ER the television show

Published

Specializes in HEMS 6 years.

A friend of mine taped ER, the Thanksgiving episode, because it had "helicopters in it." That was the most ludicrous depiction of air medical transport I have ever watched. The only part worse was the patient care , or lack of patient care.

Awful.

Didn't see it. About half the helicopters that have appeared on that show in its history have crashed or had some other misadventure. The other half have been staffed by physicians who hop on and save the day.

Whatever.

I get enough reality at work.

If the public buys network TV as reality, then that's their problem.

Pete Fitzpatrick

RN, CFRN, EMT-P

Writing from the Ninth Circle

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Didn't see it. About half the helicopters that have appeared on that show in its history have crashed or had some other misadventure.

*** WEll you have to admit that helicopters are pretty easy to knock out of the sky. I have been on two that crashed. Well the first time they what they call "auto-rotate" but it sure as hell felt like a crash to me. One little .30 caliber round caused them (the flight crew) to lose pressure of one of their fluids. The second one had it's tail rotor gear box taken out by a measly RPG.

I am thrilled that so many nurses want to do flight nursing. You can have it.

Specializes in Emergency.

Really? I've always found ER to be extremely realistic. Why, just last week, we had a helicopter crash on our ambulance bay, squishing the director of the department. Good thing it happened on Tuesday, because the day before we had a patient drive a stolen tank up to the ER and a hazardous waste spill in triage. Luckily, all the doctors were around, since they are usually out intubating people in crushed buildings and doing emergency C-sections in wrecked ambulances. Of course, when they are here, the docs are really busy. Yesterday, we had a trauma with four docs in the room, cutting off clothes, putting in IVs (even before the cart stopped rolling), pushing meds. Luckily, that gave me time to run around looking for consent forms, especially since I'm the only nurse ever there, except our token Hispanic, black and gay nurses who don't talk much. We won't be around long, though. We nurses are dying to either marry a doc and have kids or become one of the docs, so we can do real medicine and stop cleaning up derelicts all day. Besides, we could use some fresh docs. The ones we have are always too busy sleeping with one another or off sitting at the bedside of a patient for a few hours.......Seriously, ER has been on a downhill slide for years, dropping into freefall, quickly becoming yet another doctor soap opera, the only difference being a slightly more grudgy set than the others. This is television, after all, meant for the lowest common denominator. So, grab the popcorn, pop a cold one and dial in Greys Anatomy since I like my soap operas straight.

I've always like ER and still do. I also watch Grey's Anatomy. And the CSI shows - where they solve a murder in an hour.

It is tv - meant for escape. I don't care if it is realistic or not.

My favorite show as a kid was Star Trek . . .and we all know that Star Fleet Command would never have allowed the captain of their starship to be like Captain Kirk, sleeping around with aliens and all. Like that happens in real life ;)

steph

Really? I've always found ER to be extremely realistic. Why, just last week, we had a helicopter crash on our ambulance bay, squishing the director of the department. Good thing it happened on Tuesday, because the day before we had a patient drive a stolen tank up to the ER and a hazardous waste spill in triage. Luckily, all the doctors were around, since they are usually out intubating people in crushed buildings and doing emergency C-sections in wrecked ambulances. Of course, when they are here, the docs are really busy. Yesterday, we had a trauma with four docs in the room, cutting off clothes, putting in IVs (even before the cart stopped rolling), pushing meds. Luckily, that gave me time to run around looking for consent forms, especially since I'm the only nurse ever there, except our token Hispanic, black and gay nurses who don't talk much. We won't be around long, though. We nurses are dying to either marry a doc and have kids or become one of the docs, so we can do real medicine and stop cleaning up derelicts all day. Besides, we could use some fresh docs. The ones we have are always too busy sleeping with one another or off sitting at the bedside of a patient for a few hours........

:roll :roll :roll :roll

Specializes in Psych, Ortho, Stroke, and TBI.
I've always like ER and still do. I also watch Grey's Anatomy. And the CSI shows - where they solve a murder in an hour.

It is tv - meant for escape. I don't care if it is realistic or not.

My favorite show as a kid was Star Trek . . .and we all know that Star Fleet Command would never have allowed the captain of their starship to be like Captain Kirk, sleeping around with aliens and all. Like that happens in real life ;)

steph

Finally, a good point. Complaining about ER not being realistic is like complaining that the Lord of the Rings movies are lame because there's no such thing as elves and orcs. C'mon...

If ER was "realistic" it would be boring as all get out, and 30 minutes of the 60 minute show would be about paperwork. LOL

Really? I've always found ER to be extremely realistic. Why, just last week, we had a helicopter crash on our ambulance bay, squishing the director of the department. Good thing it happened on Tuesday, because the day before we had a patient drive a stolen tank up to the ER and a hazardous waste spill in triage. Luckily, all the doctors were around, since they are usually out intubating people in crushed buildings and doing emergency C-sections in wrecked ambulances. Of course, when they are here, the docs are really busy. Yesterday, we had a trauma with four docs in the room, cutting off clothes, putting in IVs (even before the cart stopped rolling), pushing meds. Luckily, that gave me time to run around looking for consent forms, especially since I'm the only nurse ever there, except our token Hispanic, black and gay nurses who don't talk much. We won't be around long, though. We nurses are dying to either marry a doc and have kids or become one of the docs, so we can do real medicine and stop cleaning up derelicts all day. Besides, we could use some fresh docs. The ones we have are always too busy sleeping with one another or off sitting at the bedside of a patient for a few hours.......Seriously, ER has been on a downhill slide for years, dropping into freefall, quickly becoming yet another doctor soap opera, the only difference being a slightly more grudgy set than the others. This is television, after all, meant for the lowest common denominator. So, grab the popcorn, pop a cold one and dial in Greys Anatomy since I like my soap operas straight.

Very funny, you should write for the show!

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