VIP Triage

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Specializes in ED, CCU, ICU, Fixed Wing.

A state senator walks into our ED. Management rushes in to ensure the pt gets in ahead of all others. all the beds are full to hall 8. Our charge nurse says no, I am in charge during her lunch and say no. Management takes the patient to cath lab to be seen and we go on about our bussiness. The next day they charge the Charge RN with insubordination. Does any one have any experience with the legalities of this situation?

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Sounds like a rotten deal. Contact an attorney

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Mannnurse65, I know it stinks but that is life. VIP's always get VIP treatment or heads do roll. Lousy, unfair, but that is the reality. We all hate it, we all decry it but you fight it to your own detriment.

Be glad you aren't being charged with insubordination.

Once when the Prez came to our town, the roads were basically shut down from the airport to his destination. It made me wonder what would be the fate of some ordinary person needing EMS during that time. But there was no bucking it. Either you stayed healthy during the truthfully brief time the roads were closed for all but him or you died, I guess.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Teaching.

GO ON STRIKE!!! THAT IS WRONG, HEADS DOWN!!

i would be flaming, all you nurses need to stand up and unite, and get that charge nurse back on the shift!!!!

NURSES DEMAND BETTER TREATMENT!!

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Specializes in ER, Peds, Charge RN.

If anybody waits, maybe a State Senator should! That way they would see the big problem with overcrowded ERs, and may do something about it.

We have this thing at our hospital, where if people donate so many hundreds of thousands of dollars, they get this card that is like an express pass. The thing is, these people are usually quite intelligent and realize why they have to wait while people who might die go first. I've never had a rude donor come through... probably jinxing myself for tonight..

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

I resent the vips as well, but they are a fact of life -always have been and always will be.

Not sure I want a senator to 'do something about it' -the only thing those politicians think will fix things is to tax it harder, add paperwork and more red tape. They are a big part of the reason we have it as hard as we do.

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Specializes in ER, telemetry.

I live near a large naval base and the vice pres and the president come in to town every once in a while. The VP has been in town 2 times in the last 6 months. Our ED closes off one of our trauma rooms (we have 2) and a secret service agent stays in our dept until the pres or vice pres has left the area.

We recently had the mayor come into triage and he was rushed to the back for VIP tx. Thats just how it goes. I don't really get all bent out of shape, I just get them through as quick as I can so that I can triage the people who have been waiting forever.

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Not cool... Wondering if that same politician is the one doing the health care cuts

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

There isn't anything a politician can REALLY do to help healthcare. They aren't medical professionals, they do not perform any actual service in healthcare, and they don't build hospitals and staff them. What they DO do is raise taxes, and spend other peoples' money (taxes) -neither of which will put more nurses on the floor, or more docs in the facility, or more beds in the facility itself.

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Specializes in ER, Peds, Charge RN.

I think there is a lot that they can do, it's just that they don't.

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

I'm curious to know what it is you believe they could (realistically) do. I've always been a fan of the "less is more" statement when you are talking about government involvement. I'm absolutely no fan of government-run or subsidized healthcare. Just want you to know where I'm coming from.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.
I live near a large naval base and the vice pres and the president come in to town every once in a while. The VP has been in town 2 times in the last 6 months. Our ED closes off one of our trauma rooms (we have 2) and a secret service agent stays in our dept until the pres or vice pres has left the area.

The SS would always hold a trauma room at Parkland when POTUS was in Dallas. They might visit for a VP or Governor trip to Dallas, but only the President got a room kept open.

(Maybe it makes sense...we are 0-1 when it comes to that situation...) :chair:

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