Tag: Emergency Nurses

Warning: Hazards of Being an E. R. Nurse

When you think about nurses, what do you think of first? Which aspects of nurses are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Emergency nursing is a exceptional field of the nursing profession. In this field, nurses are equipped and trained to deal with patients in critical phase of their illness and injury. Emergency room nurses are capable of treating patients in this phase adrift department or complete diagnosis.

Emergency room nurses are used to fast paced environment. Thanks to the emergency department of a hospital, is usually overcrowded emergency room nurses can be seen multitasking to balance and point up patients and their time. How dangerous is positive to be working in a hospital?

With increasing reports of emergency component violence, emergency nurses are placed among police officers and other peace officers. The Massachusetts Bureau of Labor Statistics reported more than 4. 000 health care professionals to experience verbal and physical assault while working in the ER ( 2005 ).

Different steps are being undertaken to address the escalating umber of violence experienced by emergency room staff. Legislations in increasing the penalty being perpetrators are awaiting decision from the Assembly. Various programs and trainings to conclude violence are commencing in hospitals and other health care institutions.

So what else is dangerous about being an emergency nurse?

According to the International Hazard Datasheets on Occupation through released by the International Labour Organization, there are seven main dangers emergency nurses can be exposed to.

1. Emergency room nurses, as part of their responsibilities; cleans, disinfects and sterilize medical equipment. They may be exposed to agents that may damage the chicamin, mucous membranes and respiratory skeleton.

2. Emergency room nurses can also be alarming to anesthetic gases, drugs and radiation.

3. Emergency room nurses may be injured by shard objects like needles, blades and other similar objects.

4. They may contact with hot surfaces, faulty electrical equipment and may cause skin burns.

5. Sick patients in the emergency room present a risk of infection from body fluids.

6. Emergency room nurses may suffer from musculoskeletal problems and back pains due to handling heavy patients. Continuous work while standing and walking may cause fatigue and leg problems.

7. Emergency room nurses further may suffer from stress and burnout caused by shift and night work and by incomparable psychological and organization factors.

The Emergency Nurses Association recognizes the increasing number of emergency nurses experiencing stress. The emergency care environment can be very stressful and physically and emotionally traumatic for the health care workers and nurses.

ENA recognizes the following contributing factors in the increasing stress levels of emergency room nurses.

1. Queasy incidents that can cause strong emotion and may interfere with the ability to perform the duties. Incidents like close with casualties, disasters, unexpected death of a child or co – worker can be attributing factors.

2. Prolonged term demands burden also be a stressor. Stretched work hours, job insecurity, poor communication and an increased potential for a workplace power dance under this factor.

ENA sees that unresolved issue of stress can result into absenteeism, sleep disorders, burn out, emotional difficulties and health problems.

Whence how can these repercussions be avoided?

International Labor Grouping ( ILO ) provided several pointers to keep the emergency department safe owing to the emergency room health workers. Nurses should acknowledge with all safety instructions and bring periodic inspection of electrical medical equipment. Keeping all passages clearly visible and clear is also another tip. Following appropriate procedures in infection restraint and handling and disposing sharp objects is necessary.

To resolve the stress emergency nurses are experiencing, ENA supports the development and utilization of critical incident stress management. ENA also supports the use of individualizing stress management strategies like relaxation, meditation, exercise, group therapy, guided imagery, massage or humor therapy.

ENA also recognizes the impact of workplace violence and the need for a tack which would include education, prevention, appropriate dream measures, identification of incidents, reporting and protocols.

Emergency nurses have a special rewarding job and at the same a dangerous one. These are all the sacrifices they have to put up the serve the people.
Knowing enough about nurses to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about nurses, you should have nothing to worry about.

U. S. Trade In: E. R. Nurses and Health Professionals

U. S. Trade In: E. R. Nurses and Health Professionals

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with nurses.

There are several hospitals in the United States that are experiencing immense shortages of registered nurses, emergency nurses and other health care professionals. There is approximately a whooping 80 to 85 percent of American hospitals mention shortage while 15 percent expresses concern about the severe shortage they are experiencing.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States commit need 2. 8 million nurses. This estimated demand will be a million more than the projected supply of nurses. U. S. is not quickly replacing nurses at the same misfortune they are square one the profession.

Currently, the average age of nurses working in America is 45 years old. By year 2010, and estimated 40 percent of all the working registered nurses will be more than 50 years old. Between 2010 and 2020, the largest group of registered nurses in the United States labor force will be between 50 to 60 years old. By this point, the nursing shortage would be exceeding 36 percent.

Whats happening to United Case is not an isolated case. Several countries are already reporting similar problem. In Ontario, Canada ( Toronto Gallant ) lost 14, 000 of its 81, 000 nurses well-suited to retirement last 2004. While over pristine because December 2000, the World Health Organization already reported that Poland was graduating more than 10, 000 nurses annually. But the figure dropped to 3, 000. In Chile, out of 18, 000 nurses in the country, only 8, 000 are dash in the field.

So what are the steps being done by the United States government to address this problem?

In April 2008 a bill was proposed in the United States House of Representatives by Congressman Robert Wexler from Florida and co – sponsored by Private James Sensenbrenner ( R – WI ). This bill is called F. R. 5924 of The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act. As of the day, this bill has currently 11 co – sponsors.

Basically, this bill will allow additional visas to be set – aside for foreign compassionate nurses and physical therapists. The H. R. 5924 would save 20, 000 employment based visas in each of the next three years for independent trained registered nurses and physical therapists.

This bill will also provide funds to help U. S. nursing schools expand the domestic supply of nurses by coming from the $1, 500 fee for those who would be applying for the visa. This would also establish a three – year pilot program aimed in keeping U. S. nurses in the workforce.

Immigrant visa applicants leave need to attest that they do not owe their country of residence a financial obligation that was incurred for their education so that they would remain in that sovereignty. Both the American Hospitals Association ( AHA ) and the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration support expressed their support for the bill.

Due to visa retrogression, a lot of foreign professionals who are interested in working in the United States are turned down. The U. S. government makes only a certain symbol of immigrant visas ( green card ) available each year and these are allocated among the various immigrant visa categories.

Recently, there are more immigrants approved for employment – based immigrant visas and has break out of visa numbers causing temporary backlog or retrogression. The U. S. has a waiting list for employment – based visas for nurses, and its nurse education programs overripe away more than 150, 000 qualified applicants last year due to lack of faculty and clinical space.

With the H. R 5924., it aims that the nursing shortages will be resolved. With this statement, the visa retrogression could be lift due to nurses and physical therapists who have pragmatic prior to September 30, 2011. Hopefully, well see more therapists, nurses, E. R. attendants and nurses, and other health professionals taking care of the nation.
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of nurses. Share your new understanding about nurses with others. They’ll thank you for it.

Emergency Room Nurses: Always on Duty

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with nurses.

Nurses are responsible, along with other health care workers or professionals, for the treatment and caring for the injured and acutely or chronically ill people.

Nurses attend to varieties of life and death matters in different health care settings. Emergency room nurses or ICU nurses specialize in rapid assessment and treatment, over every second counts in emergency cases. A nurse in this setting administers medication and assists physicians attending emergency room tasks related to medical care. Emergency room nurses are also responsible for keeping compassionate records.

Emergency nursing is a specialty of the nursing profession. Emergency nurses should always be ready to treat wide variety of illnesses ranging from throat infections to heart attacks or victims of cool trauma. The types of patients that show up in hospital emergency departments often depend on things like the weather, highway accidents, industrial accidents, fires and hundreds of unfortunate events. Emergency nurses are expected to care for patients of all ages.

Emergency nurses should embody familiar with the policies of the facilities their working for, as well as procedures and protocols. The emergency department has a fast paced environment, as a nurse for this department, emergency nurses are needed to utilize their skills in time juice. Right does not only refer to prioritizing patients but further prioritizing the nurses time. Time management will enable nurses to confidently complete their duties. It is very momentous for an emergency room nurse to be able to do multitasking.

According to Nurses for Healthier Tomorrow ( NHT ), a coalition of nursing and health perplexity organizations, there are three major roles an emergency nurse should carry out:

( 1 ) Patient Care.

Emergency nurses should care through patients and families in hospital emergency departments, ambulances, helicopters, urgent care centers, cruise ships, sport arenas, industry, government, and anywhere someone could have a medical emergency.

( 2 ) Education.

Emergency nurses should provide education to the public through programs that speak for wellness and prevent injuries. Some of the educational programs such because alcohol awareness, child passenger safety, inspection safety, bicycle and helmet safety and domestic violence prevention are usually conducted by nurses.

( 3 ) Leadership and Research.

Emergency nurses also may work as administrators, managers, and researchers to improve emergency health care.

For all of the demands of emergency nursing, an emergency nurse should be prepared at all times to provide patient care for partly any setting. Some emergency nurses tend to specialize in trauma, pediatrics, geriatrics and injury prevention. Nurses are not only attendants in hospitals and clinics, they may also be involved in medical and nursing research.

Else important responsibility of the emergency room nurse is to continually be aware of their working environment; maintain proper supplies and appropriate medical equipments necessary in caring for the patients. Due to part of their job duties, emergency room nurses engage in educational activities to promote the nursing profession and keep them up to date on today’s advanced diagnostics, technologies, medical equipment and safety techniques.

Emergency nurses are very much in demand nowadays. Emergency nursing is a profession that requires adept know-how in caring for ill and injured people with speed, efficiency and leadership.

Doing all of these medical tasks while attending to other duties requires skill in multitasking. That is why emergency room nurses are always up on their toes, always on duty. With integrated the responsibilities and duties being performed by an emergency nurse it is needful not to lose the thing that made us go into this profession, compassion and love for life.
It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on nurses. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of nurses.

E. R. Nurses Shorthanded

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding nurses. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about nurses.

You rushed a friend at 10: 00 in the evening to the nearest hospital due to unbearable chest pain. But at the emergency department, you were greeted with a number for patients waiting to be attended to. It took 30 minutes before your friend was taken care of by the emergency nurses.

You wonder, what is this shortage about emergency nurses? Arent there enough people who would like to catch care of sick people anymore?

According to a study conducted by the researchers from Cambridge Health Alliance as reported in Health Affairs, wait times went up an average of 4. 1 percent per year for all patients. Unfortunately for passion attack patients, the wait stretched to 11. 2 percent every space. Blacks, Hispanics, womanliness and patients in urban hospitals have longer wait times that others.

So how long exactly are these percentages? For patients diagnosed with heart attacks, the waiting time in 1997 was 8 minutes, but in 2004 it rose to 20 minutes. Patients who needed attention within 15 minutes, according to the nurses who evaluated them, have to wait 10 minutes back in 1997. But in 2004, it went up to 14 minutes. Emergency room wait in urban hospitals was 30 minutes. While non – urban hospital emergency room wait is within 15 minutes.

So why are the numbers increasing?

Emergency visits rose by 78 percent from 1995 to 2003. But the number of the emergency departments to accommodate this rise fell by 12. 4 percent from 1995 to 2003. The number of patients rushing in to the emergency department to entertain medical attention can be attributed to the fact that there is an increase of underinsured and uninsured patients. The aging American population is again a factor.

According to the EMTALA or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, everyone has the conscientious to be seen and attended to in the emergency department, whether they are able to wages or not. This served as safeguard for the underinsured and uninsured citizens.

There were several accounts of patients dying in the emergency room waiting area because of late waits even with critical undiagnosed conditions. Recently, a 19 year old woman died on the Kings County Hospital Center Psychiatric Emergency Department floor. The incident was recorded by the hospitals camera. It took an hour before someone took notice of the woman, but the patient was contemporary dead. The hospital was said to be understaffed.

Different measures are being taken to resolve the crisis in emergency departments and avoid unfortunate events like this. Glaringly resolutions are being directed to the Congress. Some of the proposed means to be taken are:

1. Quickly approving the $50 million in extra funding for hospitals that provide uncompensated care to uninsured patients.

2. Significantly increase a funding for tragedy preparedness in hospitals.

3. Establish an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services for emergency and trauma care, and create a demonstration program to promote a coordinated regional approach to emergency care

Dr. Andre Wilson, Chief of Emergency Medicine in William Beaumont Hospital in No problem Oak in Michigan released a toss around on the effect of the straight back approach in reducing emergency room wait time. On this approach, the patients are immediately moved from the triage to an emergency room treatment area without going through the waiting room. There is need for the tolerant to go though with the little registration procedure and have the patient chart available immediately. With this procedure, the Beaumont Hospital was said to have the satisfaction rating from their patients increased. This also thought to increase the hospitals revenues.

Hospitals are taking measures on reducing the staffing shortages their emergency gob are increasing. Emergency room nurses are much in demand nowadays to cope with the increasing number of sick patients requiring medical attention. we could have as many emergency room nurses, but the key issue is how to yield health care for everybody available at all times with minimal amount of wait.
If you’ve picked some pointers about nurses that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.