no more techs for us....

Specialties Emergency

Published

Small ER, (14 beds, 5 fast track from 11-2300). See about 100 per day during busy winter season (now starting, yeah:o). Been having 4:1 ratio (which I think is too high). Now......mgmt has fired all techs. No more techs. ????????? Something about having more nurses instead (hasn't happened). They base the amt of nurses allowed by how many patients we see. This seems so backwards; how do you know how many patients you are going to see???? You can't know until the day is over!!

Does anybody work in an ER without tech? We used to have only 1 tech for each 12 hr shift, but they were soooo much help. Now we do everything ourselves. If we can't, we have to find another nurse to help. We are all so busy, this is difficult. No float nurse, charge takes triage or full assignment.

ick

opinions?

I want my techs back.

We don't have any tech's in our ER but we only see about 30 a day. We have 3 RN's during the busy times of the day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, ED.
4:1 patient ratio in 55+bed ER. Tech assigned to approx 10 beds-as ekg tech too! Never enough technicians! Don't know about you guys, but we have been holding patients quite a bit, so patients with a million orders and MI next to each other. Not a good combo. What kills me is that on the floors, orders are put up by secretaries, labs drawn by phlebotomy, neb tx given by RT, test follow up performed by unit clerk, etc etc. HOWEVER, while patient remains held in ER I must do all of the above, and care for my respiratory distress, MI or anything else. Lately, we have gone 5:1 and 6:1. Even using Fast track for complex patients. That's another whole story! Can you imagine? A steady stream of minor injuries, that need whole package-triage, notes, discharge AND several workups that need the works!

ER is getting tougher and tougher.

Stay safe. Hoping your patient loads are manageable.

Maisy

I hear ya Maisy....It's the same in our ER. And to any floor staff reading this....this is why we didn't get that paper work done...hehehehe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
JMO, LPN's would be a great attribute to ER's. I would love too, even if it was a tech. We could do EKG's, resp. treatments, dressing, stocking, start IV's, give po meds, hand stock IV solutions, help with "data collection", not assessments, observe psych patients while the RN is doing other things and so much more, but no, we must stay in the nursing homes doing that stuff. And yes the hospitals around here use techs in ER, but no they are not LPN's, they are CNA's with special training. Sorry just had to put my two cents in, I'm one of those LPN's who just wants to be utilized and am not, please continue your thread.

We do use techs (mostly senior RN students) who do everything that you decribed except the PO meds and RT treatments. We would welcome LPN's but I doubt any LPN would want to work for tech pay of $12/hr. Our ER seems to use the senior RN students as a way to recruit staff and it works very well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

In my ED,(24 beds) the nursing ratio is 3:1, and depending on the room 2:1, with one RN as a task and one RN who floats, and the charge RN. There are two CNAs in the back one for each 12 bed pod. We also have a fast track with one doc, one RN, and one tech. There is also a CNA who also is just for helping the triage nurse. I think that we see on average 120 people a day. The cardiology department does all EKG's up untill 9pm, and then (we/I) the CNA's do them. My hospital is also now requiring that all CNA's become a level II CNA and for us in the ED they are going to put us through phelbotomy training so we can start blood draws, along with a splint class, casting class and basic wound care class, so we can do more than stock and transport patients.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/ medical telemetry.
We have 4:1 with 2 techs, a float, and a charge with no patients.

That right there sounds realistic...

That is what they try to go with in our ED, but many times it is no techs, a charge with an assignment and a 4:1 that at times turns to a 6:1 (only for a short while) very frustrating, when you cannot even help your co-workers, d/t keeping your own head above the waters.

The thing is they tell me to delegate, but many times there is no one to delegate to...

What is an ER nurse to do? :down:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU, ER, Flight.

I'm a bit curious, what are your techs responsibilities? I work as a tech in an ICU, but most of my day is consumed with baths. I would imagine baths are few an far between in the ER. I would guess there would be a lot of EKGs, but what else?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/ medical telemetry.
I'm a bit curious, what are your techs responsibilities? I work as a tech in an ICU, but most of my day is consumed with baths. I would imagine baths are few an far between in the ER. I would guess there would be a lot of EKGs, but what else?

tech duties, EKG's ,blood draws, simple dressings, foley caths, splints/temp casts, monitor hookups and all the other duties CNA's would do on the floor, along with monitoring patients and keeping RN informed of changes, but they are so busy it is hard to delegate when needed...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU, ER, Flight.

Sounds like I need to look into a transfer. More experience, less poop :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

It is always hard when they are cutting down on staff. our ER has a capability of holding somewhere arounf 51 patients plus we have an 8 bed fast track. Most of the time my work load is 6-8 patients. we have 1 tech for 12-17 pts (if we are full).

I know it is hard to do everything yourself. Hang in there. Maybe when they see that care is suffering they will do somthething about it.

Nat

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wish we could use more LPN's - we have 2 that rotate in Fast Track they are more or less the treatment/discharge nurse the main thing they cannot do is 2ndary assessments and these 2 ladies have been LPNs longer than I have even thought about being a RN - they are awesome!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ITU/Emergency.
Sounds like I need to look into a transfer. More experience, less poop :)

:lol2::lol2::lol2:!!! Do it! You will work your butt off but if it suits you and you suit t, you wil love it! Good Luck!

Where I worked last we hardly ever had techs on duty but when we did they were a godsend. I would often feel sorry for them though as they would be pulled in a thousand directions as every one wanted a slice of them! And, 4:1 sounds like bliss to me!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment