ecat81

We have unit based educators but they more fill the role of policy making and meetings than actually holding classes and providing up to date information. I think it is a wonderful idea if educators are getting the new information and refresher courses to the staff.

Anyone heard anything about Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama? I know their program is fairly new but wondering if anyone out there has heard good/bad/in-different? Thanks, Ben

715:banghead: is the highest I have ever come across. Many times you have to check the anion gap because the etoh will be through the roof due to the patient drinking rubbing alcohol:yeah:!

In the ED we have patients that undergo procedures in the ED and of course many that go to surgery. Many times the patients going to surgery do not see the physician until they arrive in pre-op. Surgery always complains that the ED didn't get the consent signed:angryfire. I never get the patient to sign the consent unless its informed consent. (Emergency surgeries are different of course-then you dont need a consent) I was reading an article and came across something that I hope to get some feedback:yeah:. Informed consent is an agreement by a client to accept a course of treatment or a procedure after complete information including the risks and facts have been presented by the physician. The nurse is just a witness to the giving of informed consent. Then, the (of course) nurse gets the consent signed by the patient after the following has been met: 1. The consent is voluntary 2. Consent must be given by an individual with the capacity and competency to understand. 3. The patient must be given enough information to be the sole decision maker. BUT:D...also in this article it states if the nurse only witnesses the client's signature and not the exchange of informed consent between the patient and physician then the nurse shoud write "witnessing signature only" beside their signature. My question is by writing "witnessing signature only" and documenting in the nurses notes does this cover the nurse legally? Also, can this been done without the patient actually having informed consent? In other words the paper is signed and the nurse "witnessed signature only" be used legally? Thanks! :twocents:My opinion still stands that I will not get it signed myself and will back any of my nurses that don't have the consent signed before surgery, without the patient being informed.

I love Brooks shoes. They are expensive but well worth it walking all shift and hold up very well.

One thing I do want to ask everyone. Do you have locum tenems doctors or full time? Are they board certified in ED med? Luckily we have 8 board cert. ed docs and recently added 1 board cert. locum due to a doc leaving until they get someone else hired. I think it makes a big difference to have full time board cert ed docs. You get to know them, what they order, and have consistency among them.

I work in a not-for-profit 32 bed Level II ED. 8 of those are express beds but we have up to 8 other patients in the hall. We start at 4:1 but sometimes it goes 5:1 very rarely is it 6:1. In express 8:1-2 varies during the day. We see about 58,000 a year and recieve trauma's from a 35 mile radius from 3 states. Pay is low due to 4 nursing schools in that 35 mile radius. I believe starting pay is $19.50:chuckle plus $1.00:cry: ED diff.; 8-16% second and third diff. Our staffing has really come up in the last few months we will see if they hang on through the winter season. We have 42 FTE's (6 short of being "fully staffed" financial difficulties-yeah another subject:devil:), 3 clinical managers, quality nurse, educator, case manager, study site nurse, 8 per diem's, and director. And many techs/sec's.

Check out this site for some great laughs! I would love to wear some of these to work! Maybe when I decide to leave:rolleyes:. http://shop.cafepress.com/emergency-nurse

I work in a non-profit community hospital seeing 58,000 ED patients a year. This year the hospital has been hit hard by the "charitable care" given to the community. The hospital has for years let the community get away with coming in and not paying their bills and now it is hurting the hospital. Don't get me wrong the hospital is still making money, but only half what they wanted to make and the hiring freeze has only hurt the employees. The ED is in the early stages of hiring NP/PA to see our wound rechecks/re-evaluations in a clinic and eventually to start seeing medically screened patients by appointment. This is to curtail the abuse of our ED and the loss of capital. There is no quick solution. You're right if we try to educate the public then they cry to adminstration and then they talk with us. And I wonder why there is so much burnout and turnover in the ED:banghead:?

This recently happened to one of our patients on a night I was in charge. Except the patient was intoxicated when brought in and was about an hour away from his home. We exhausted every relative and friend he was willing to give numbers for. We do have cab vouchers but have stopped using them because of abuse. The patient was told to find a ride by using the phone in the lobby and didnt get home for about 14 hours. He was fed and given a blanket. I hope someone can give a good answer to your question. I was approached by someone as to why I let him sit in the lobby and I gave my explanation of abuse of EMS-vouchers. If he was able to come with friends an hour away to go drinking then he had money and friends to take him back. Not being uncompassionate but not allowing patients to take advantage of the hospital. Also I believe an employee going home in the direction he lived carried him home. To me this is a huge liablity also for the hospital. What if they got in a wreck and the patient dies? Thanks

Was wondering if anyone else had an Emergency differential and what it is? We saw 57000 last year in a 32 bed ed. We have just found out we got a raise but administration decide to take away .50 of our diff down to 1.00. How can they justify this when we cant keep staff and why work your a$$ off when you can do half the work making only a dollar less on the floor! Makes great sense!

Medical Center in Dothan finally went up to 18.50 with still 8%/16% diff. ACLS is .50, Certification in area 1.50, Charge 1.50. Only unit diff in hospital is ED took .50 away down to 1.00.

Just remember Cerebyx can be given 150/min but slower for women b/c it will cause outrageous lady partsl itching. And also on anyone if going to fast can cause vomiting;).

If There Is Any One On 10 Hour Shift In Their Ed Please Reply And Let Me Know What Your Rotation And Shift Times Are. We Are Looking At These Shifts But It Has Been A Struggle Trying To Get The Shift Times And Coverages To Work. Thanks

We Are Looking At 10 Hour Shift In Our Ed. Is There Anyone On This Schedule? Please Reply With Your Shift Times. Thanks