"Do you miss the ER?"

grammyr · Sep 16, 2007

I,too, have been out of the ER for a few months. I was asked to work today in the ER and didn't feel one bit guilty saying no. I guess that means I don't miss it too much.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

I start orienting next week in a local ICU. I have worked ER most of my career, but worked ICU at the same time working the "weekend" plan for many years. When I left ICU in 1993, I said I would never go back, but got a call from a friend who is now director of ICU in a community hospital. Last time I worked in ICU it was in a teaching hospital/referral center, so we got the worst of the worst.

I don't know if I want to return to ICU or not, but thought I would give it a shot because of the increasing changes in the ER. Acquity keeps rising, violence keeps rising, staffing ratios keep rising, but somehow my salary and benefits are not rising. The ER can never close, can never say, NO, and has endless hall beds. No other place in the hospital ever has hall beds....I wonder why? We hold patients for hours or days who already have admit orders, but leave people in the waiting room who need immediate care. It just doesn't make sense and I am growing weary.

There are lots of new grads going into the ER, and that concerns me as well. Knowing how to do procedures quickly does not make you a good ER nurse. It takes years of watching people, listening to people and learning can never slow down....but no one seems to understand that.

Will I miss the ER? Probably, but time will tell.

Cattitude · Sep 16, 2007

on sept. 25 it will be three months since i started home health. i've been busy learning the ropes, building my caseload, getting to know the docs in that area, etc. today one of my son's coworkers asked me if i miss the er.

i was rather surprised when i was able to say without any misgivings, "no, i don't!"

i loved it while i was there, and i'm grateful to have had the opportunity and i have some great memories, but i don't miss it at all.

tazzi,

when i first started hh 4 years ago, i felt like i would never get used to being out of the hospital setting. i felt like i would never feel useful not getting "my hands dirty" so to speak.

oh how wrong i was. i am still amazed at how much my patients depend on me. how they call and ask "when are you coming, i really need to talk to you/show you something"? or their appreciation when i do something relatively minor yet to them it is a great deal. it is a wonderful feeling.

though i didn't work er, i did the icu and i don't miss that backbreaking work one bit! the only thing i miss is the comraderie at work but i'm over it .

life is mostly good!

TazziRN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

i know what you mean, cat. i'm not used to developing relationships with my pts, and it's neat when they call the office to get in touch with me about something. this month alone i've made at least one unscheduled visit a week because a pt had a problem and called me. and i had one lady who was a train wreck when i got her two months ago....everytime i got her put back together and got ready to discharge, something else fell off. two weeks after i recerted her i was finally able to discharge her, and she was a different person.......everything was at maintenance and her husband was confident about managing her meds. that's not something i get to take part in in er work.

ERERER · Sep 16, 2007

well, I'm still in the ER, at my advanced age and bad feet every day I ask myself how much longer can i maintain this? There are only 12 hour shifts, new grads counted as full staff (not their fault), corporate mentality (right now you have some empty beds, send a nurse home!), not to mention all the other crap.

but, i have a hard time picturing myself leaving....... how did you do it?

joannep · Sep 18, 2007

Hi,

I left the OR for home health 10 mths ago, I did miss the cameraderie and the adrenaline surges. But, I am over it and sooo glad I made this move.

I just love my job in home health.

Noryn · Sep 18, 2007

I will have been out of the ER 5 years starting this October 1st. Funny how we can remember things like that isnt it. I have never missed it. Near constant stress, inadequate resources, etc. There would be nights I would come home and be unable to sleep on my back it was hurting so bad.

So nope, dont miss it a bit, but I do miss critical care at times.

Sabby_NC · Sep 18, 2007

I was one person that never EVER enjoyed working in the ER.

I only did what time was necessary on that part of my rotation and then I was outta there faster than a speeding bullet. LOL

Hmmm reminds me of the time we had a guy come into the ER with a steenkin' gun.

TazziRN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

Oh, Sabby, I absolutely LOVED the ER!!! ICU, on the other hand, I had no interest in and was freaked out the one day I was sent over there to cross-train. One of my classmates from nursing school tried to tell me that "It's easy, all we do is maintain them." I said, "I dunno how to maintain, I know how to put back together!!"

Sabby_NC · Sep 19, 2007

Oh, Sabby, I absolutely LOVED the ER!!! ICU, on the other hand, I had no interest in and was freaked out the one day I was sent over there to cross-train. One of my classmates from nursing school tried to tell me that "It's easy, all we do is maintain them." I said, "I dunno how to maintain, I know how to put back together!!"

Yes it is funny how we find our areas of comfort and skill eh?

Now if you put me back in the ER now or even ICU I think I would have a kaniption fit hahahahahahaha.... :lol2:

Kidrn911 · Sep 19, 2007

I worked in a Peds ED for 2years, moved, did some NICU, reg peds and agency, and had to go back to Peds ED. As much as I hate it, it is my niche and where I belong