Professional Courtesy

[Dave123]

I had to take my 8 y/o to the ER the other day because he slammed his left hand in my dually pickup door. The hand had a couple of small lacs that needed steri stripped and xrays of it because of the discoloration/edema over 2 of the joints.

So we to the ER that we use and one I use to work in for over two years and basically waited almost two hours and still was not seen. I LWOBS because I felt insulted. Now the ER that day was what I call "easy money", sure there were patients but nothing really serious, lots of what looked like ash and trash. Heres my point. When I work and I see someone I know is a nurse or other medical person I expedite the care because I believe in Professional Courtesy and taking care of our own. Sometimes I have had to argue and press my point but I made it happen. My past working relationship with the personell was good I thought except for the ER doc who is a jerk.

I took him over to another ER and was extended the Professional Courtesy and was in and out in 45 minutes including films, strips, and dressing.

Am I wrong to expect Proffessional Courtesy?

[CEN35]

it's America.......your entitled to your opinion :)

me :)

[CATHYW]

I absolutely agree. The ER that I most recently worked at had an unwritten policy that we would try to accomodate any hospital personnel, police, fire, or EMS person, but they HAD to have a chart. That kind of slowed us up some, but we usually were able to get them in and out more quickly. However, I have worked with some docs such as one poster described, that would intentionally keep putting the chart back without seeing the person, if it was someone they didn't like, they were pi**ed off, or having a bad day. Nobody was ever taken ahead of an actually emergent patient.

The thing that I can't understand is that when I first began nursing (1983), most medical professionals, including dentists and opthamologists, would give you a professional discount. Try asking for one now, and see the reaction you get from the office personnel!

We need to look out for those in our profession, or who will?

P.S. Those in the know usually came in the ambulance entrance, and looked for a friendly nurse that they knew wouldn't blow them off-