ED nurse from Australia

[Aussie Nurse]

Hello to you all. As you may have already guessed I am from the largest island on this planet - Australia. I am interested in hearing from people with ED or ICU experience from all over the world. I am new to this so be gentle.

I would like to know if nurses in ED do more than cannulation, bloods, ecg, obs, adminiter O2/fluids/xrays, all nurse initiated things. This is what we do on the Gold Coast Queensland Australia. If you have any research regarding this would be great. I would like nurses doing more than just the above. We have a RAT doctor but need a RAT nurse, do you have a RAT nurse and has it changed things for better or worse?

Love to hear what you think.

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[Hayden]

I work in the ED in Sydney, we do much the same sort of work, but I have to ask. What is a RAT nurse?

[nurse/mom]

Our ER in Colorado,nurses do pretty much everything that is ordered: labs,EKGs,splints,transporting to and from procedures,admitting,discharging,teaching,etc. I also work in the ICU where recently they started the RAT program which has helped with unnecessary admissions from the floor to the ICU. We already have in place certain guidelines for or against admitting things like GI bleeds from the ER or floor. Would be interested in talking with you more on your ER/ICU or anything else.