Kudos to ER Nurses

Recently, I have decided to switch from ER to ICU nursing. I have heard many times that you either love or hate ER- no in between. I find this to be true. After five months in the ER, I loathe it. I dread it when the radio sounds announcing a new ambulance coming soon. I dislike the fact that on some days I can't even spend a couple of minutes to really listen to my patients because I have a million tasks to complete or two ICU holds, or while I'm starting an IV or triaging a pt I'm interrupted by phone calls re: finding placement for my psych pt (after being denied three times by facilities). It irritates me that while I'm in the middle of a code, I have a pt's family member who is upset because I didn't help their spouse use the commode when their sitting right there or I took too long with that warm blanket while I'm running to get meds for pt who can't breathe. I hate the stress of being short staffed all the time but expected to meet all of the time constraints put in place by administration.

I will miss my brilliantly smart coworkers, with their wicked sense of humors! I will miss the teamwork and camaraderie. I have learned soooo much in a short amount of time!! ER NURSES ARE TRULY FABULOUS!!! I will always have nothing but the utmost love and respect for all ER nurses. Day in and day out, you come to work ready to jump right into the fire!!! You take abuse from pts, their family members, administration, docs, other floor nurses, and sometimes each other. But everyday, you show up ready to work and jump back into the fire. People seem to thing that ER nurses have it easy but I beg to differ- they are like magicians and miracle workers everyday, making the impossible, possible!!

ER NURSES ARE THE BOMB!!!