VIP Triage

TrudyRN · Feb 28, 2007

worked at the same place as edvalerie...
an express pass of which she speaks was thrown (by a VIP) at the triage nurse once... WAY out of line...not sure what happened...If I had been there that night, who knows?
anyway,
Do you want a VIP sitting in the waiting room with pts coming up every 10 seconds bothering him? I've seen it...Not a pretty sight, and it only adds chaos to your already busy night from he!! in triage...
And haven't some of us scooted family members and our own staff ahead of the masses from time to time?
Yeah, well, but then those people are our own. That's OK isn't it?
When someone used to aggravate me, his chart would find its way to the bottom of the stack, I hate to say. I guess that's awful but I also used to put prisoners brought in police to the front of the line so the police, who always hated having to be in the ER, wouldn't have such a long wait. We're only human, right?

firstaiddave907 · Feb 28, 2007

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

Thats a very good question.

firstaiddave907 · Feb 28, 2007

F the special treatment. I hate peolple that use the system this way. Who could have used that bed you held?

very good point

smk1, LPN · Feb 28, 2007

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?

These folks need to be made to wait so that they can understand the crisis conditions facing many ER's in this country.

EmerNurse, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2007

VIP treatment is ALWAYS going to be there. In our ER, we don't get a lot of public figures, but we DO get a lot of the "board members' cousin's kid" type stuff. They call ahead and we will try to shuffle them in quickly if we can. MOST are very appreciative. The ones that aren't, burn me up.

It's never gonna go away, so I just take comfort in knowing that IF I needed my ER for my kid or my spouse, they'd be there for me. Never used it because in my family, *I* triage ya before you go to the ER LOL, but I know it's there if I need it. We'll also try to speed up service for "our own" when we can, meaning cops, firefighters, EMTs, etc.

Is it right? Probably not, and we'd NEVER bump a chest pain or a serious complaint, but then, a hangnail or a request for a damn pregnancy test sitting in the WR whinging loudly about the wait, isn't right either.

I HATE people who act like it's their RIGHT to be bumped ahead, but I can live with trying to facilitate the care of who's at least appreciative.

Bah - no good answer - so flame away, for those that say I'm evil for not expecting my co-worker's kid to sit in the WR for 7 hours.

weesyanne · Feb 28, 2007

The State Senator could have a potentially huge impact on state Medicaid funding for hospitals and healthcare organizations. He or she could make proposals that are beneficial or harmful to those of us in the nursing profession. There are many current proposals in my state (Georgia) that will severely impact healthcare funding.

I would be polite and if there were someone who was priority with, say, an MI, take that person first, but if there is a risk for a huge distraction in the waiting room, then I would take the VIP back to hopefully resolve that distraction.

JRapha'sRN · Mar 7, 2007

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

:yeahthat:

Exactly what I was going to say. I can't believe they charged your manager with insubordination! Perhaps they should have commended her for making an appropriate nursing decision and thanking her for maintaining the procedures of your ED by sticking to your triage protocols.

BULLYDAWGRN, RN · Mar 7, 2007

Tell the hospital manegment you'll contact the local newspapers.... threaten them. A similar situation happened at our hospital, but it was our CFO, he had some minor illness with nausea. Lord, the stinking hospital nurse supervisor grabed him out of the waiting room and bum rushed him to the back. Heck he had his labs and script in hand within 30min. Well, a pt saw this happen while they were in the waiting room, and confronted the triage nurse about it, so the nurse spilled the beans on it. It was a big stink and a embarrassing for the higher up "bean counters".

Gromit · Mar 8, 2007

well, I had to go into my facility for heart-related problems. And had to go back yesterday to get a defibrillator. When I was moved to the cardiac floor, I was given a private room -vip treatment. Honestly, I felt bad about that since I know there are others who were sicker than >I

Now, that being said, I AM greatful for the private room -I'm certainly not complaining. And I got very good care -but then my facility does a good job.

One thing that kind of annoyed me was that one of the monitor techs expressed a lack of trust in the RN who was caring for me during both day-shifts (and she really did a good job) -I felt that this was very inappropriate, but I'm not willing to file complaints and rock the boat -I have to work with these people -even though its not 'my' floor, I do tend to float there from time to time. Instead, I told my wife to find a nice card, and I'll write a complimentary letter to her in the card and send the card to her floor.

MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN · Mar 8, 2007

As for the potential of a media circus or harassment of the VIP- couldn't they just be made to wait in a "private" place? The staff lounge maybe or even have a VIP waiting room, but make them wait none the less?

~Jen

NurseJacqui · Mar 10, 2007

But dont you know that some people are more important than others? You shoulda thrown the little ol lady in chf back out into waiting room to accomadate VIP. Come on, everyone knows that!

bopps · Mar 10, 2007

I am so glad I read this post. Now I know that if Paris Hilton comes into my ER with a sunburn I will certainly move her in front of the critically ill "lower class." person experiencing chest pain. After all doesn't the fact that she is one of America's beautiful people and the fact that she spends more money on her pet dog than the person having CP spends on food in one year mean that she is so much more important. I can't believe I didn't learn this in nursing school. This is vital! If one makes more $$$ and is in a higher social class he or she deserves to go first. This fact needs to be included in the book "Triage Made Easy." I will have to write the author and tell her to add this to her book since I don't recall reading it in there. This is incredible. I am going to quit writing before I write something that gets me flamed.