ER Etiquette

[Doczilla]

I've gotta agree on the chocolate and cookies thing. The occasional bribe goes a long way. A t-shirt for someone who was really nice will REALLY score some points, particularly if the t-shirt is funny or rude. If you're close to shift change and you and some of the guys are going to grab a beer or something, it never hurts to invite the ER staff. That is much easier if you happen to look like Brad Pitt, or your partner does.

As others were saying, be professional, kind, and competent. Take an interest in your patients. If you make more than one trip to the ER, follow up with the nurse or doc who was taking care of your earlier patient to find out what they did. Feel free to stick around on a resuscitation (as long as you're not in the way). Offer to help if things are going sideways. Get in, get involved, but don't tell people how to do their jobs. Ask questions of folks, but know your audience: if the ER doc or nurse is holding 4 charts in his hand and sweating like a two dollar hooker on nickel night, now is probably not the best time to ask for an educated discussion of the use of recombinant activated protein C for septic shock refractory to vasopressors.

Understand that you're not really part of the ER team, which tends to be an insular group. It will take time, therefore, to be known and liked. Understand also that some ER nurses and docs don't have a whole lot of respect for EMS, particularly at the EMT-Basic level. And, of course, there are difficult personalities in every group. Nursing (particularly ER nursing) tends to eat its own young, as some folks just like the power trip of holding themselves above others. You may make an appetizing target for those kinds of people. Sometimes it pays not to be noticed.

'zilla

[becksdad]

Two dollar hooker on a nickel night!!! Now thats FUNNY!!!

[WelshMedic]

Nursing (particularly ER nursing) tends to eat its own young,

Ain't that the truth......

WM

[1EMT-P]

The most important thing for a new EMT to do is to find a good experienced mentor who can help you. A good EMS mentor is worth their weight in gold! Your mentor will be able to teach you the art of how to get along with the nice & the not so nice ER Nurses.

[Doczilla]

One more thing: don't talk smack about anyone in the ER, even if some nurse or tech invites you to commiserate. Like I said, it's an insular group, and what you say will ALWAYS get back to the person you're talking about.

'zilla

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

As for Asys's comment, yeah, watch out for the Badge-Bunnies.

*ahem*

In the interest of making sure all aspects of EMS have appropriate, cool sounding ridiculous titles, ive recently been informed a new level of EMS responder has been developed to become the new, more...politically correct version of the badge bunny.

Expect the BRT patches, or..."Badge Restoration Technician" to be available at a service near you soon.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

One more thing: don't talk smack about anyone in the ER, even if some nurse or tech invites you to commiserate. Like I said, it's an insular group, and what you say will ALWAYS get back to the person you're talking about.

'zilla

AMEN to that!

Gossip is like gold to hospitals...especially ER'z.

[coram]

Nurses aren't evil creatures I promise. But, they do lack an understanding, for the most part, of what a medic's job entails. Back home, some nurses still believe that our medics are solely ambulance drivers; that they have a poor understanding of A & P and so on. We are noticing this as higher qualified medics are assuming some pretty techinical skills that normally were never seen in the ems before. We have ACP's that are going to shake things up around here as they enter their hospital practicum. As they will be performing skills that typically are reserved for md's or icu nurses. Most of all, Be confident, concise and don't argue with the nurse, you'll never win, whether you're right or wrong.

By the way, food never hurts. especially chocolate or sweets.

[tniuqs]

Nurses aren't evil creatures I promise. But, they do lack an understanding, for the most part, of what a medic's job entails. Back home, some nurses still believe that our medics are solely ambulance drivers; that they have a poor understanding of A & P and so on. We are noticing this as higher qualified medics are assuming some pretty techinical skills that normally were never seen in the ems before. We have ACP's that are going to shake things up around here as they enter their hospital practicum. As they will be performing skills that typically are reserved for md's or icu nurses. Most of all, Be confident, concise and don't argue with the nurse, you'll never win, whether you're right or wrong.

By the way, food never hurts. especially chocolate or sweets.

Two points here....one, most RNs are very good with the teaching portion in promoting education....these days in our neck of the continent in fact I can honestly say if It were not for the good ones my education would have been far more difficult, but I have been around pre "medicnorth" period.

Point 2 I NEVER cower from an argument with an RN that is or has the potential of negatively affecting patient care, patient advocacy is the most top priority in my philosophy period....... besides I usually win because its hard to fight with a guy using a walker, it looks so bad.

Point 2 (eh)...I don't ever get "chocolate" the connotation of Valentines or a Romantic inference could be miscommunicated........so how do you like your Tims.....double double? it is way safer!

ps where do you practice as your comment :

We have ACP's that are going to shake things up around here as they enter their hospital practicum.

These would be "students" not registered Paramedics, I sure as hell hope they DONT shake things up, they should be walking on eggshells if the program is new to you...... I would hope....as one negative incident ant the rest get painted with the same brush.

[Wild-atheart]

If you must know, when MDs and nurses treat other professionals like crap, it is because they have been abused by the patients and public in general. Its like venting and I bet many of them don't realize it. I think that the major problem with healthcare is that many of the people we take care of don't really deserve it. for instance, I remember a guy who beat up his girlfriend and the staff as we mended his broken arm only the take care of the girlfriend he beat a few months later with that healed arm. This is the shit MDs and Nurses see all the time so its no wonder why so many of them are callous.

And as for the needy young nurses, I find that if you are like me(<---Looks like a chubby 12 year old) they won't be attracted but they like to talk my ear off about all the shit they plan to do to whoever and who the hate and who they like.

to make a long story short, just picture yourself as a little fat kid trying to get a doctor or nurse believe you and thank god you aren't me.