ER Patients

I can only speak from what I've seen in the hospital in which I work, I say this because I have friends who work at places like Bellevue and Grady and their experiences are different despite similarities. I've been here at a level one trauma center for a little over 8 years. You will have the "patients were addicted to drugs, drunks, gang-bangers, homeless, (ie habitual visitors that once released, go right back out doing the same thing)" but you will also have many wonderful patients who will appreciate your care. That is the nature of the ED. The really amazing thing that you learn here is how similar we all are. That may sound overly sentimental, but there are times when we see people and our natural defense mechanism is to rationalize their situation in such a way that makes them vastly different than us. A young man in the wrong part of town that gets shot "must be a gang member", the person that died in the car wreck wouldn't have "if they'd just paid more attention", the woman with AIDS should have "been more careful..." You will realize how random and fragile life can be and that we are all just a few bad decisions away from being in their shoes.

From what my friends and instructors have told me, it's a whole different type of nursing. I know I have been able to see some of the most incredible things here: babies being born, leeches being used, maggotts in wounds, homeless, local celebrities, all different services working their magic, pediatric techniques, drunken shenanigans, disaster drills, real disasters, and most importantly I have seen a great group of people bond over their ability to handle all of these things. Should you choose ER, you'll become part of a very unique (and yet slightly disfunctional) family-and it's worth every second!

(On a side note, I always remind myself to "consider the source" when interacting with hostile or disrespectful people--don't forget who YOU are in the face of their hostility. Abuse from a patient is a different matter entirely...)

Thanks for that. I guess I have a tendancy to judge people...ugh, it hurts to even admit it but I think I do. I love people but I think I'm incredibly hard on them and can sometimes get a "holier than thou" attitude. Maybe the ER can help me overcome that...help me to see that "likeness" we all have.

I think we all have that tendency... :)

I really enjoy working ER, and have no desire to work elsewhere. Not that I think it's better than another type of nursing...it's just, well, right for me. Yes, I often find it hard to deal with the drunk guy while the impatient lady in exam 7 complains about "what's taking so long" when she is there for a toothache and can't understand that I've been helping out with the man across the way who wasn't breathing. BUT, I've found that there is much truth to "a gentle answer turns away wrath"...I have found that my most disagreeable patients will become much nicer (and sometimes even pleasant) when I am kind and gentle with them. Am I always successful? No, it's easy to let the stress make me short tempered and defensive, but I try. Good luck to you and I hope you find just the right place! I think that taking just a moment (for that's usually all you will have) to be kind to the grumpy patients, and their families, makes a world of difference!

One thing I've noticed with those "tough" patients is when you meet their parents you realize they never had a chance...is very sad when you look at it that way.

Just when you start to get completely fed-up with the crap that comes into the ED you get a case that pulls at your heart where you feel like you actually made a difference in someone's life...that's why we stay.

I've had some patients that I really got to know in a very short time, we laughed at times, cried at others, then I find out later that they didn't make it after their surgery (AAA, MI, Trauma), I have a few in my head that I'll never forget...I spent their last conscious moments with them...what a privilege.

I'm such a sap...LOL