Apologizing for my prima donna ICU coworkers.

[NickiLaughs]

It's been getting on my nerves lately. Our ER is supposed to be the second busiest ER in all of Southern California. I've also floated to ERs at other hospitals and I know the chaos that ensues.

I recently had a coworker complaining about how the patients never come up with central lines when they are septic. Seriously? How do you expect the ER nurse to do that when she's got to get Blood/Urine cultures, put in IV lines, get ABT stat going on this patient, and probably start a pressor quickly so she can get em up to us? While managing at least 3 other patients?

I always thought it was our job to take the mess and "organize it" including getting the lines in. I'm not saying we aren't busy, but I'm just saying that it seems if the nurse wanted the patient perfect before coming to her, well, she's not going to have much left to do, and eventually her job is not going to exist.

It's something that's been happening more lately with the complaining. I try to stick up for you guys, because it's a ridiculous complaint.

Or that they want the patient stable before the patient arrives. LOL, isn't that the point of ICU, to stabilize them? Ok, vent done. I think I need to get out of ICU.

[Ryan RN]

2 icu nurses just transfered over to my ER... i will make sure they check the patients toes who came in because they had an MI or respiratory distress, make sure they call all the consults, and make sure all NON stat orders are done

[DebanamRN, MSN, RN]

If I could fix the patient they would be going home, not to ICU. That being said, it is difficult when you have 1 or 2 critical patients, a transfer, two other patients with families up your rear, demanding pillows/food/drugs/water/etc. I have had as many as 8 patients at a time, maybe all easy, maybe all really sick. I take what I get. Can't help out the ICU nurse who expects everything to be done. Can't hold up a bed in the ER when the pt needs a 2 hour nuclear med test, especially when the charge nurse is on my back to get the pt upstairs because we have a full waiting room and a 2 or 4 hour wait. I wish I had time to give the care I want to give to my patients, but honestly, I don't. I just stabilize them and out or up they go. And when you call me and I tell you I can't give report because the helicopter is on the pad and the flight nurse is standing in front of me, for goodness sake's don't get huffy. I will call you back when my patient is out the door. I get enough guff from patient's crazy families. I don't get huffy when you tell me your are transferring a patient. Its just part of the job.

[brainkandy87]

Thanks for making sweeping generalizations about older nurses. I'm sure you won't mind my complaints about slacker younger nurses who spend their time texting or on FB instead of working.

Not at all, because there's a large majority that would rather be on their phone than taking care of pts. I have absolutely no problem making generalizations about older nurses. I work with plenty of them and most are burnt out and complain about arbitrary things.

[kxvc]

I just made the switch from ER to ICU nursing. I love ER nursing, it's where I started as a new grad, and I know I will return to it some day. I just thought having ICU experience would make me a more well rounded nurse. That being said I can totally appreciate both sides of the coin now. The mentality is very different in ER and ICU, and that is probably why they tend to clash. In the ER my focus was keeping my patient alive with the little info I had. In the ICU I know every detail about them, and then some. I think both are excellent positions which require great skills in critical thinking, assessments, independence, and team work. As a previous poster stated I also think ER nurses can benefit from a day in the ICU nurse's shoes and vice versa.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

and i don't mean to offend any older nurses, this is just what i've noticed as a young nurse. so no hate, please. :)

an offensive statement is no less offensive because you've said you "don't mean to offend". in fact, it's more offensive. you know you're saying something that might offend someone, but you just don't care.

[brainkandy87]

an offensive statement is no less offensive because you've said you "don't mean to offend". in fact, it's more offensive. you know you're saying something that might offend someone, but you just don't care.

you're right, i should've not included that post. i do stand by my original statement, as well as the above post, however.

[Hagabel]

and don't forget to bathe them!!!!!

[CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

and don't forget to bathe them!!!!!

Which should include a topical bug killer of choice for pts with lice/nits (ick) or scabies (double-ICK...scratch..itch...scratch).

I'm dreaming, I know.

[Hagabel]

So true...

:)

Which should include a topical bug killer of choice for pts with lice/nits (ick) or scabies (double-ICK...scratch..itch...scratch).

I'm dreaming, I know.

[8mpg]

I want to play...

Having worked both sides (3 years ER and now 1 year ICU) it is very different. That being said, when a patient is dumped on me by the ER nurse (which I worked with) with a single IV with dopamine and dobutamine flowing...I get ******. ER doc admits a patient on a vent without sedation ordered? Chest pain without morphine/NTG orders? I work night shift and we dont have 24/7 docs on the floor. The ER does. Did they bother to try and get a 2nd line? I dont expect everything from the ER...I'll take 2 good lines, a full report, and someone that is still alive. ER nurses are trained for critical care. They should know how to take care of these patients. They have a doctor beside them if they need something. I dont in the ICU. I have to call a Dr in the middle of the night and hope they call me back.

To the person complaining about juggling one critical patient, a couple of unhappy families, etc... I dont feel for you. Sorry but I dont. There are times we get tripled with critical patients. I'll take a couple whiney families because their kid hasnt seen a doctor any day. ER nurses should wander up to ICU and work for a day. It is completely different. Sure we dont have crying kids...we have 6 pumps going, a vent and chest tubes, hourly vitals, etc. ICU nurses are trained for ICU. Im guessing very few of you work in an ER where you will juggle more than one critical patient. Working in a medium sized ER in for 3 years, a typical nurse day is a belly pain, kid needing stitches, broken arm, etc... It aint all drama like on the tv show. When things go bad in the ER, I know first hand they go bad. In my facility, the ICU will come down to help the ER with critical patients until transferred up. THis often leaves ICU nurses tripled with critical patients.

The key is to have mutual respect between departments... a little common courtesy and common sense goes a long way. I know the idea behind the ER is get them in and get them out, but dont crap on your fellow coworkers.

[Ahhphoey]

Yeah, I work ICU and though I've never done ED, I have worked as house supervisor so I spent a lot of time there during my shifts when we were busting at the seams. I definitely developed a new respect for ED nurses. I was one of the nurses who complained about the ED nurses doing nothing for the patient then shipping them up to us, but have realized the error of my thinking. Once we're full, we're full...there is nowhere else to put patients. The ED never closes and it takes an act of God for us to divert and even then you still can't turn away the walk-ins. Hats off to you wonderful ED nurses!!!

[TeenyTinyBabyRN, BSN, RN]

I work NICU, and occasionally we get a baby from home (sometimes it's a home birth... YIKES! ~clutches chest~ they are never pretty, but I digress). All I ask for, from the ER is an airway and report. We can handle the rest because that's our sepcialty. I don't expected a bathed, clean diaper, clean linened, baby with a central line, to come up, because I feel like that is my job. They signed up for ER, which is ussually not neonatal care, which is what I signed up for. I think we need to cut each other a little slack.