Pastoral Care

Working the Monday after a long holiday weekend, and a full moon no less, was not a smart idea.  The ED, which has already been approaching record levels of overcrowding over the past few weeks, was once again bursting at the seams with everything from knee pain for the past 12 years to multiple trauma victims.

At one point, as I was standing in the triage bay trying to grab vitals on the line of ambulance patients that stretched out the doors, a disheveled young guy with a bright yellow tie and a thick black book tried to squeeze his way past the crowd of techs, RNs, and EMTs.  I recognized him as one of the new chaplain interns who had been paged to the ER multiple times over the past few hours for every major trauma that rolled in.  Looking down at the patient in front of him, a young woman strapped to a backboard after her car was T-boned by truck running a red light, he turned to me with pleading eyes and asked, "This isn't another major trauma, is it?"  I told him no, that she would only be a minor trauma.

His response: "Oh, thank Jesus."

Holiday Planning

All in all we managed to get through the holiday weekend in pretty good shape, and without any major incidents.  Despite working in a windowless department, though, it was amazing how we could tell exactly what was going on outside...

1500: Family and guests begin to arrive for BBQ.

[ER: Evening shift begins to arrive and munch on the food everyone brought in]

1800: Grandma has a little too much sun, falls faint.

[ER: First wave of dehydrated syncopal episodes arrive en masse]

1930: Aunt Becky, slightly buzzed, slices her hand while cutting a hot dog bun.

[ER: First wave of EtOH-related injuries trickle in]

2000: Grandpa trips while walking on the patio.

[ER: Second wave of older patients arrives, most with broken arms]

2100:  Fireworks!

[ER: Staff rushes up to the roof to watch fireworks!]

2105:  Ouch!

[ER: Staff rushes back down to start treating firework injuries]

2130: Fireworks over, Uncle Billy decides to give his no-good brother-in-law a piece of his mind.

[ER: First wave of assaults shows up]

2300: Junior gets behind the wheel, drives into a telephone pole, slams head into windshield, decides to flee the scene on foot.

[ER: First wave of scalp avulsions, rib fractures, clavicle fractures, and MVCs begin to arrive in police custody]

0100: Nothing says Happy Independence Day like a little coke, right?

[ER: Enter the ODs, stage left]

0230: Dudes start looking at other dudes the wrong way.

[ER: Clear the trauma bay for the GSWs]

After 0300 things started to calm down, and we could safely return to the snacking. 

Happy 4th of July

Remember: fingers and fireworks don't mix.

Awaiting the [Amublance's] Red Glare

I'm working all 4th of July weekend.  

Don't come visit me.  

Enjoy the fireworks, have a great time, and be safe!

Here We Go Again

Last week I took care of a lovely woman whose husband turned to me, face etched in mock concern as he asked, "We managed to squeeze in her illness before all those new doctors start, right?"  

By now the first of July has come and gone, hopefully without a nationwide spike in mortality attributed to the crop of new doctors beginning their intern year.  While it's true that people are routinely cautioned to never get sick in July, less they fall victim to some woefully inexperienced junior MD, it's also true that interns do operate under supervision.  Last July 1st the attending pulled all the staff aside, and in a lowered voice and explained that if anything, anything, the interns ordered seemed odd, to come straight to her.

So don't worry patients, your treatment won't hurt the new doctors a bit.  I'm crossing my fingers and wishing them good luck.  Remember, everybody's got to start somewhere.

ERs in the News

Patients say their top concern is not how long they spend in the ER waiting room, but rather how well they were kept informed of delays, according to the results of a Press Ganey survey and reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.  Rounding out the top concerns were how well the staff cared for the patient, and pain control.  Not surprisingly, patient satisfaction decreased as waiting time increased.

Patients can expect to see those wait times keep climbing, however, as the number of trauma patients spikes during the summer months, according to the Chicago Tribune.  One suburban Chicago ER has compiled a top ten list - including reminders to wear helmets and seatbelts - of ways to stay out of the ER this summer.

They Say It's Your Birthday

Sometimes, amid all the craziness of working in a trauma center, it's nice to take a quick from the madness and have some fun.  Last night, one of the residents received a surprise birthday celebration, ER style.

After one of our treatment areas closed for the night, we served cake from a stretcher by slicing it with tongue depressors, ate M&Ms from sterile bowls, and drank Coke from medicine cups.  Dorky, yes, but still lots of fun.