RN4911

I work nights in our ER---we have 2 RN's and 2 medics----they are the 911 medics and are often paged out for runs/calls; that leaves 2 RN's for a 14 bed facility. We are currently a level 3 trauma center but we are the only hospital within our vast county and we cover a good portion of the UP----the closest level 2 is 1 hr away-------this means we are constantly getting criticals. Our policy also states that a critical warrants 1:1 care but GOOD LUCK!!!! If one RN is with the critical, then the other may be responsible for up to 13 patients(not counting those that end up in the hallway on beds when we run out of rooms). Have been there and done it too many times! Scares the hell out of me. Have brought it up to management and they say "Nights just keep doing what you are doing". NOW they are expanding our services and we have NOT received additional help on our shift!! Drives me bananas!!

I LOVE :heartbeatreading these----it seems to me that paramedics are allowed to triage pretty much everywhere:yeah:! We USED to have medics triage and within the last year, we were told by management:bugeyes: that they are NOT ALLOWED because of JHACO:rolleyes:. I would love to see that in writing! I personally would allow 99% of the medics I work with to triage or do ANYTHING---they are AWESOME:yeah:!!!! I trust the medics more than I trust some of the RN's I work with. Has anyone heard of this restriction by JHACO???? Hope to hear from you!!!

LWBS= left without being seen

I work 12 hr night shifts in the ED! This feeling is definitely true in my facility with most of my co-workers!! Days has 4 medics, 4-5 nurses, 1-2 techs, 2 secretaries, and a greeter. Not to mention all of the anicillary staff. On nights, we have 2 medics, 2 nurses, 1 secretary, and 2 medics on call for runs. There are MANY nights when my ED is chuck full, bursting at the seams with critical patients----we run our butts off!!!! When you think of the night shift, you think of cardiacs(awoke from sleep), you think of your traumas(alcohol definitely plays a factor), you think of your overdoses, etc, etc, etc!! Our facility keeps taking away things that the medics can do, making for more responsibilities on the 2 nurses, but not giving us any more nursing staff. I will say that there are nights when we may see only a handful of patients, but that is rare. It's usually the opposite end of the spectrum! And on the other hand, there are days where they have a handful of patients. It goes both ways. Does anyone else see this?

I just need to vent and am looking for some input! I had an angry patient this am who was only in the er to get another work excuse---at least this is what I could submise(?) from him anyway, he wasn't very forthcoming with any answers and rolled his eyes alot! He had been in the ER 3 days earlier and was currently being treated, he stated he couldn't work and wasn't better(VSS, etc). Asked him to please get into a gown(short off only) and md would be in to examine him(MD on requires pt to be in gown or he doesn't go in). This pt grabbed the gown out of my hands quite abruptly put it on OVER his clothes and started swearing at me. I remained calm and told him to stop yelling at me, continued with explaining why he needed the gown on, blah, blah, blah, needless to say this pt kept on and on. I began to walk away but the volatile beast within me let a comment slide that I shouldn't have..................................as I pulled the curtain, I said "You know sir, I wouldn't come to your place of employment and treat you like that". What was I thinking---at least I wasn't rude or snotty about it! The doc that was on said I handled the situation very well. The pt eventually left without being seen-----I told my director as LWBS are automatic call backs! Now I wonder, what "punishment" is coming my way? What do you guys think???????/

:cry:Thank you sooooo much! I had a rotten weekend and then had to deal with getting yelled at by some a** this am! I was doubting if I could keep on with this, but after reading this, I can! Thanks---I need to go print this and put it in my happy file at work!