Observation units

[shortcake15]

Can anyone give me more info about what to expect on an observation unit? I know these patients are too sick to go home, but not sick enough to be admitted onto the floor, but is the flow more like Tele or ED? or neither? I have to decide between taking another Tele RN position or this new opportunity and would just like to get everyone's opinion.

[ukjenn231]

In places I have worked, these patients are stable but need overnight monitoring. Maybe they have chest pain and it's low probability that there has been an MI, but we still have to do the protocol for labs, EKG. Maybe the patient had an abnormal lab value that we're treating and will redraw in the morning. Could be a stable post op that is likely to go home the next day. Really it could be anything that the doctor may think only require an overnight stay. I worked in a unit similar and I loved it because I saw so many different types of illness and procedures, but it can be very fast paced... Lots of discharges and admits.

Oh, to answer your original question, lol, I think the flow is more like tele... I still had to do admission paperwor (sometimes abbreviated), assessments, meds, etc. just like the floor.