The Sound of Silence

Despite all the talk about creating a quiet, peaceful healing environment, the ED is loud.  Beeping monitors, shrill alarms, slamming IV cart drawers and the perpetual game of bumper cars as stretchers navigate the hallway all do their best to ensure no patient has a chance to nod off.  In our observation area, however, we do try to keep the doors closed and the lights dimmed for patients to rest while waiting for serial enzymes or whatever tests they require.

Working back there last night however, I thought I was in the middle of a construction site.  To borrow a phrase from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, it sounded like a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant.  Somebody must have been doing ductwork or maybe rearranging things on the floor above, but quite honestly I thought there was a jackhammer about to burst through the ceiling.  For a good hour the patients and I debated whether there was a tank doing doughnuts on the second floor or two elephants trying to get lucky.  Either way, the noise eventually abated and were left with the regular soothing tones of the ER instead.