sumas8

sumas8 specializes in ER/trauma center.

Latest Activity

1. How do you prevent psych/etoh elopements?

   sumas8 replied to mmutk's topic in Emergency

   We would put them on a 1:1 or safety sit and have an aide sit with them. Being drunk impairs your judgement to make medical judgements. After being given narcs (which we try to remember to ask prior to giving them how they are getting home if no on...

2. Tell us about your ED ?? =)

   sumas8 replied to shannonFNP's topic in Emergency

   I had posted about my NY hospital with 6-8 pts or whatever the traffic will bear. That more refers to our 'main' area, not critical care patients- our 'acute' higher level area is more like 3, maybe 4 pts on a really busy day. We have a separate fast...

3. Need handwashing help !!

   sumas8 replied to sumas8's topic in Emergency

   Has anyone else tackled this issue with any cute/clever/annoying or whatever tricks to help change the habits/culture?????

4. Tell us about your ED ?? =)

   sumas8 replied to shannonFNP's topic in Emergency

   Hi from New York. I work at a level 1 trauma center/ univ. hosp/ teaching hospital. We are the only level 1 in our county, also have an interventional neurologist and the only cardiac cath lab/Cardiac surgery in the area. We get alot of transfers fro...

5. Need handwashing help !!

   sumas8 posted a topic in Emergency

   Help! We are a busy trauma/ER and have had horrendous compliance with handwashing before and after seeing patients by all staff, from MDs to aides. We have many different types of staff who audit us (secretly or not) and it is now almost a year and w...

6. New admits at shift change

   sumas8 replied to megananne7's topic in General Nursing

   Hi- I'm an ER nurse and this looked like an interesting topic. I didn't read all 8 pages of comments so probably what I have to say may have already been covered. I always like to think of what is best for the patient. If a patient gets a bed assignm...

7. Interested in ER but not quite ER material.......

   sumas8 replied to Neferet's topic in Emergency

   I found your posting to have alot of thoughts to process and digest. I think it is natural to have self-doubts when you are a new nurse, or even when thinking of changing to a different specialty. I also feel your post contains alot of misconception...

8. my "floor nurse mentality"

   sumas8 replied to Anagray's topic in Emergency

   I agree- if you are handling 5-6 pts including ICU pts on drips you are doing very well. Does your ED have differently staffed areas for 'main' patients and acutely ill patients or are they combined and all staff cares for them? If your ER's system...

9. new grad needing encouragment

   sumas8 replied to kimber3ks's topic in Emergency

   Welcome to the wonderful world of Emergency Medicine! You sound like you have good life experience and a good attitude that should serve you well. I hope where you are working has a good internship/preceptorship for new grads. Starting in the ED is m...

10. Cab Vouchers

    sumas8 replied to Kidrn911's topic in Emergency

    We are a large suburban trauma center. We actually have a system/forms for taxi vouchers. I'm not sure if it comes out of the ED or hosp. budget. But you are right about people asking for them, or their friend got one, etc. As the night charge nurs...

11. How to recognize a Frequent Flyer

    sumas8 replied to EmerNurse's topic in Emergency

    Those are all so true! - They come in wearing their hospital ID band from last time - We had a FF Alcoholic (now deceased- it's hard to believe these people actually do die eventually) who we dubbed the Mayor of our ED as once he sobered up he wou...

12. Specimen Mislabeling- Help!

    sumas8 replied to sumas8's topic in Emergency

    Thanks for your thoughts- (they really are worth more than 2 cents..) We do have some active committees w. staff on them, and this falls under our CQI, but you are right- we should get some staff specifically on this problem. The problems are multif...

13. Specimen Mislabeling- Help!

    sumas8 replied to sumas8's topic in Emergency

    I am the one who posted this question. Thanks to all for replying. I agree it may be a 'systems' problem, but not sure. When a pt is registered in our ER within minutes 2 pages of labels w. attached arm bands are printed, so in almost all cases we ...

14. Specimen Mislabeling- Help!

    sumas8 posted a topic in Emergency

    We've been going from bad to worse with the number of mislabelled lab specimens in my ER lately. Does anyone have things they have done to stop this problem? We had been giving verbal warnings for 1st occurence, then if a 2nd, nurse had to give an i...

15. Boosting Morale in the ER

    sumas8 replied to 1sttimetraveler's topic in Emergency

    I've been in charge for a bit over 6 months now. Some great and true suggestions given here. The person who trained me got me into the giving out chocolates thing. I keep a bag of Hershey's kisses or something in the office and bring them around o...