What do these people do?

neneRN, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2003

We have Respiratory Therapists who give all Neb Tx, do ABGs, manage vent pts- all the breathing stuff.

Techs who can do EKGs, VS, blood draws, foleys, hook pts up to monitors.

Paramedics can start IVs, do EKGs, draw blood, VS, foleys, splints.

Xray techs, CT techs, U/S techs who come and get the pts and do these tests.

Transporters transport pts, run and get blood, go to Main Pharm, etc.

Unit coordinators answer phones, put orders into computers, break down charts, d/c pts out of computers.

Registration people get insurance info, next of kin info, personal info to put people into the computer.

Physician's assistants- they work in our fastrack area and only come into the Main ER to suture and put in staples.

Clinical Supervisors-we have one each shift to give us our assignments, handle all pt/doctor/nurse concerns, act as a resource for staff, help with trauma alerts.

Pharmacy RN who stocks code carts and med carts, orders all drugs for our ER pharmacy, acts as a resource for nurses with questions about meds.

Social worker who helps families during codes, fills indigent med Rx, finds transport for pts back home or to NH, works with rape victims, finds shelter for homeless, provides resources for everyone.

Auxillary who bring pts back from the lobby, stock linen carts, escort pts out to cars.

Security babysits all Baker Acts, psych pts, deals with unruly pts and visitors.

Visitor control person who monitors all visitors coming/going into ER, answers phone in lobby, polices out the visitors when there are too many or when the nurse requests it.

Charge nurse determines which room pt goes to, determines who gets seen when, communicates with all EMS calling in, watches all monitors, resource for staff, and much more.

Supply room staff stock all carts, order supplies.

Environmental clean all rooms, spills.

Except for Security and Auxillary, ALL OF THESE staff members wear scrubs- it is hard to tell who does what if you don't know who they are. I didn't realize how many different jobs there were until I just wrote it all down!

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2003

Wow! There certainly are a lot of people all working together! Thank you so much for explaining all that. I now have a much clearer understanding of everyone's role.

~Jackie

JJFROG · Mar 26, 2003

Nene.....I want to work in your ER!!!

MtnMan · Apr 7, 2003

I don't want to work in Nene's big city ED ever!!! If there is that much staff thenit must be that ugly we work with as many as 7 and as little as 3 including docs in my ED and that's enough.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2003

Jeez I work Australian ED's form time to time and at lest 75% of Nene list is done by the nursing staff here. Jack/Jill- of-all-trades was invented to describe or ED nurses!

dabestrn · Apr 8, 2003

I have worked in 4 ER's and it is pretty standard to have most of what was listed. All ER's generally should have:

----Docs, PA/NP, RN's, LPNs, Techs/NA's, secretary/unit clerk, registration, Security.

Other ER's have there the following in there own dept

---RT, transporters, Enviromental/housekeeping, Volunteers, social worker, Xray tech

All ERs have access to all of these, they are generally ppl who work in other units as well(ICU and tele). Busier ER's, generally Trauma ctrs, have their own ancillary staff.

Yes it seems like lots of ppl but in an ER, you see such a variety of pt's that they are all needed at anytime of the day. They should all work together as a great team to offer great care

eldernurse · Apr 12, 2003

They just aren't there all at the same time!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2003

Nope just us one or two "orderlies" and a couple or few of medical staff. Guess things are just different over here.