Ok, so I started back in the Emergency Department at a new hospital, Suburban, which is in... wait for it... the suburbs of Buffalo. It's interesting because it sees a large volume of patients, but the, dare I say, class of patients we see is much different than at the other hospitals. Also, things work much more like a private community hospital in that we don't have a bajillion specialists and primary physicians to try to sort through when admitting a patient. Also, the nurses don't seem as sullen, fancy that...!
So, I was scoring about 80% in the admission department last night. Considering I saw about 10 patients, that's kind of high, but most of my patients weren't able to be sent home. They actually had real medical problems that they were, for the most part, too fiesty in attitude to complain about and it was only now that they were really sick that they decided to come in.
Also, although the waiting room was full when I came in, there didn't seem to be that fast paced pressure to "move the meat." Now, don't get me wrong, we did see and dispo patients expeditiously, but it just seemed I was more able to spend time talking to my patients and learning more about them than their presenting symptoms.
So they included:
- the "cougarette" on her second relationship now pregnant who came in concerned for some bleeding. Baby looked good, things looked good, she's the one that got to go home. And, I actually realized that OB did me some good in that vag exams, not so bad. Not that I want to do them EVERY day, but still, it was more tolerable.
- the newspaper man who's been having chest pain for a while, didn't want to come in because he has a sick wife at home and was more concerned about her. Now he's in the chest pain center and will have a stress test and some other tests since he hasn't been to see a doctor in a while. Admitted.
- the "ate some bad figs" stayed in the department for several hours until her tummy felt better. She was my other discharge last night.
- also saw some shortness of breath with high troponins, liver failure that was passed off in sign-out, recurrent abdominal pain, etc.
Have to run, another night shift tonight... we'll see what comes in!
5 comments:
The ones you admitted would have ended up on floor during the night if you had been here. They always seem to have to convince themselves it something serious before they come in. Sounds like you had a nice well rounded night.
We seem to be getting a lot of the tummy stuff lately and some true flu type symptoms. High incidences of appys too for some reason. I do like the ones who are truly sick though versus my knee has been hurting for a year now i need some pain medicine. Hope you enjoy the new place and welcome back. Tell us about the vacation. De ;)
hope you had a nice vacation :)
I like that you are back in the ER; lots of action there for sure
that was sad about the man not wanting to come in because of his sick wife at home; hope he makes a quick recovery himself
betty
I would love to work in a ER department! I think it would be fun! Are you training to become a Dr.?
I was in the ER the other night, my husband and I both agreed there is no way we could handle what those nurses go through. It is and was very interesting and I enjoy reading about it but I think it takes a very special person to do it.
I didn't go in on my own, my doctor insisted I go and everyone from the nurses to the doctor said what a good patient I was and it was a pleasure to meet us :) we should have got a lollipod now that I think about it. LOL
Post a Comment