Suggestions from any of you seasoned ED folk?

Trauma Columnist · Feb 19, 2004

I would ask for thier pt/nurse ratios - if they are in keeping with the ENA (Em Nurses Assoc) standards of 4:1, how do they deal with "holding" pts in the ER when there aren't enough inpt beds?

veetach · Feb 20, 2004

I would find out if they do primary nursing or team nursing. And what the pt to RN ratio is.

ERnurseLaura · Feb 20, 2004

I am interviewing for a ED position in a large facility tomorrow. Not a trauma center....
Are there things that I should ask specifically about this ED when I interview? I have only worked ICU so I am not sure what makes a ED a good or bad place to work from a nurse's prospective. Does this make sense?? I just dont want to end up in a nonfunctional department.....

ER is a different kind of place, if you like structure, and a peaceful unit the ER is not for you. If you like semi organized state, and love different procedure, different types of patients, ranging from the wealthy to the homeless, smelling good to smelling a rotten leg and when you look at the leg it has critters in it and if you can go to lunch after cleaning it out you belong to us. Welcome. you have to work fast, in my hospital its 4-6 patients to you, with fast turnover, so you could have 20-24 patients in 8 hours. fun fun

ERnurseLaura · Feb 20, 2004

I am interviewing for a ED position in a large facility tomorrow. Not a trauma center....
Are there things that I should ask specifically about this ED when I interview? I have only worked ICU so I am not sure what makes a ED a good or bad place to work from a nurse's prospective. Does this make sense?? I just dont want to end up in a nonfunctional department.....

I'm not sure what is meant by nonfunctional department, i think you ment that you dont' want to be nonfunctional, remember on average at least in my hospital 80% of all admissions come from the ER. can you contribute to a fast pace environment,

ps non trauma centers get traumas,(they drive themselves in) you have to stablize them before you transfer so please don't underestimate a level II ER or below, they see it all

ps i work at a level 1, i get the transfers in.

DebiRN · Feb 20, 2004

I would find out what your responsibility is to call.

LesJenRN · Feb 20, 2004

ER is a different kind of place, if you like structure, and a peaceful unit the ER is not for you. If you like semi organized state, and love different procedure, different types of patients, ranging from the wealthy to the homeless, smelling good to smelling a rotten leg and when you look at the leg it has critters in it and if you can go to lunch after cleaning it out you belong to us. Welcome. you have to work fast, in my hospital its 4-6 patients to you, with fast turnover, so you could have 20-24 patients in 8 hours. fun fun

Thanks for your thoughts Laura. The interview went great and I think it will be a great fit for me. Their ratio is 3:1.....sounds pretty good....the manager is totally pro nursing and pro patient and seems to know how to get the money she needs for the department. There is always a float RN and a free charge RN in the ED. I am soooooo tired of the "controlled" enviornment in ICU. As far as the disgusting stuff....it is just part of the job.... ALthough I did read on another thread about a dead rat found in a "posterior" skin fold on a 500 lb plus patient..... I admit I might consider feeling a bit green during those "special" moments:uhoh21:

LOVE ER · Feb 23, 2004

Thanks for your thoughts Laura. The interview went great and I think it will be a great fit for me. Their ratio is 3:1.....sounds pretty good....the manager is totally pro nursing and pro patient and seems to know how to get the money she needs for the department. There is always a float RN and a free charge RN in the ED. I am soooooo tired of the "controlled" enviornment in ICU. As far as the disgusting stuff....it is just part of the job.... ALthough I did read on another thread about a dead rat found in a "posterior" skin fold on a 500 lb plus patient..... I admit I might consider feeling a bit green during those "special" moments:uhoh21:[/quote
A float rn and a charge rn ? Wow , I need to come work at your er. Our ratio is 7-1 on a good day. Scary huh? I love every minute and would not change for the world, I came from surgical icu and I wonder now why I didn't go straight to the er, it's were i love to be!!

zudy · Feb 23, 2004

I also always want to know about security in ED, I have worked in unsafe ED's in the past, never again!

veetach · Feb 23, 2004

security? In the ED? oh come on, surely you guys are dreaming. LOL we have "security" too, a group of men and women who basically direct patient traffic and make sure that no one parks where they shouldnt. :rolleyes:

I found out long ago that the best security we have is the state police. At least hey carry guns. LOLOL

I would love a locked down unit with a metal detector at the front door, our administration thinks it would be "bad for the PR," they would not want patients to think the ED is an unsafe place to be. Oh brother.

As for nurse to patient ratio, if you find an ED with a 3:1, GRAB THE JOB! Last night we had 17 holds, (including our regular ER full of patients, we have a 25 bed ER on a good day, of course there are stretchers lining the halls) and 3 RNs. It gets scarier by the day......

athomas91 · Feb 23, 2004

ask to talk to the nurses who are working....they will tell you how it is...

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2004

Just be truthfull

Just be yourself

tell them its what you want to do

life is simple

thats why they elected bushie