[NRSKarenRN]

Lots of great HealthLeaders Media articles today. Karen

Why Is The ED Such A Pain?

The emergency department has a culture all its own with a unique set of challenges to match. It's also your hospital's window to the community. So you'd better make it work. [Read More]

[Angel816]

I am actually thinking about going to the ED, I think I want a change of pace and maybe even make a difference in the beginning stay of a client coming into the hospital. Being on the unit I have heard so many comments about the ED I would like to Be a smile or a warm touch or a sip of water that makes a difference in the ED that will hopefully help the client feel more comfortable and think higher of their care while at our communities hospital it makes a difference and sets the mood for the client and family for the entire stay. DO you think I might be making the right choice to do this.

[Blee O'Myacin]

Originally Posted by Angel816

I am actually thinking about going to the ED, I think I want a change of pace and maybe even make a difference in the beginning stay of a client coming into the hospital. Being on the unit I have heard so many comments about the ED I would like to Be a smile or a warm touch or a sip of water that makes a difference in the ED that will hopefully help the client feel more comfortable and think higher of their care while at our communities hospital it makes a difference and sets the mood for the client and family for the entire stay. DO you think I might be making the right choice to do this.

I had a really long post that I just deleted. I had a rough day and it's not your fault. But we don't give the sip of water because we can't, all patients are NPO in the ER until all testing is complete - once admission orders are done, and they can get fed - they do get fed. It's not neglect on the ER nurses' part that they didn't feel well enough to eat for "three days" and as soon as the heplock is placed, they are asking for their meal tray. Not because we are not kind enough to do so. Maybe that patient didn't get a warm smile "just for them" because we had seven ambulance hits in 5 minutes, level 2's are in the hallways and they started hollering about how unfair it was that we didn't tell those other people to leave. Or perhaps they needed to be told not to hit their nurse or MST -- more than once, even if they are AAOx3.

I invite you to come down and spend a few days in the ER. Personally, I love it. I am respectful and direct, compassionate and unflappable. I do my best to descalate situations that could turn nasty with some education. But I'm no angel of mercy, wiping the fevered brows of the afflicted masses. If they can reach their own foreheads, then I kindly give them a towel and the proper education so they can do it themselves. (I suscribe to the Orem Theory of nursing with regards to knowledge deficits)

Blee (who has to be up in 7 hours to do it all over again....)

[Angel816]

Originally Posted by Blee O'Myacin

I had a really long post that I just deleted. I had a rough day and it's not your fault. But we don't give the sip of water because we can't, all patients are NPO in the ER until all testing is complete - once admission orders are done, and they can get fed - they do get fed. It's not neglect on the ER nurses' part that they didn't feel well enough to eat for "three days" and as soon as the heplock is placed, they are asking for their meal tray. Not because we are not kind enough to do so. Maybe that patient didn't get a warm smile "just for them" because we had seven ambulance hits in 5 minutes, level 2's are in the hallways and they started hollering about how unfair it was that we didn't tell those other people to leave. Or perhaps they needed to be told not to hit their nurse or MST -- more than once, even if they are AAOx3.

I invite you to come down and spend a few days in the ER. Personally, I love it. I am respectful and direct, compassionate and unflappable. I do my best to descalate situations that could turn nasty with some education. But I'm no angel of mercy, wiping the fevered brows of the afflicted masses. If they can reach their own foreheads, then I kindly give them a towel and the proper education so they can do it themselves. (I suscribe to the Orem Theory of nursing with regards to knowledge deficits)


Blee (who has to be up in 7 hours to do it all over again....)

I guess I was speaking more in theory or something I know they cant have food or drinks,I just wanted to help make the beginning part of their stay at the hospital better not saying the nurses that are already there does not do that I know alot of great ED nurses that is another reason I wanted to try it they have told me so much and I have shadowed in an ED for a few weeks. I hope I did not offend you I got the feeling maybe I did as I read your return I meant nothing bad I was just wondering what some others on here thought about the ED basically.I think that I will like it there and I can completely understand what you have said also lol. Thanks for your help..

[ksilty]

Originally Posted by Angel816

I hope I did not offend you I got the feeling maybe I did as I read your return I meant nothing bad I was just wondering what some others on here thought about the ED basically.I think that I will like it there and I can completely understand what you have said also lol. Thanks for your help..

ER nurses are not easily offended. I think Blee was just making the point that things happen differently in the ER. At least half of the folks seen in the ER don't need to be there, and a good many of those are frequent flyers who are often difficult to deal with. I had a patient whose mom complained to me that she was mistreated by the ER staff because when she took her 4-yr old in with a complaint of pharangytis and had to wait a long time, they didn't offer her anything to eat or drink. Get real mom!!! If she had taken her child to his PCP like she was supposed to, she could have been in and out in an hour. Needless to say, I turned that complaint into a teachable moment... When we lived in Hawaii, I worked in a small community hospital and floated to the ER a lot. I loved it, it was the most interesting place I ever worked, but I learned to show respect and compassion on the run, and it taught me a lot about Tough Love..

[sharona97]

Karen,

Thank you for the article. ER is a work in process. I agree the nurses run a very fast pace , but IMO I agree it is a hostile environment, probably due to the same reasons. Just responding to a post that ended up in the ER forum sounded like a fist fight when all that was being said was a vent or a response to a vent. And isn't that what allnurses is about?

I don't envision it getting much better meaning less patients walking through the doors, but I would love to see the improvements listed in the article implemented for all ER's and their workers.

Hostility IMO is a classic sign of work overload. And I see it being defended the way first line soldiers react during a war. I really hope it improves, and that needs to start with education (like yours) and the suits, IMO.