There

are many members of the ER staff that work together to provide care

to patients. The nurse can clean wounds, start IV fluids, and suction the airway,

among other things. The attending physician is in charge of all patient care, deciding

a plan of action for patients and writing orders for other staff members to fulfill.

The ER also has technicians to perform X-rays and other diagnostic tests, as well as

different specialty staff members, such as respiratory therapists. When coming to

the ER, patients initially go through triage. Triage is important because it allows the

ER staff to prioritize patient care based on the current health status of the various

patients. During triage, a nurse assesses patients and assigns them into one of three

categories: emergent, urgent, and non-urgent. Emergent patients, who need

immediate attention, usually present with severe respiratory distress,

cardiopulmonary arrest, major trauma/burns, or uncontrolled bleeding. Urgent

patients, who need prompt care but will survive for a period of time if untreated,

may have conditions such as lacerations, fractured bones, or abdominal pain. Non-

urgent patients may have cold symptoms, headache, rash, or sprains/strains.

Because everyone is assigned a different category, the triage system also helps

determine bed assignments for patients. More acute patients are usually given a

room that is closer to staff members, while less acute patients can be put in rooms

that are further away. Some of the less acute patients are even designated to be in

the hallway if there is a lack of space. While the triage system is very good for

helping treat the most critically ill patients first, it could be unethically unfair when

it comes to other patients. I can see it becoming very easy for less acute patients to

be given less attention/care, or even being forgotten, to an extent. When a patient is

admitted to acute care, the nurse takes vitals on the patient and has them sign a few

papers. They also ask the patient questions about their current situation, attach the

patient to monitoring, and help them get situated. Upon discharge, the nurse fills

out any discharge paperwork and explains it to the patient/family. The nurse also

confirms that the patient has a means of leaving the hospital and answers any

questions that the patient may have about follow-up. I saw a wide variety of

patients in the ER. Our first three patients had knee pain, hip pain, and nausea,

respectively. Our next had a cockroach stuck in their ear. They had to be sent to the

OR to get it removed. After that, we had a patient with testicular pain. He had to be

sent to ultrasound to help determine what was causing the pain. After that, we had

a patient who reported to the hospital for anxiety. While in the waiting room, he

went into cardiac arrest, so he was brought into the ER and we began resuscitation.

He passed away shortly after. Another gentleman woke up after suffering a stroke.

His brain stem was affected, so he ended up passing away as well. Overall, my

experience at the ER was pretty varied. I did not get to do a lot, but I did see a lot. I

did get a lot of practice hooking up 6 and 12-Lead EKGs, which was nice. I would

definitely recommend future students to go to the ER for experience. If possible, it

would be good for them to be able to go later in the day though, just so they can see

more.