Pediatric ER

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · May 4, 2008

I am a patient and what I am about to say is my observation.

I go to a pediatric hospital. When I ended up in the ER this past December I saw some things.

*I saw some older patients like me who had been a patient there for practically my whole life thus it makes sense to go there.

*I heard one of the patients (I believe I heard that she was 4) flailing around, screaming, and generally freaking out. (In this case psych was called).

*By the way I was there because my school nurse freaked out because I had vomited blood and threatened to call an ambulance and it would have taken me to on of the worst hospitals in the area, so I went to my hospital.

This is all I remember (I slept for about 4 or 5 hours). It was also an unusually slow day that day.

littleneoRN · May 6, 2008

Hi! I don't work in an ER, but I have friends who work in a kid's ER. So here is a little of what I know--maybe some people can add to this.

The answers to your questions really depend on the hospital you work at. For example, my hospital does not do major trauma, so the lack of trauma tends to slow down the pace of the ER a little bit. At our ER, there is a big mix of acuity. Kids tend to need medical attention for things that an adult might wait out the night/weekend and see their regular doc. So in the ER, you will definitely see a lot of ear infections, RSV (respiratory infection), gastrointestinal illnesses (read vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration), etc. You will also see kids who are more critically ill or have a history of chronic, complex health problems. This means that the pace can vary from moment to moment. One minute you are getting ready to send home a two year old with an ear infection, and the next minute a very sick patient comes in by ambulance, and lots of people work together quickly on this new patient. There are busy times of the year--winter for almost any peds ER, summer too if your ER does burns and trauma. There can be times where there are few patients in the ER for periods of time, and there are times where the waiting room is jammed. This is a specialty that requires flexibility and willingness to go with the flow, but also willingness to be constantly learning because you're always seeing new things. Kids will be out of their element and often tired, hungry, hurting, etc., and parents may be very stressed out--so a big part of your job is trying to make them comfortable and (reasonably) calm. Your relationships with patients and families are very short-term (hours), although there are some children who you may see on a frequent basis. If you enjoy the unexpected, function well in a (sometimes) fast-paced environment, and enjoy helping people who find themselves in crisis (of varying levels), this could be a great specialty for you!

aeronursenj · May 25, 2008

I am a peds nurse (floor and Er) and must say that LittleNeoRn hit it on the head. Alot of times you are the one they fear as you have to give the shots and all. But I must say other then tonight (I was involved in a code where a 3 month old passed) you get good nights and hectic nights. But you will ALWAYS get that one time where you will see a child come in very dehydrated and lathargic, give them a bolus of fluids and see them smile and say thank you. It warms that heart. But PLEASE be ready for the parents. ALWAYS remember you are treating their precious gifts. (well for the most part, I work in the inner city and some parents could care less, but those are not the norm.)

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · May 25, 2008

.......ALWAYS remember you are treating their precious gifts. (well for the most part, I work in the inner city and some parents could care less, but those are not the norm.)

And it is SO sad when they do not care. I think have seen it once, though since I was a patient I do not know all the circumstances. But it was a 2 year old alone on a neuro floor, all the time. I never saw the parents there, nor did my parents. The little guy was crying all the time.

jamaicannurse2b · Sep 2, 2008

wELL I am also currently in nursing school. I am a CNA at montefiores childrens hospital in the peds ed. It is very fast paced, and fun, interesting. I love it, if you love children you will love it.

Good Luck:yeah:

canuck2texan · Sep 11, 2008

I have just started in the ER (09/08/09) and have just done only two shifts but I love it. I am in a not for profit hospital and we see all kinds of pt. Our Er see over 55,000 pedi er pt per year. It is very hectic and so far each day we have been short staffed by at least 3 - 4 nurses per shift but again I love it. It is so much better than adult er. I am learning so much every day and am soaking it up like a sponge. I never liked adult and am so blessed to be in the field I am.

canuck2texan · Sep 11, 2008

I am looking for some good resources for the pedi er (pedi vital signs, common problems, etc) for quick pocket refrence (like a PDQ)..

Thanks

Pam

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Sep 15, 2008

I carry the little Pediatrics Made Incredibly Quick book in my pocket, and it has all the WNLs for vitals, assessment guidelines, lab norms, developmental expectations, etc. Very handy. About $24.00 at B&N.

felixfelix · Oct 1, 2008

Living in the hood can be pretty hard. Hard enough so that having that unexpected kid is too overwhelming for a parent, will all the other stuff they're dealing with. What I'm saying is that there are just as many neglected kids in suburbia as there are in the inner city, they just wear better clothes.

But PLEASE be ready for the parents. ALWAYS remember you are treating their precious gifts. (well for the most part, I work in the inner city and some parents could care less, but those are not the norm.)

aeronursenj · Oct 30, 2008

I understand your point, hence the "some parents" which means not all of which I have/had contact.