searching for ER myths!!

Specialties Emergency

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I am working on a presentation on myths and legend in the emergency. Any ideas of such or where I could find could documentation to back my saying??

Specializes in ICU.
Always leave at least one patient name on the ER board .....

LOL, We actually do this. :lol2:

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I've seen the one namer happen too!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Never say you are having a good day, or that it is slow. It will immediately become a bad day.

We don't let certain nurses triage when certain doctors are on duty because they seem to have a certain weird thing going on that attracts all the bad cases. Also don't let certain nurses work triage together because bad things always seem to happen.

We are a superstitious bunch, there is no doubt.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

If you speak the name of a "frequent flyer" that person will soon appear.

That was one of our superstitions on the floor, I'm betting ER folks believe the same thing!

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Press Ganey will improve nurse/patient relationships.

People come to the emergency room for emergencies.

Your pain can rate a "10" even when your vital signs and your consumption of junk food in triage doesn't reflect it.

Nurses are valued members of the the healthcare team.

I'll try to think of more myths later.

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Don't say the word "quiet" - you will anger the "trauma gods"

Any downtime is the "lull before the storm."

Uh.....these aren't myths..........

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Specializes in Well Chronic Renal Care.
Don't say the word "quiet" - you will anger the "trauma gods"

Sometimes, we lay out an amp of lido near the bedside and or wave it around to ward off "evil spirits".

Any downtime is the "lull before the storm."

I was staying over covering after a third shift and the afternoon was very slow. Paramedic brought in a basic case don't recall what. One of them Medics mentioned the day was slow and quiet within 5 minutes as she was walking to the exit the tones went off and every tone in the county was paged as a plane had went missing from radar and was believed down. The medic cussed and said she will never learn. Oh the plane was just a small private with one person found OK upside down hanging from thick tree growth.

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I've had friendly, well-meaning family members comment, "Oh, you guys are quiet today," and within 30 minutes we're running our proverbial tushies off. Sometimes I've been lucky enough that the offending visitor is still there when it happens and I tell them "Don't you ever say that in an ER again!!!!"

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Specializes in critical care,flight nursing.

That good stuff. Now how about things we take for granted but most of us never check if it was true. For example, po meds are better for orthopedics injury?

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If a room is empty, shut off the light.

Never say the Q word (We all know that one is not a myth)

Hanging a pressor at bedside for a hypotensive patient, epi drip for analphylactic patient, etc. wards off the evil spirits.

The first time you don't jump on the frequent flyer and do the cardiac protocal within 10 minutes of hitting the door will be the time that they have their MI for real this time.

There is one room that we leave empty until we absolutley must fill it. It seems as if almost every time we put a patient in it something bad happens.

Thats all I can think of for now.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

Almost every time we send someone to Dairy Queen for take-out the medics bring in a code within a few minutes.

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Specializes in med/surg, rural, ER.
Press Ganey will improve nurse/patient relationships.

People come to the emergency room for emergencies.

:lol2: :rotfl: Those are great myths!!

We always put our airway cart outside the room of anyone we have to do conscious sedation on--to ward off evil spirits

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