No, really - what is your EMERGENCY?

This used to be the journal of a nursing student at a prestigious 4 year university that will still remain unnamed. This is now the journal of a Registered Nurse working in an Emergency Department in a major US city. All names have been changed to protect the stupid and the mean. There is no educational value in this journal, sometimes it will be downright mean and catty - this is where I come to vent!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day 2009

Nick F., Jamie E., Megan M., Joe M.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

So darn slow

I think someone needs to explain the term Emergency to some of our doctors. In my job, we see just enough patients that we should be busy most of the time but no one should really be waiting in the waiting room. The majority of the patients are non-acute and really could be in and out pretty quick. Even the acute patients are not that difficult and are usually consulted on pretty quick so the ED docs can move on. We don't have many med students or residents so we don't have to wait for that entire process to play out either.

Bottomline: Patients should not feel like they have to leave without being seen by a doctor after sitting in a room in the ED for 4 hours. That is not 4 hours in the waiting room, that is 4 hours inside the ED because there are plenty of rooms for the patients to go to - we are rarely full for very long.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Its Ok.

So, I've started my new job. It's Ok. Lots of the same issues as my last job but a slightly different clientele. And hey, it is nice to be paid more, work slightly less, and get free parking! I'm still getting used to the fact that my 2 years of Emergency experience makes me one of the more experienced people there.