ER bashing...where is the love??

Specialties Emergency

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I was just wondering if any one else noticed how it is not only acceptable... but "the norm" for people to berate the ER. The sad part is, it is done by fellow nurses and on this message board quite commonly. It's always the same scenario.... someone starts a thread questioning an ER visit that they or a friend or a family member experienced...and then the thread is bombarded with everyone elses' (mostly negative) experience. I thought this message board and at least the nurses who use it were supposed to be an advocate of nursing. I can't believe some of the things that are said. In general, previous threads have conveyed that ER nurses goof off, have bad attitudes, and are uncaring. If the same were said on a regular occurance about nurses in general... then those posters would be crucified. Not only is it OK to do so but most jump on the bashing bandwagon.

Personally, I think it is simply a matter of ignorance. And I do not mean that term as an insult. (ig'.na.rant)a.uninstructed;uninformed;unlearned-Webster

Specializes in ICU,ER.

I think that my OP was kind of taken the wrong way. While I can appreciate the whole Floor vs. ER issue, it has been done to death. I was addressing more of the nurse or nurse's friend/family member as patients in the ER and how it is popular for people to chime in about their "terrible experience" while patients there. Not unlike women who love to tell their baby delivery story.

But anyway, thanks for the comments!

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Specializes in ICU,ER.
Then the ER sent him up to ICU on a Levophed drip. Were we irritated? You bet! But we didn't sit around saying all LTC and ER nurses are stupid.

I love the way those silly ER nurses always ORDER things! Gee, wish the DOCTORS down there wrote some orders every once and a while.:uhoh3:

okok.... I know what I said about the whole ER vs. Floor thing but I just couldn't resist! hehe.

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Specializes in CCU/CVU/ICU.

Unjustified 'bashing' of any sort is the mark of a small, insecure person. However...it's a funny 'observation' that most 'bashers' are those who are receiving report/patient. The floor nurses get ticked because of shift-change issues, incomplete reports, innacurate/nonexistant medical history, innability to answer certain questions (for whatever reasons), etc. Some floor nurses then highlight and broadcast any such deficiency (and untimely report-calling)to their 'colleagues'(sp?) which then perpetuates the 'inconsiderate dummy er-nurse' myth. There's a certain 'power' when receiving report because if you're up to it, you can really twist a knife by asking certain questions or 'looking' for any fault in the report...and many 'bashers' are experts at this..

NOw...before I get koom-by-yah and fuzzy for the er-nurses, i'd like to point out that the only time(vast majority of time) a nurse calls report 'to' an ER is from LTC facilities. NOw...if you were to peruse the LTC boards (or interview them in general) you notice a definite 'vibe' that ER nurses (who are now the report 'receivers') are often rude and condescending (or at least they feel that way). ER nurses are notorious LTC nurse 'bashers'.

It goes both ways. Best bet is to ignore this nonsense and keep plugging along and doing the job that you do so well....Oh..and make an effort to be reasonable with LTC nurses calling report...it'll create good karma and may keep you from being the butt of the floor nurse's bashingly wicked jibes...

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Having worked ER in the past, I have to agree, there is a certain amt of 'bashing'. I think this stems from alot of things, internal & external, which I won't go into, but I will share one quote from an ER doc whom I greatly admire: "An ER nurse can work anywhere in the hospital & function well, but other nurses have a very hard time switching gears & coming to work in the ER!" :) He wasn't trying to be mean, just making an observation based on his experience.

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Specializes in ICU,ER.
which then perpetuates the 'inconsiderate dummy er-nurse' myth. There's a certain 'power' when receiving report because if you're up to it, you can really twist a knife by asking certain questions or 'looking' for any fault in the report...and many 'bashers' are experts at this.....may keep you from being the butt of the floor nurse's bashingly wicked jibes...

.........just when I thought I was out of this discussion, I am sucked back in...:)

ok....let me just say that ~most~ ER nurses are kind of amused at the very obvious power play that goes on in report giving. forgive me if i overlooked a history of a tonsillectomy 20 years ago or failed to mention a case of gout on the crumping patient. let me amend that...it's amusing when i'm NOT busy.... the 20 questions routine wears thin on the nerves when you don't have time for silly games. that also goes for reciting normal labs and giving every detail of my assessment.

i would have to respectfully disagree about the "inconsiderate dummy er-nurse myth" i feel that the case is the opposite. we are the shakers and the movers and we have to think quick and use our instincts many times in a shift. not many nurses can do what we do. that's where the silly report mind games come in to play.

I like to quote Eric Hoffer regarding this issue:

~Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength~

I don't sweat the whole report silliness.... if it makes someone feel superior even for a moment, then i figure they must really need the validation. And IF i have time to accomodate such coping mechanisms, i just go along with it... but just know i have an amused smile on my face.:)

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Specializes in ICU.

I am a Nursing student in Florida and I am sorry to say that my first encounter with an ER was 2 weeks ago, and it wasnt pleasant. I went to bed at 1 am and suddenly felt extreme pain on my RL Back. It would not stop, so a friend took me to the ER (my first time). It was the worst pain I had ever felt in my life (Kidney Stone). I waited from 1:30 am till 5 am at the hospital before they could help me. And sure enough the nurse at the reception at the ER was the worst person in the world in my eyes. I hesitantly would return to him from my seat and say it was unberable and i could not take the pain any longer, he acted as if he didnt give a Sh%^$t and made "faces" as if I was bodering him to much. It was the worst experience in my life!! I hate that man!!

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Specializes in ICU,ER.
I am a Nursing student in Florida and I am sorry to say that my first encounter with an ER was 2 weeks ago, and it wasnt pleasant. I went to bed at 1 am and suddenly felt extreme pain on my RL Back. It would not stop, so a friend took me to the ER (my first time). It was the worst pain I had ever felt in my life (Kidney Stone). I waited from 1:30 am till 5 am at the hospital before they could help me. And sure enough the nurse at the reception at the ER was the worst person in the world in my eyes. I hesitantly would return to him from my seat and say it was unberable and i could not take the pain any longer, he acted as if he didnt give a Sh%^$t and made "faces" as if I was bodering him to much. It was the worst experience in my life!! I hate that man!!

Is this person for real or just tryin' to yank my chain?:chuckle

See? Even on a thread that asks WHY people do this....someone can't resist to tell an ER horror story....... soooo funny.... (and so clueless)

And by the way, this is the type of bashing I meant in the OP...not the floor vs. ER.

so thanks, frankie, for the example!

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Specializes in ER Medical ICU.

As an ER nurse I do what I can to help my floor nurse. I send patients up clean & with all the admit orders done that can be done. However, our ER is busy and we ave very little to no UAP's. I can only do what I can do. We ave no control on how many patients roll into our hall way at inconvenient times so they should know how we feel when they get an admit.

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Specializes in ER Medical ICU.

Maybe your triage nurse just finished working their neighbors child in trauma arrest and just were quite in the mood for something that seemed so trivial. You don't know where people are coming from mentally or emotionally. Everyone comes to ER wit the attitude that they left biscuits in the oven and can't beleive how long it takes to get in & out. Sorry that your kidney stone had to wait for te airway emergencies that rolled in afterwards.

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Specializes in CCU/CVU/ICU.
.........just when I thought I was out of this discussion, I am sucked back in...:)

ok....let me just say that ~most~ ER nurses are kind of amused at the very obvious power play that goes on in report giving. forgive me if i overlooked a history of a tonsillectomy 20 years ago or failed to mention a case of gout on the crumping patient. let me amend that...it's amusing when i'm NOT busy.... the 20 questions routine wears thin on the nerves when you don't have time for silly games. that also goes for reciting normal labs and giving every detail of my assessment.

i would have to respectfully disagree about the "inconsiderate dummy er-nurse myth" i feel that the case is the opposite. we are the shakers and the movers and we have to think quick and use our instincts many times in a shift. not many nurses can do what we do. that's where the silly report mind games come in to play.

.:)

Whats 'amusing' is that you're bothered by my last post. The idea of 'gout 30 years ago' is an extreme and silly example...and although you may be smiling and bemused while a floor nurse is drilling you...many times these questions are vital...regardless if you're amused or not...and can make you (the er nurse) seem either disinterested, incompetent, or just bad.

And i disagree with any er-nurse who thinks she can work anywhere in the hospital whereas other nurses have a harder time of it.

The VAST majority of ER patients are mundane and most are 'doctors-office types'...easily handled and sent home. As far as crashing patients (mostly the DOA old people coming in by ambulance), any nurse with ACLS could function as a code-team member. Coding patients is easy after you've done it a few times. Now...lets see an ER nurse recover an Open Heart in ICU (by yourself..no doctor holding your hand), set up and run a PRISMA, IABP's, etc. And although you style yourself a mover-shaker and using your instincts more than other nurses...i would argue that other units require nurses to use their 'instincts' more...for several reasons...most obviously because in ER you have doc on your hip calling the shots. When you have no doc with you, it's only the nurse...

The biggest hurdle a floor nurse would have to over-come in ER is getting used to screaming kids, freaked-out parents, stoned/drunken trouble makers, and the sheer numbers (some-times) of patients filing through (i assume this is what you mean by mover-and shaker).

All the rest is just basic nursing stuff.

I dont have issues with ER nurses...i DO however have issues with nurses who think poorly of other nurses. I think the biggest reason i'm seeing red is your statement about 'it being the other way around' (regarding the 'dummy nurse' stuff)...that was a naked jab at all nurses outside of the ER. And please spare us the mover-shaker-instinct stuff. All nurses caring for patients can claim that title...

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Specializes in ICU.
Maybe your triage nurse just finished working their neighbors child in trauma arrest and just were quite in the mood for something that seemed so trivial. You don't know where people are coming from mentally or emotionally. Everyone comes to ER wit the attitude that they left biscuits in the oven and can't beleive how long it takes to get in & out. Sorry that your kidney stone had to wait for te airway emergencies that rolled in afterwards.

Im not an idiot, and if I was seeing critical pt's being taken care first I would have definately understood the 3 and a half hour wait! When I was taken actually into the examination area I was able to see the "critical pt's" both the one to my right and left were calmly speaking as if there was nothing wrong. While I in the otherhand was vomiting in PAIN!!!! The wait was annoying but I could have had a better experience if the Nurse at the reception was alittle more empathetic! He was sarcastic in his remarks and not fit to perform the functions of a NURSE!!

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Specializes in ICU.
Is this person for real or just tryin' to yank my chain?:chuckle

See? Even on a thread that asks WHY people do this....someone can't resist to tell an ER horror story....... soooo funny.... (and so clueless)

And by the way, this is the type of bashing I meant in the OP...not the floor vs. ER.

so thanks, frankie, for the example!

You know what..... I think that nurse in the ER I went to, is probably related to you. I'm guessing you treat your pt's the same way and created this thread to substantiate what you are told. Try to remember the roots of your nursing career, "To care for the pt". The major concern with my incident wasnt mainly how long it took, but how sarcastic, rude and cruely I was treated by a particular nurse, that shouldnt be working as a nurse at all!

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