KKERRN

Our hospital in Southwest Ohio is now urging nightshift to have parents Room in-but don't seem concerned about having policy with guidelines to be followed! What about the nurses liability??? I'm researching to see if policies exist in other hospital...

Arwen U: Thanks so much!! I will send for this book and put it to good use!! I appreciate such quick reply. I haven't used this site for awhile, but I have returned to Mother/Baby nursing this past year...where my heart of nursing was born!! Our unit...

Our charge and triage nurse is counted in the nurse/patient ratio. Ours is 1 nurse/4 patients. We have approx 40 beds and see approx 100 per day plus. Most nights 0300-0700 and 0700-0900 our charge has to take a zone due to lack of staff/increase pat...

I don't like it either. It seems only the unhappy ones reply. Our scores for the ER are low again this year! I don't feel it should be used in the ER's.

We use it for conscious sedation to reduce dislocations mostly. We have policy and procedure to follow. We also use versed and sucs. Patient arouse better with the etomidate and seem to be discharged sooner than when we give versed.

stevemartin, We all suffer through low times. You say things will get better. How do ya know it will get better?? I worked at a hospital that told us that for 3 years and then they closed!!

stevemartin, I'll have to ask how the administration determines our FTE's. I only know they use a 1 nurse to 4 patient ratio which include our charge nurse and triage nurse. Again, how can they count your hours, the nurse manager and clerk??? When i...

luv2nurseinER, Thanks for responding to my question. It seems the 1/4 ratio is a standard for ER's, but the charge and triage RN resposibilities differ. Glad to hear your have some Quiet time...we seldom do anymore! I work weekend 1900-0700 only, bu...

We had a security officer spray someone unnecessarily...had to evacuate the ER and fire dept hooked up fans to blow the bad air out the doors!! What a night that was.

Thanks everyone for your responses! I can see staffing is terrible in ER's all over. This will help give me information to help fight the staffing battle and to stop counting our triage and charge RN's in the ratio for actual pt care. I need all the...

I work in ER and we must take on call 8hrs for our 6 week work schedule. We are given 4 hr slots to sign up our choice. We are paid $3/hr for being on call and paid premium pay if we are called in to work.

Your poem is beautiful and so true! I copied and posted at my break area also. You need to publish it. Thanks.

renerian, Please tell me more about your ER. How many beds,rooms/zones, how many patients does one nurse usually care for? Our charge is called CTF, meaning charge to float. The other nurses depend on charge to assist in codes, get the IV on hard sti...

Nurses in our ER triage patients, start IV, draw labs, do EKG's, draw ABG's (arterial blood gases), apply telemetry, do FHT (fetal heart tones), get vital signs, give meds all routes, assess and reassess patient, observe the monitors, assist with pro...

Thanks for sharing your food for thought! This has happened in our ER...yet. How long did it take for bronchospasms to resolve?

We ususally do FHT spot checks too, but can call L&D for monitor in ER and L&D nurse does the monitoring and charting for this.

under 20 weeks to the ER and over 20 weeks are cleared medically first, then to L&D.

If you carry your own malpractice insurance....you need to contact them also. They may provide a lawyer for you.

Thanks for your replies. When we speak to upper management about what can be done to decrease the burn out/stressed out nurses and staff they appear to be truly concerned. The nurse director of ER explains the nurse/pt ratio as one nurse caring for 4...

no diff for triage, but charge nurse gets about $1.50 depending on years of nursing seniority. It's agreat idea. Very few like it where I work.

Just used Stadol 2 mg IV, Reglan 10 mg IV and Benadryl 25 mg IV this weekend and it also seemed to work quickly for this patient. Each of our docs seem to have their own remedy to try. KKERRN

We have been inserviced on the code blue system and everyone seems apprehensive to use it. Our ER docs let the RN choose the NG or code blue at this time...they just want it done. Any pros/cons or tips from those that have used it?? Thanks, Karen

JBudd, That was really fresh brew you removed!! We are using just charcoal on those they feel are over the 60 minute timeframe. I still haven't had the opportunity to use code blue. Thanks for sharing your experience with me. KKERRN

See if your ER has a job shadow program to give you a hands-on view of what to expect in your ER. Also, check out the orientation you will recieve in the ER. Some have a residency program to help ease the transititon. It is a love/hate area of nursin...

gmx4dh, Thanks for your response. Our code blue tube is for oral use only. I like the garbage bag idea...we could just use a red hazmat bag and just tie it up and toss it in the haz mat box! Thanks, Karen