Nurses LOVE to poke fun at nurses working in other units. The Emergency Department (ED) is often seen as the group that is flying by the seat of their pants, and for good reason – ED nurses have to be able to adapt quickly, as they never know what type of illness or injury is coming through the door!
Most people have benefited from the work of ED nurses, whether it’s just to be checked for a concussion or to be stabilized after a serious illness or injury. These memes are here to honor (and maybe throw a few friendly jabs at) the ED nurses we know and love:
1. When you don’t have the time (or desire) to keep things organized
ED nurses and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses may never understand each other’s ways, but they are all needed to make the hospital run effectively. ED nurses are notorious for bending the rules and protocols, while ICU nurses tend to be extremely organized. The chaos of the environment is definitely something you’ll have to get used to if you work in the ED.
2. And you never feel like you have a second to relax
3. But at least you know how to document in shorthand
Writing notes as a medical professional means learning countless acronyms. ED nurses have to know all of the lingo to be able to chart efficiently and effectively. Who knew that going into the medical field meant having to learn how to write in another language?
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4. You catch flack as soon as the patient is ready to transfer
When you work in an ED, you’re always accepting additional patients. Calling report to an unsuspecting floor nurse can sometimes feel like you’re adding on a burden that is completely out of your control. ED nurses never know what to expect and have to just take what they’re given.
5. But you admit that your report may be missing a few details
What can we say? ED nurses are focused on stabilizing the patient and getting them to the next place they need to go. Sometimes, the skin assessment just doesn’t take precedence over other important patient information. At other times, the organized chaos of the ED results in quick and dirty reports they may not be as thorough as desired.
6. And you may not have fully prepared the floor nurse for what’s coming…
ED nurses are exposed to all types of people. They are used to working with patients who may be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. When you frequently work with people who aren’t “quite there,” it can alter your perspective of what is considered “just a little off” versus what is considered, by most, to be a highly unexpected behavior.
7. You know all of the frequent flyer patients
Every hospital has them: the patients who return after a few weeks or a few months for another admission. These are often sad stories of individuals working through addiction or homelessness. No matter the reason, these frequent flyers have a special place in the ER nurse’s heart.
8. But you also enjoy variety
They say it takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round, and ED nurses have experienced that firsthand. From hypochondriacs to people who should have come in hours earlier, there’s no shortage of variety in this work environment. You can see a gunshot wound one minute and appendicitis in the next, and learning to expect the unexpected becomes part of the adrenaline rush.
9. And the stories that go along with it
ED nurses always tell the best stories, as they come across a variety of patients with some very…unique ailments. Over time, the experienced ED nurse learns how to keep a straight face under almost any circumstance. These stories definitely have a place in the back of every nurse’s mind.
10. Patient expectations are always over-the-top
With the prolonged wait times that often accompany unpredictable emergency scenarios, Ed nurses regularly get hit with patient complaints. No one wants to sit in a waiting room for hours on end, but this is the unfortunate reality of most EDs. At the end of the day, keeping patients alive is the main priority, and ED nurses are doing the best they can!
11. This is especially true on holiday weekends
The 4th of July can be one of the wildest days of the year at the ED When people mix alcohol and fireworks, they tend to come in with serious injuries. Patients come in with a mess on their hands, in a literal sense. ED nurses have to be sure to keep a strong stomach, especially on holidays like Independence Day.
12. You’re used to making things work under any circumstance
Working in the ED means being creative and innovative, regardless of the resources available. ED nurses are known for known for thinking outside of the box (and sometimes ignoring the expectations of their supervisors).
13. …much to the distain of the floor nurses
While some ED nurses could stand to be a little more organized with medication schedules and protocols, we also have to consider that they are dealing with literal emergencies all day and night. Sometimes, certain patients simply have to take precedence over others in order to maintain life.
14. You meet the best coworkers you’ll ever have
Working in an intense environment tends to bring nurses closer together, and that means making great friends. Although this should help you in some ways, there are also cons to working with your closest friends. It’s hard to get anything done (especially charting) when you’re distracted by everyone else on the unit.
15. And your family can’t believe what you go through each shift
It takes a special person to become an ER nurse. We can poke fun at their eccentricities and tendencies toward disorganized chaos, but at the end of the day, they are a crucial part of the healthcare system!
