i am struggling with the whole concept people have that an ed is for coughs, constipation and other minor ailments that could be easily treated by otc medication at the pharmacy or a trip to the gp.

i was abused last night for telling a man there would be a long wait for the dr to see his 2 year old who was constipated. i was abused a couple of weeks ago for asking a mother who had a child with a cough for the past week whether she had tried to get into her local dr (totally well kid with a bit of a cough, no fever, no tachycardia or tachypnoeia).

is it just me? am i just allowing these people to annoy me? i'm seriously questioning whether ed is something i actually want to do anymore. i have no problems with sick people or traumas, i really enjoy that aspect.

anyone else share my frustration? i'm feeling really demoralised right now. i'm an excellent rn with great people skills and competent nursing skills but i'm ready to give it all away to go work at mcdonalds

I really hate the mean and nasty ones who are abusive and feel it is their god given right to say anything they want. It is sooo discouraging. I worked my a** off the other day, running, running and had a pt spouse get pissy and tell me he could do my job faster than me if he were wearing a blindfold. The ED gives you a thick skin or you don't survive.

I love it when, after 4 weeks at a new assignment I know all of the FF by name and complaint. Gimme a break! If I know your name you've been here FAR too much!

IT never fails to amaze me when 7 family members are eating Mc donalds, and playing games, switchingchannels on the tv, etc. and they don't care if they have to wait for 2 hours or more, it is like a social occasion.

The same is true in the part of the South where I live and work. The other mind-boggling thing is that they get their friends and their kids to come to the ER with them and picnic on McDonald's or out of the vending machines (I think those should be a BIG no-no in an ER)! They almost invariably hadMedicaid, but plenty enough money to buy the junk food and cigarettes, of course. How does that happen?

BTW, they would have all the food they wanted, but forgot to bring formula or a diaper for the babies they brought with them, and expected us to provide for them!

I have long thought that the term that is used in my hospital of "customer service" just doesn't compute for me--I don't think in those terms. Dammit, I provide patient care. If I had wanted to be in customer service I would be working in my bank helping people pick out their checks. (that is what my bank boasts--not me). I believe that the public has bought into that "customer service" lingo and we are looked at as just another service. Somedays I really feel fed up with the "all you can eat $5.95 world" we have come to live in. What we do is valuable. People take better care of their pets and cars, think long and hard before buying a tomato but don't think twice about that pill they are about to take that someone somewhere told them would help with this and that.........................sigh. Thanks.:trout::angryfire:nono::uhoh3:

I have long thought that the term that is used in my hospital of "customer service" just doesn't compute for me--I don't think in those terms. Dammit, I provide patient care. If I had wanted to be in customer service I would be working in my bank helping people pick out their checks. (that is what my bank boasts--not me). I believe that the public has bought into that "customer service" lingo and we are looked at as just another service. Somedays I really feel fed up with the "all you can eat $5.95 world" we have come to live in. What we do is valuable. People take better care of their pets and cars, think long and hard before buying a tomato but don't think twice about that pill they are about to take that someone somewhere told them would help with this and that.........................sigh. Thanks.:trout::angryfire:nono::uhoh3:

Amen Sister!!! :biere:

Today's management is more worried about the PERCEPTION of the institution than the OPERATION of the institution. Let's try to get our priorities in order!!! Let's make them well, THEN make them happy!

You make a good point. I am sure there are people that would use a clinic for the uninsured. I might even state it more strongly--"our medical and nursing communities support clinics in this city for the under and non-insured. Here are there numbersxxxxxxxx. We have had our secs make appts. for those pts. and often know the name of the receptionist and we put that on the card with the number of the clinic as well. I know this sounds like maybe going too far but it does pay off with one or two diversions. Understand that we don't turn our patients away but we are happy to give them options if they are unwilling to stay.

Gee, I don't know whether I'm heartened by the fact other RNs feel exactly like I do or depressed that the US has the same problems as here in Australia, particularly because I'm coming to the US soon