etceducator

Sounds like ER nursing to me. Either you love it or you don't. Those same regulations will be everywhere- not just ER.

Are you ready for this one??? "She has a peace of meat over her virginia" ANy ideas???? ARE you ready???? 2 yo F with labial adhesions- definitely one I will never forget. Always makes me laugh

Let me start by saying I am an ER nurse and I have been for 10 years. I have fibromyalgia. I am not depressed nor do I pop oxycontin all day. I hurt every day, but I get up and go to work and eat right and exercise to make it bearable. Who are we as ER nurses to judge anyone's pain? Take the worst muscle aches you have had after a 12 hour slammed shift with no break and multiply it times 10. I have done a lot of research and I do think some people are blanket labeled with this condition. Believe me, it is not a diagnosis that you would want. I would just ask that you not group everyone that says they have fibromyalgoa into the "crazy drug popper" group. Thanks.

We use it at my ED. For the most part, I like it. It definitely helps the nurses keep up with their patients and it helps me to see what is going on in all departments. I think you will like it.

Thank you for all the responses. We already have a STEMI protocol and do great on EMS patient presentations and classic chest pain presentations to triage. I guess where I am struggling are with the not so classic AMI symptoms. Do you do rapid triage/assess/ EKGs on everyone that says chest pain? Or do you go by certain risk factors? I just don't want to miss the subtle ones that come in through the front door. We have usually a RN and tech at triage. Sometimes 2 RNs 11-11. We have 3 small triage rooms, so we could set up a protocol/ rapid assessement room. I just need to set up some guidelines for which CP patients go through this process. Does anyone remember seeing anything about sitting vs. supine EKGs? I found one study showing ST changes with body position changes, but not really a standard position for the most accurate EKG reading. Thanks!

We are looking for a way to decrease our door to EKG time (particularly for possible STEMI patients). Do any of you do EKGs in triage to screen patients for possible MI? If so, how do you do this? I vaguely remember learning that EKGs need to be done supine (not sitting), but I am trouble finding written evidence. Any suggestions? I am trying to write a protocol, and get the necessary equipment in the triage room (stretcher vs. reclining chair). I need to justify what I recommend. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I feel your pain! I am the clinical nurse educator for an emergency department. Sounds like triage is pretty much the same everywhere. I am working on a triage education program to try and develop our triage nurses. However, it is a difficult task. Some days, no matter how much education you have, it can't help triage 20 patients that present in 5 minutes of each other. Do you all have to have a certain amount of experience/ classes/ or qualifications to do triage? If so, what are your requirements? Do you all have a medical person that first greets the patient/ documents a chief complaint? Thanks!