of course later hx revealed brother with MI and Quad CABG at age 37, and sister was havong a CABG the next day.

We have to be careful not to get tunnel vision with the typical scenarios. Of course any time spent in the ER should teach us that.