A Walk in the Shoes of an ER Nurse

I enjoyed Anisa's story

I am a bit alarmed at the posts to this story. Lots of grammar and spelling errors.Are you sure you are R.N.s? And could the English gap be responsible for so many medical mistakes? Just a question.

ER

I am currently working in ER in Ja, if you think you have it rough, spend a few hour here. Many Jamaican watch these medical shows and see the fast pace and believe that we are idling. No manner how you tell them that right now in USA that is one of the election debate they just think you are trying to fool them into submission.

We have institute the ESI triage system and it worked well. It prevent the subjectivity in assigning clients priority. As well allow for the re-assignment of doctors to various areas based on the number of clients in a particular ESI.

But beside it all I really love working in the ER, as the fast pace and thinking on your feet is what realy love, also to see the response of clients to treatment.

ED Nursing

I have been an ED RN for 25 years and still love it. I feel that every day is a challenge and while some days more than others I would not change my profession. I am however disheartened by the nures who continually feel overworked, overwhelmed, must "go Union", put up with "bad" attitudes from peers, etc., instead of trying to see the positive and if no positive is in sight to take the innitive and make try to make change for the better. Life is what you make of it and I feel that instead of "bitchin" we need to pull up our big girl panties, take care of our patients, families and each other and make our workplace and profession what we want it to be without the negativity and blame.

ER Nurse Article

I missed this article from last year.

Anyway, I can't help but respond. I work in this same facility for the past --almost 10 years -- Anisa Mertiri is a colleague. She works day shift I work night shift. I'd like to thank the writer of this article despite the very limited scope covered (triage part), I appreciate that someone had seen the positive side of the care. I understand those comments coming from RN's that have been in this business for years. What this article offered is just a glimpse of what goes around the life of an RN in a given 12 hour shift.

But nonetheless, it's appreciated.

I hope to share more as an insider on my blog, which is intended to be fair and balance. My goal is to present an anecdote to allow outsiders peek into the inside world and take their comments observations, suggestions and put together a data that could hopefully offer some improvements to the challenges that everyone faces----the crisis in ER----we all have to use the ER one way or the other.

Once again, thanks for giving notice of the good care rendered.

Believe me, every RN wishes to provide the best care when we leave home to work, but things can change quickly when we arrive to the workplace.

See ya' all there.

Einstein's ER....actual patient and aspiring nurse

I want to comment on the sugary piece regarding the ER and nurse Anisa Metiri. I've been a patient at Einstein and have been in the ER. I remember presenting to the ER with chest pain, pain the right calve (mind you I had a hx of PE though rather small). The doctor sent me home with a Rx of Atavan or some such thing. The ER is usually too crowded and the wait times are horrendous and all they are concerned about is getting you out of there. PERIOD. There is no care in healthcare and the nurses can have some really bad attitudes. As an aspiring nurse, I do not look forward to jeopardizing my bladder control because I couldn't even take a bathroom break and my lunch hour is mandated by law. I was told to head for ED after graduation or Med-Surg and right now I'm not sure which one.

ER NURSE Article

This article doesn't even touch what an ER nurse does in a 12 hr shift! To all the nurses who don't get lunch breaks or breaks to go to the bathroom... GO UNION! I used to work in TExas with no ratios no breaks no lunches and it sucked. Working in California is awesome! There should be articles wriiten in different ED's and what level trauma facility they are considered. Working conditions vary from state to state.

ER Nurses

This article is so devoid of any actual insight of an average shift of any ER nurse anywhere. Looking through the photo gallery attached to the article looks more like a advertising portfolio. I keep waiting to see a brand name for her scrubs, or deodorant or hand lotion appear.

I am an ER nurse. In fact I just got home from my 12 and a half hour shift with minimal bathroom stops and no lunch (the norm).

I rarely find time in the course of my shift to sit with that adorable pouty lipped pose. I am too busy. I am trying to stabilize the elderly woman whose lungs are so full of fluid that cannot breath. I am implementing life saving treatments for the father having a heart attack and prepare him for the cath lab. I am comforting a small child who is terrified and injured. I am comforting the spouse of the patient that we couldn't save. I am stabilizing the 2 month old that has a skull fracture while dealing with the police and social services. I am performing needed treatments and interventions to help my patient no matter how sick they are or are not. I am de-escalating the narcotic addict who comes in with bogus complaints to obtain drugs while performing the million dollar work up to ensure that they are not do not have a serious or life threatening condition. This would be for the second time this week because they believe that just because they used a different alias I wouldn't recognize them. I am trying to keep the severely intoxicated teen from injuring themself or me while dodging spitballs.

Do not get me wrong, I love what I do (most of the time). I will tell you some days I leave work and realize the last time I urinated was before I left my home that day. Some days I leave work and cry for the 10 year old that I had to tell his dad was gone. Some days I am elated about the patient that we got to the cath lab in record time. Some times I am angry about the abuses I see of our system by people who bring their children in for fever because our tylenol is free to them rather than having to use their cigarette money to buy it themselves, and the child doesn't actually have a fever it just "felt hot." Mom doesn't even own a thermometer. I love it when my ill and injured patients leave my care in better condition than when they came to me. When I feel like I have been able to educate patients and families. When frightened people are no longer frightened because I helped them.

Why don't you write an article that shows what it is really like out there???

Triage Nures

I too work in a busy ER and can attest to the fact that you are given minutes to make a sound judgment on a patients' health status. At times this is a simple non complex task, and other times the wrong decision can turn fatal. Being able to piece together the information that is present to you is sometimes a complicated task, and the triage nurse must assume a large responsible with this assignment. There are so many distraction that surround you in giving day I find it best to continue to monitor the patients, families at all times. I also try to make my needs vocal inside the main Emergency Room or Fast Track area. Because, no matter how good your assessment skills are the patients must be seen and treated within a timely manner

This article definetly does not portray the life of an ER nurse or triage nurse. As I'm reading this on break, which i usually don't receive in 12 hours, I can here an intoxicated man screaming profanities at my co workers, children crying, a family screaming with some laying on the floor after a death of a family member, and more chaos. Today is saturday morning which usually isn't too busy. Mostly drunks left over from the night before. I work at a busy facility but compared to others quite small with only 22 beds. This is the norm of a day not the exception. While working triage you have to "kindly" explain to people why their toothache is not more important than the man coming in on the stretcher having an MI. Our community is very demanding which I'm sure is true of many others. People demand care and pampering, which at first light should be provided, however, most patients are unable to empathize for those that need urgent and immediate care. I wish an article could be written to help people consider what may be going on while they are impatient and feeling neglected at an emergency room. The stress of a day caring for sick people would be greatly lessened if others could have understanding instead of blaming their nurse for their wait.

ER Nurses

Please help the readers to understand the true picture of what nursing is truly about. Anyone who is a nurse should be and must be commended for all the work they do to help patients and their families. Nurses do more than just walk around in their scrubs. They educate, show compassion, remain strong in given situations and take on life threatening occurances. Nursing is definitely not a glamourous professional. If anyone if looking for a job where thanks is part of it, it doesn't always exist. However, I would like to publically say thank you to all the nurses who are maintaining the integrity of the profession of Nursing.