it's amazing what brings people to the ER. i've seen too many healthy 20-somethings complaining of a slight cough for 3 days- clearly just a viral upper respiratory infection (flu bug) that needs rest and fluids. and NOT A TRIP TO THE ER. i don't get it. are people just not educated? do we think that we should never be sick or broken and if we feel at all off, it's some sort of disaster that needs to be fixed at whatever inconvenience and cost? first of all, even if you're guaranteed to be seen in 30 minutes like a lot of ER's across the nation boast, that's a lie. and after you're initially evaluated you will be lying in an uncomfortable bed in the hallway or behind a thin curtain for hours and hours and hours while you wait for test results, get ignored by the busy nurses, and are exposed to all kinds of actual sick people. and it's boring! no tv's or magazines, nothing to do but lie there and listen to the baby cry next to you or that crazy old man across the hall asking anyone who passes by his room to "dust him off."
and then there are those patients who had a massive fall with head trauma DAYS AGO or who have been having unremitting chest pain for a week now who really should have come in quite a bit sooner. again, poor judgment.
ah, well. what are you going to do?
i've seen and done some interesting things. helped insert a chest tube yesterday to someone who was having a pneumothorax (lung collapse). have drawn arterial blood on someone (much tricker than venous blood draws), have sutured some, read a lot of CT's and xrays. overall, have gotten enough blood on my shoes to make me feel productive. :)
it's not all procedures and fun and games. there are some really devastating moments, too. brain dead on arrival with the family in toe.....young patient with sickle cell weeping from pain- chronic and horrible pain- begging for relief.....etc...
but it's been good. i really like ER. the staff is so laid back and fun, too. it's a great rotation. and when i'm done w/ this one, i have a vacation (tra-la!). so thats always on the back (and middle, and sides) of my mind.
this is funny- brian regan on a patient's perspective on visiting the ER.
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No inappropriate meetings in closets yet?
nothing sexy scandalous, if that's what you had in mind. i've had some less-than-appropriate things happen in hospital closets, though. like today i spilled an entire cup of coffee down my white coat and scrubs while i tried to open the door from the inside of a closet. you don't see that stuff on "grey's anatomy" do you? nope, milky drawers does not make for good prime time tv. hmmm....perhaps i should reword that....
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