An ER nurse

[PerfectlyNumb]

Us ER nurses get each other. We know why we react to situations the way we do, we understand reasoning that seems unreasonable, we don't trust anyone, we see things under a skeptical microscope, we know we live amongst an undercurrent of chaos that normal people don't see, we assess risk at all times, we are cautious of strangers and very cautious of drunk/high strangers, we are annoyed by many people but we still sincerely empathize with others, we have a keen ability to sort out situations quickly, we judge everyone within 3 seconds, we are always planning the next move, we live in craziness, we thrive in stressful situations, and we love commiserating. We must commiserate to make it in this environment. Our family and friends cannot understand us the way our coworkers can. Our loved ones are blissfully unaware of the reality of our society.

We can relay an entire message to each other with a simple look. A complaint you have about patients or hospital politics, you can be assured that your fellow nurses completely understand. We can spot a drug seeker as soon as they roll in on the stretcher. We know what we are in for by a simple glance at the patient. We know people die, sometimes they show up unpronounced but nonetheless dead, and we take it in stride. We all fear pediatric and OB patients will show up in our ER. We witness tragedy. We see the human condition in its primal form. We comfort patients and their family, even if we are scared too.

We need to vent, we listen to each other vent. Even though there is a clear YOU and I at work, we know we are ultimately a team that fights off the daily ER terrorists. We save lives, even though we minimize this because we deal with so many cases of benign or fake belly pain, headaches, chest pain, etc. We are humans that see/smell/touch things that nobody should ever be subjected to. We do unimaginable things. We witness unimaginable situations. We deal with violence at our jobs regularly. We are soldiers. We may lose many battles, but we must stick together to win the war on our souls.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Can I have an AMEN!

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

AMEN!!!

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

A. M. E. N. !

[Christy1019, ASN, RN]

Amen!!

[tink0013]

I loved this!

[Keep_Calm]

AMEN!!!

[DayDreamin ER CRNP]

Truth!

I'd also like to add that we have at least three coping mechanisms that just evolve and we become fluent in all of these languages:

1. Sarcasm

2. Humor

3. profanity

meredith

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

And we get to learn other languages - "drano, no bueno".

And though we are nurses, we most identify not with the other nurses in the hospital but with the cops and EMS folks... from whom we receive so many of our... clients.

+++

And we get just how fast... "badness happens"