What smells?? ER!

[canoehead]

doctors firing nurses???

what the heck was on er tonight? carter gets to decide how much money to spend on security measures, and then is going to fire three senior nurses to pay for it??? when did docs have anything to do with the unit budget, and when did they start firing nurses?? tell me this is not normal practice at any hospital...please.

i have had it. i know they have a medical advisor- does this guy have delusions of grandeur? does he need a psych consult, or one of those metal charts upside the head? someone on this board suggested an episode from the nursing perspective- let the docs take the background for an hour. i love that idea.

let's start a revolution...i'm off to find a feedback link, and i expect all of you professionals out there to send in letters.

back in a minute.

[Flo1216]

Thanks, Heather. People really do get all bent out of shape about the accuracy of medical TV. I for one don't care. I still love them:>D

[Estella]

Hi everybody,

I guess I'm still new enough to remember when I watched medical TV and it made me want to be there! Now that I'm on the front line in a Coronary Care unit, it's so much better!

If you want a laugh: for my BSN leadership course the instructor taped ER and showed us segments of doctors barking out orders and scenes from a lawyer's office to show us "leadership in action...." I thought of the many codes I've been in when my charge nurse has taken over control of the code from residents who aren't as secure in emergent situations. To me, that is true leadership in action.

My husband loves watching "Diagnosis Murder." He hates having me in the room while he watches it because of my comments. I've found I prefer watching "Emergency Vets" and "Forensic Files." It gives me something to learn that is different from most situations at work. (In other words, I don't complain about the scripts as much!)

[MollyMo]

Originally posted by shannonRN

what about the part where abby gave the guy 400mg of demerol instead of 150mg? that showed her on the front line..didn't it? she took initiative and knocked that guy on his a$$.

I obviously missed this episode. 400 mg of demerol!?!

[LasVegasRN]

As ridiculous as these TV shows are, they are purely for entertainment value.

I have to thank "Emergency One!" for inspiring me to enter this field to begin with. I'm quite sure that paramedics had a great laugh over Randolph Mantooth and that guy that played DeSoto in addition to the firemen who were portrayed as cooking elegant meals every day at the firestation.

Same goes for "Quincy" and.... what was the name of that show with Purnell Roberts? Anyway, these shows glamorized the health field. I'm sure there are quite a few of us that felt a spark of interest as kids when we saw these shows. Would I have felt that same spark if they accurately portrayed nursing as it is today? No way. But, when we have that initial spark, and run with it, and invest time in it and grow to embrace it despite it's up's and down's, that is the pay off.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Think Carter ordered EIGHT metal detectors if memory serves correct. Cought that 400mg of Demeol for person suspected of being drug addict. Does show the extreme's some persons will go too when SEVERE pain is interfering in their life.

Have always believed: Pain is WHATEVER the patient says it is. They did try to send this guy to pain clinc but appt month away.

Guess I'm one of the few persons can get same day servie Mon-Fri from PCP and with consults 1-2 days. Longevity does have some perks (along with having trained 2/3 docs I work with and saved their butts.).

[MollyMo]

Purnell Roberts was "Trapper John, MD".

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I worked the ER last night and did all the drugs and interventions before the doc showed up to examine the pt. He wrote what I did on the order sheet, added orders for the floor, and was gone.

This comes from being around forever, but you know the patient and family didn't realize it was the RN that actually took care of them. Or that it was an RN that noticed falling vitals and started rx, then called the doc back.

On TV the docs are at the bedside from the time critical pts show up- in actual fact it is nursing that starts the work up, and the docs shows up later. The pt asks "what did the dr say?" and the dr in question is at home in bed asking the nurse what she thinks should be done.

[Youda]

Originally posted by canoehead

The pt asks "what did the dr say?" and the dr in question is at home in bed asking the nurse what she thinks should be done.

OMG! :roll :chuckle :rotfl:

That is SO true!

[LasVegasRN]

Originally posted by MollyMo

Purnell Roberts was "Trapper John, MD".

THANK YOU! I couldn't think of the name of that show for the longest! Yeah, where the nurses wore HEELS.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Yeah, where the nurses wore HEELS.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I always thought white go go boots would be cool!

[kaycee]

Just an observation here. Did any of you catch when Carrie told Carter he had to fire 3 senior nurses she said they would hire 3 new grads to replace them because it was cheaper. Well IMO that is a reality and maybe they will address that.

I too agree ER is pure entertainment and should be viewed as such. Also I don't know about the rest of you but Demerol in my ER only comes in unit doses of 50, 75 & 100mg. Never saw one vial where you could draw up 400mg. Well it is TV.

[outbackannie]

Now, Dixie McCall, RN on Emergency! Now there was a Nurse!

She ran the ER, the paramedic program, the Radiology dept, the Laboratory, the Operating Room, Central Supply, and ICU all in one episode!!! All the Dr.'s respected her opinion and never threw a chart at her. She was always composed. Her nurses's cap always propped perfectly on her perfect coiffure. Her white nurse's uniform without a blemish or wrinkle. What a role model!

That show now is a comedy!