Feeling beat up in the ER

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Does any one else feel ,"beat up ' in the ER. It seems pt's are more there for general medical care, expect everything free such as , "can I take this blanket with me", Can I get a prescription for motrin, Can you give me a clinic referal that is near a mall so that I don't wast a taxi ride(that medicade is paying for, by-the-way, that taxi was to an infertility dr. for a 22 year old on medicade who aleady has 2 children), It seems also that pt's are more and more verbaly abusive, demanding and rude. I'm not sure if I just need a different job or, things are this frustating for other nurses. If so , maybe I need a new outlook. If anyone has any ideas let me know. I really don't want to be a bitter nurse. but it seems I'm turning in to one.:redbeathe

The ED has a majorly high burnout rate - and for good reasons. I've never worked in the ED, but I've experienced the whole "entitlement" thing on the floor - and I know it's even more pervasive in the ED. I would get so fed up!

You should think about trying something different - but I wouldn't suggest a med/surg floor. There's major burnout there too - I lasted there 7 months and got really tired feeling like a waitress and putting up with angry family members who would set up camp in the room and make comments on your performance, question everything, etc. If you have an annoying patient on the floor, they're yours for 12 hours straight, and then usually for 3 shifts in a row.

I recently moved to the PACU and it's glorious! Families are rarely allowed in there, my patient ratio is no more than 2 at a time, and I have the patient on average for 2 hours, and then I send them up to their rooms or home. All I do is make sure they breathe, don't bleed out and I manage their pain. Most of the time they're too zonked out to start trouble. I always get lunch breaks and there's often downtime between patients. It's the dream nursing job. I feel like everything I hated about nursing has now been removed.

Maybe you would like to see someone professinal? I like to talk to people when I'm down and that seems to help. Or even writing in a journal helped me when I was younger. Good luck!

I remember back in 1998 when we were preparing for y2k (remeber that) security speacialists were saying that security would be a major factor in hospitals in the next 20 years..everyone thought because of drugs. Now I think it is because society is just getting meaner..everyone just focuses on their own needs and think they can get what they want by making a scene and demanding it. I wish we could be a kinder more patient society but maybe we all need just take more vacations.

Specializes in ER/ ICU.

You sound like me. I worked ER for 8 years and got so sick of the NON ER patients. We are not a walk in clinic. We are here for emergency patients. I finally got fed up and transferred to ICU where the requirement there is to really be sick. They wouldn't be there if they were stable. Try shadowing ICU a day- it may be just what you need.

+ Add a Comment