So, after 6.5 yrs as RN/shift charge on a step down unit, I moved to the ED! Very excited to work with the excellent team!
Though I know how to be a nurse, being an ER nurse is a whole new world to me... different processes, different resources, and different expectations. These things are stressing me a little bit... I hope that I eventually adjust to the process... like what is expected and when...
Last night in the last 30 mins of my shift, I had a stable NSTEMI admitted (needed to transport her to floor), and back to back ambulances (relatively stable COPD resp distress/tachy & a pneumonia with god knows what drugs in her system).... I decided to try my hand and triaging the COPDer... I was halfway through getting my quick history and trying to enter it in T system when the pneumonia came in. I hadn't gotten labs or checked orders on COPD by the time the next pt was in her room, needing triage/assessment. Went to pneumonia patient's room, let my preceptor triage her as I collected blood/hooked her up to monitor, etc. Got that done and tried to call report on admitted pt so I could take her up since the next shift was already there and I didn't want to dump a transport on them... meanwhile COPD lady is climbing all over the stretcher bc she has to pee! (not to mention, I still haven't collected labs on her... by then I think I had forgotten!)... oncoming RN got her off the bedpan and I kind of mentally checked out... a little bit of shell shock? maybe. I had a sudden and overwhelming feeling of incompetence! I do realize some situations are just overwhelming, no matter how experienced you are...
So I'm wondering... how do you guys prioritize these things? Triage has to go into the computer right away... but I'm inclined to line/lab/problem solve before getting to the computer. I get that this will come with time, especially as I get better at charting in Tsystem... but.... woah. I guess that's what orientation is for...
How long did it take you to get used to the flow/process/your resources?
Any words of wisdom? I know I am an ED nurse at heart and I look forward to getting the hang of it... I just hope it doesn't take me too long... :-P