CockyICU,CockyER

[Dinith88]

I've recently had a discussion with a few nurses from the med-surg unit at my place of employment. They were grumbling over the way an ICU nurse handled an emergent transfer from their floor. Apparently, the ICU nurse was disrespectful, arrogant, and pretentious....making the whole transfer a big issue (could've gone a lot smoother if cooler heads were involved). Anyway, i'll spare the details.

So as i'm listening to their complaints, one speaks up and says "...it was worse than dealing with ER..." When i pressed the issue, it came to light that the majority of nurses on this floor have bad/negative things to say about dealing with ER as well..primarily concerning untimely admissions and poor reports.

This apparent lack of comradeiry(sp?)/cohesiveness is obviously detrimental to a healthcare 'team' approach, morale, and of course can impact patient care (insert cuss-word).

Is this an isolated problem, or do you sense similar issues at your place of employment? If so, who comes off as being harder to deal with..ER, or ICU?

(just curious). Any suggestions as to how to remedy the situation?? Or is this something we just have to live with..?

[NeuroICURN]

I've been in ICU for over 20 years. I have never, ever asked if a patient had a bath before transfer. I ask if the blood has been drawn (and when) if the chest X ray has been done -- not because I won't take the patient if it hasn't, but so I know whether I need to do it. I ask what service so I know who to call for orders. But if my bed is ready in 30 minutes, I'm looking for that ER patient in 29 minutes and 59 seconds. Even if it's a bogus admit.

In the ICU, we're squeezed between the ER and the step-down. I may not be able to take your ER patient until the step-down unit takes my transfer. And when ER is clamoring for a bed, I'm afraid I'm not very patient with a step-down nurse who tells me that "we can't take that patient until the nurse has had her lunch." (I'd like lunch, too -- but I'm not likely to get it until that ER patient is admitted and settled.) It's funny how that never seems to happen if we have to transfer a patient out in order to get a bounce back from the step-down unit. Lunch isn't as much of an issue for THEM, then, although I still won't get mine.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to vent!

I swear we must work in the same hospital! :chuckle

Anyway, I totally understand what you mean about trying to get ICU pt's out to the floor, but not being able to becuase that nurse is "at lunch" for an hour, or the bed isn't ready, etc! Then, ER or RR is screaming becuase they need the pt to come to ICU! I sometimes feel like I can't win for losing!

Look people, all it comes down to is this.....there are good ones and there are bad ones for ICU nurses, ER nurses, floor nurses and every other kind of nurse you can think of! You just have to deal with it!