As the cooler days approach we always see an increase in the triage waiting. With that waiting comes angry patients and frustrated triage nurses,..... and of course the ones working in the trenches inside aren't real happy either. Many times we get numerous family members coming in for the same ailment that is not an emergency, can be treated with otc's, or thru their primary physician. (Vomiting is not an emergency!) (adding co-morbitities to that might be but, simple vomiting is not)
It can be quite frustrating. Without educating the public we will always have issues such as this.
The Blue Suits that run facilities refuse to allow public teaching with this issue.
Many times these patients are ignorant about what to do. I would love to educate them. Instead they come to the ER, infect others and add to the system.
I read the article. At our hospital people who c/o chest pain or symptoms of stroke are taken back immediately if a bed is available. If no bed is available they are taken back to our EKG room where an EKG is done along with vitals. During that time (if there are no open beds)....we find one...such as moving a non-emergent patient out of the room to place the CP or Stroke symptom patient in there. We have 3 triage rooms which could be used to place patients, but normally thy are placed in a high acuity bed and get immediate care.
It's sad this happened to this patient and her family. CP's should be treated immediatley, along with having an EKG done.
It's hard to believe that this ER in the article had no beds open or 2 hours for a chest pain. We all know the majority of those patients didn't need to be in the ER in the first place. It's quite shameful actually.
The article did not say what happened to the daughter. Did she leave her mother there alone, did she notice her collapse? Anyone else in the traige arena see her?
I say this as I just finished working two 12-hr shifts this weekend, and today, had a 47yo male that got the "full throw-up workup" (he'd been vomiting since 9am today, came in at 2pm), complete with labs, blood cultures x2 (for a 99.4 fever), x-rays x2, CT of abd and pelvis, 4 doses of morphine IV (4mg each), Reglan, Zofran (oh yeah, and 2mg Ativan b/c he freaked out in the CT scanner).....did I mention the FIVE family members that wrote down every thing I said, did, time, VS, how long it took to PUSH an IV med, etc......oh, and he was d/c'd after 8 1/2 hours.....with gastroenteritis.
When is vomiting just considered......throwing up????
I agree......Phenergan tabs or suppositories 12.5mg should be available OTC.
We had 3 separate EMS come in tonight with "vomiting x1 day". "Sore throat" upon "sore throat" in triage, and the alcoholics who decide Sunday night after paryting all weekend is a good time to request detox.
I really do love my job!! :) Just sometimes you want to say "Are you SERIOUS???" to some of them!
Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.
awsmom8's post shows that many of the 'problems ' facing emergency care in the USA are of US healthcare's own creation via the insurers, as are failures to develop systems to empower the practitioner to provide appropriate care.
yet another example of why the the world's leading healthcare systems aren't in the USA...
Canandian vs. American Healthcare system is not what this thread is about.
The thread is about busy ER's and full triage. If your hospital doesn't experience this, that's wonderful....Let's stick to the topic of this thread though please and thankyou ......just like a good little American:D
Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.
Canandian vs. American Healthcare system is not what this thread is about.
The thread is about busy ER's and full triage. If your hospital doesn't experience this, that's wonderful....Let's stick to the topic of this thread though please and thankyou ......just like a good little American:D
who said anything about Canada ?
this is an international site, and will attract international view points from members who live and world across the world not just in North America ,
the messed up way in which the USA has allowed it's healthcare to be run will come up when people talk about systemic problems and issues - most of the EDproblems the USA faces is due to failures to effectively manage the system as a whole leading to ED misuse being the only option for many vs a proper system of primary care with universla access and provision for Out of Area primary care as a vistor / temp resident.
Anyway, getting back to my thread. Our ER was ridiculously busy tonight. With 22 people waiting at one time, the triage nurse wasn't having such a good night either. I had a patient put back in one of my rooms who refused to undress and put a gown on, the guy wouldn't even take his hat off. Known history of Bowel CA, he was sent by his primary to be eval. for a perforated bowel. He was wearing heavy sweatpants/shirt and coat. He was one of the nasty ones out in triage too. I told him the doctor would not beable to assess him properly but the guy just got even more nasty. He chose to leave without being seen. What a jerk....he'll be back in probably by EMS and we'll have to undress him. There were plenty out front to take his place and managment, the oncall nurses and the oncall doc were called in. (That helped)
TraumaNurseRN
497 Posts
I read the article. At our hospital people who c/o chest pain or symptoms of stroke are taken back immediately if a bed is available. If no bed is available they are taken back to our EKG room where an EKG is done along with vitals. During that time (if there are no open beds)....we find one...such as moving a non-emergent patient out of the room to place the CP or Stroke symptom patient in there. We have 3 triage rooms which could be used to place patients, but normally thy are placed in a high acuity bed and get immediate care.
It's sad this happened to this patient and her family. CP's should be treated immediatley, along with having an EKG done.
It's hard to believe that this ER in the article had no beds open or 2 hours for a chest pain. We all know the majority of those patients didn't need to be in the ER in the first place. It's quite shameful actually.
The article did not say what happened to the daughter. Did she leave her mother there alone, did she notice her collapse? Anyone else in the traige arena see her?