phillyrn10

Here's some of my triage favorites: "I absolutely need to lie down now" (hmmm, maybe you should of stayed in bed then) "I've got to pick up my child/mother/neighbor/dog (whatever) in 2 hrs. Will I be done by then?" "It hurt for 2-3 minutes and then it stopped, but I want to know what it was" "I was at XYZ's ER last night, but they told me nothing was wrong....I want a second opinion" "Is Dr. So&So here today, because I don't want to see him/her" "I just said I had chest pain so I could get in here faster" "Well it all started back in 1982 when............." There's plenty more and the sad (funny) part is they're all true!!!

In medicine, does a D.O. get less respect than an M.D. even though both are doctors? I think so! Same with BSN vs ASN

How about Suicide Sam - loves the attention given by the social workers and wants yet another placement that includes 3 meals and a bed because he's unable to work due to his anxiety and is having thoughts of hurting himself (again).

For YEARS we have had only our first name on our hospital badges (only in the ER and Psych floors), the rest of the hospital uses full names. This week we were told we MUST wear badges with our first and last names because it is against the law! (Note the Dept. of Health was visiting) Is this true??????

rectal pain x4 years, worse today (I am NOT making this up!)

Interesting that you mentioned having access (and saline ready to go) before giving nitro....I do likewise. But I often have people say "well the patient carries nitro and takes it at home" ...............of course, I'm not responsible for them when they're home.

relying on the hospital to cover you is a dangerous thing - their interests may not always coincide with yours.

Great responses! One of the PAs that I'm having a problem with periodically adds orders to the T-sheet that should have been ordered in the first place (but he forgot!), and then swears they were there all the time and I must have "missed it". Another simply refuses to communicate with the nurse about his plan, and we find out quite by accident that the patient is being admitted, transferred, whatever - we're the last to know (unless of course you're 20-something and blonde, then he's only too happy to talk to you). Basically they're just real jerks - our female PA is wonderful.

Working with any of the docs in our ER is never a problem; however, we have a couple of really arrogant PA's who can make life miserable. Any suggestions on dealing with them? (Personally, I think they have an inferiority complex).

i've been reading for quite awhile but just recently registered to post - will be just about a year since graduation and am 47. There doesn't seem to be any sort of nursing shortage for day jobs around here, that's for sure! Evenings and nights are a dime a dozen, but el primo day jobs just can't be had. Even when something opens up for days, there's always tons of more qualified applicants with experience. I started in the ER and love it, but don't like my hours at all. great to read these new grad posts!