Are all floor nurses rude to ER nurses?

northshore08 · Jun 9, 2008

Well these girls were all bent calling the intensivist, getting their boluses ready and giving me the evil eye. I then quietly noticed that the NIBP was loose and not properly placed. When I re-took the pressure with the proper fit much to the dismay and protest of chickypooRN, the pt's pressure suddenly perked right back up to the 160's without any bolus or pressor yet. All she could muster was "well she must have perked up". Mwaaahahahahahah!
My charge nurse said I should have invited them over for an inservice on NIBP use but I didn't have the presence at the time!

LOVE IT!!! :jester:

(it's the little things that count.....)

traumaokc · Jul 21, 2008

I have worked in the emergency room for over 6 years and this has always been a problem. I came from ICU and cannot ever remember telling anyone in the er that I could not take there pt. It did not matter what was going on in the unit. But once I hit the ER I had a better respect for what they really do everyday. I have always tried to be polite when calling report but when they tell you sorry that nurse is at lunch can you call back in 30 minutes? I didnt have lunch and I am still doing my job. I will never understand why the friction is so bad between ER and every other area of the hospital except for OR. No one realizes we are all trying to do the same thing, take care of patients the best we can, and if I have a bed assignment for someone that has been on a stretcher for hours, its time for them to get upstairs. One of my favorites is when you receive your bed assignment and you try to call report, the bed has changed and oh that one isnt ready yet? Who comes up with stuff. I have actually taken a pt to the icu and given bedside report because I was tired of the bed changing, or you have to wait until shift change or whatever the excuse is... ER is a whole different world.:argue:

ND76 · Jul 29, 2008

I just don't get it. When I call the floor, I got out of my way to be friendly, courteous and treat the unit secretary and the receiving RN the way I would want to be treated. When I get to the floor, I greet, smile and ask how their night is going. They still treat me like crap. They barely speak, won't help transfer the patient from the stretcher to bed and won't acknowledge me when I hand the chart off. *** is that all about? You would think they would want to help transfer the patient from the stretcher to the bed...perfect time to assess their skin without having to turn them without help.
I get that we = work but come on, the poor attitude doesn't change the situation at all. It only makes it worse.

This is my pet peeve! One floor where I work is notorious for this.

I don't give a flying crap if they're rude to me when I bring the patient up, I'm a big girl and will get over it. I just smile and bounce around and tell them how lucky they are that I chose to grace them with my presence and bring them a delightful patient for admission.

But when they're acting like whiny brats and making their snippy comments in front of the patient is when I blow my top! I actually had a sweet little old lady ask me one time if her nurse was mad at HER!!! I rolled her into her room while three nurses and two techs sat scowling and huffing and sighing loudly at the desk, AFTER I had asked for lifting help not once, but twice. She looked up at me and said, "Oh, dear, I hope I'm not going to be any trouble for them."

Or, this classic that I hear ALL the time: As soon as I get off the elevator with a patient, I hear, "Oh, Good Lord...ANOTHER one? We're closed. You've already been up here too many times. We're not taking anymore patients tonight." They may be joking, but the patient doesn't give a ****. They're sick and don't need to hear it.

firecoins · Jul 29, 2008

ER nurses take it on EMS workers.

ND76 · Jul 29, 2008

ER nurses take it out on EMS workers.

Yep. It's the circle of life.

Then the EMS workers go home and kick their dog.

HAHAHA! Just kidding. But it's true. I've seen it. As soon as we hear "MFD #5 to XYZ Hospital" on the radio, a collective groan goes up, no one wants to get the call, and eventually someone hits the button and snarls at the poor unsuspecting paramedic.

BriBriRN · Jul 29, 2008

I love when the floor says "Oh, we are to busy to take that pt right now, hold on for an hour or so." I wish I could say that to the ambulance that just brought that MI in!!!!!:chuckle

BriBriRN · Jul 29, 2008

Yep. It's the circle of life.
Then the EMS workers go home and kick their dog.
HAHAHA! Just kidding. But it's true. I've seen it. As soon as we hear "MFD #5 to XYZ Hospital" on the radio, a collective groan goes up, no one wants to get the call, and eventually someone hits the button and snarls at the poor unsuspecting paramedic.

BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! RADIO!!!!!!!! I don't think its the EMS we don't like, its the sprained finger they just brought it...LOL

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

Hello everyone,
I have been an RN for about 3 years (1yr med/surg; 2 yrs cardiac) I just started working ER about 3 weeks ago, and I just have a quick question. Are alot of floor nurses rude and essentially no help what-so-ever when you transfer patients? Tonight I took a patient up to Tele and I had to ask a nurse sitting at the station 3 times if my patient was in the right place and if I had the right room, she just stared at me, rolled her eyes and acted like asking her to give up a kidney or something! I don't ever remember flat out ignoring those who would transport patients from the ER or never helping get the patient into bed. I know it wasn't her patient but at least she could have told me who the secretary was so I could drop off the paper work, or do something!!?!??!!?!
Do you guys run into this alot? Not everyone is rude, but it is has definetly been a trend.
Thanks!

about 50% of the time I find the floor nurses hate getting and receiving report on a patient from the ER. Yep, it sucks. I took report when I was a floor nurse - IT'S JUST REPORT, after all.... no clue why all of the 'tudes.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

The worst is when the ER is running over with patients and the floor/unit nurse says "we're really busy can you hold the patient?" I don't get a choice, why should they? Like I can take an incoming patient report from a medic and say "Can ya'll circle the block for about 30 minutes cause I'm really busy now?"

:hhmth:

yeah, right? :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

magicman · Jul 30, 2008

Not only taking report, but even getting a bed assignment can be worse than pulling teeth! It can take upwards of an hour or more to even get an assignment when there are beds available!

And yes, there are almost ALWAYS attitudes from the floor toward the ED. They also try to nit pick and find reasons to write us up on almost every pt. Been like that for years now. :no:

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

Personally I think the whole report thing is overblown-the full floor assessment must be done by the receiving nurse. Other than vital information-meds given, abnomal values, things stuck in the patient, current vitals, and wounds-THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW, AND GUESS WHAT YOU'LL FIND THAT OUT BY DOING YOUR HEAD TO TOE! Because we all know that is done in person, not by my report. I will chart the particulars and be exact, but I refuse to spoon feed anyone.

That drives me crazy!

The other day I stayed late to help out, took a patient up to telemetry, after shift change----no bed, no tele leads, no nurse, no techs, you get the drift....I go to charge, I don't know where she is with attitude-the family upset because patient had just been released and was back in 24 hours wondering why they are acting like that. My clinical technician has our monitor, which can't be removed due to tridil drip.

Guess where they were? Around the corner, shooting the bull!

Went and took a clean bed out of another room, transferred the patient, advised charge nurse that if someone didn't move it I was calling the night superisor. Then everyone moved...I was there 10 minutes, working on my 15th hour and was in no mood for crap! ICU/CCU pull this crap, but only with new grads. I am tired of the bs! :wink2:

I am always pleasant, do as many admit orders possible and do complete charting including measurements of ulcers, cellulitis, or edema-I don't like or deserve this treatment. Honestly I have to agree with all other posters-we can't tell the ambulances to wait!

As for EMT/Paramedics you are 100% right! We do give you guy the hairy eyeball! I have one that I always tell to get lost unless he's ready to place a line and draw blood! Love him, but want throttle him when we get a newbie!

Maisy