New2ED

i have been working in the er for a year now and i am completely baffled by my hospitals lack of willingness to stand behing a policy regarding involuntary holds or ga 1013 status for people that are a harm to self or others. when a ga 1013 is signed by the md, we then notify security and they are suppose to come to the er and sit in near vicinity of that room. as a nurse caring for sick patients i don't have the time, patience or energy to constantly check in on these people, many of whom are there only for "3 hots and a cot". the problem comes in when we have a elopement and everyone wants to point fingers about why it has happened but ultimately nobody realizes this could be a sentinel event if we have an elopement followed by a mass casualty or even a suicide!!! and of course the person that is ultimately responsible for the pt is the rn. so i need to hear some feedback or policies that you may have in your hospitals and how they are enforced because i feel like this is a very unsafe position for all the nurses in the ed and we are getting thrown under the bus!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You For All Your Words Of Wisdom!!!!

How long does it take for the jitters of the ER go away?? I have been in the ER for about 2 months now with previous experience in a Neuro Stepdown and Neuro ICU. I knew going into this that ER was a whole different game and I love the atmosphere and diversity of it but I find myself thinking of all the "what if's?". I know that I will have a pt aspirtate, have a drug reaction, have a pt go from kosher to coding, have major trauma, and yet I still question myself how I will respond in those situations. Of course, ABC's, ACLS but it's almost like that fresh out of nursing school feeling!!! I have always had the mind set knowledge is power and since working in the ED have looked up all the common drugs with reversals, procedures, etc which helps but then I wonder if I will remember it all. Others I have talked to at work either say "just ask questions", which I do, or "It'll just come to you".....ok but when????? Let me in on the secret!!!! How long does it take for this to go away?

Sounds like there is more to this story!!??!! Phenergan is one of those that I always dilute in order to save a vein and so it doesn't burn the crap out of my pt. I have seen a few hospitals that have P&P requiring you to dilute phenergan due to the 25mg/1mL. Maybe this "friend" omitted part of the story.

I am no one's servant except for the patients.........Aquarius1 Maybe I have a slanted view on this one but servant is not the word I think of when I describe my job. Patient advocate would be more like it. I think to often, administration especially, would like to think of nurses as servants but we are their to protect people and save lives, not fluff sheets and get beverages. Most of the people that go overboard with requests are the ones that have family members in the room who are completely competent or can do it for themselves! Don't get me wrong, I will do what it takes to get the job done and for the most part go above and beyond but I am no servant!

Just hope that nurse documented, documented and then documented. As I say, when in doubt, CYA!!!!! and make sure other staff is there to watch it all go down!!

I took Hurst 2 years ago and had no problems with NCLEX. I have sat through the review 2 times, I took it prior to my last semester in nursing school to pull things together and then my class decided to take it so I was required to sit for it again but all in all it worked! There are still things to this day I remeber from that course and I still have my workbook and look back on it from time to time. I have recommended it to many new grads who have been successful as well. Good Luck on Boards!!!!

I think I have the same problem! It is even worse when you are in a new environment, out of your comfort zone and you are trying to prove yourself to everyone around that you are a good nurse and you know what you are doing. I often have say yes to things when I know I don't have the time for them and then I get stressed out trying to meet a deadline. Saying No sounds so easy but it is truely the hardest thing to say! I love working with people that are team players and if I say "NO" then how do I fit in to that equation? In regard to dorselm I have found with the older nurses that are out to eat the younger ones, when you say no to them or stand your ground, you have proved yourself worthy in their eyes. If you show that you can be walked all over and talked down to then hang on for the long bumpy road!