Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
We're used to stress in the ER. But omicron has made our jobs impossible.
https://wapo.st/3FTrrUbBy Megan L. Ranney
Megan L. Ranney is an emergency physician and the academic dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University.
Walking into a shift in the emergency department these days feels a bit like entering a disaster zone.
There are 50-odd patients in the waiting room needing to be seen. A number of beds are closed in the emergency department and across the rest of the hospital because of a lack of staffing. Were holding a half-dozen acute mental health patients who desperately need care, because theres no room in psychiatric hospitals. A few bed-bound patients are ready to leave but dont have a ride to wherever theyre going, so theyll be spending the night with us; theres no one to drive the ambulances to transport them. And a couple dozen more patients have been waiting on emergency department stretchers for hours after evaluation, until an intensive care unit, medical or surgical bed becomes available. Meanwhile, we cant use these emergency department staff or beds to care for those sitting in the waiting room with yet-to-be-diagnosed problems. Instead, Im scanning the waiting room list to try to find the needle in the haystack someone with a life-threatening illness that we havent identified yet.
By the time the patients make it to me, Im playing catch-up on their pain, their illness and their frustration.
As an emergency physician, I thrive in challenging situations. In the best emergency care, I work with my team to quickly stabilize a sick patient, create trust with them and their family, and then come up with a clear diagnosis and therapeutic plan. I think about what needs to be done today to make sure theyre safe and what needs to be done tomorrow, or in a month, to keep them from coming back.
. . . more
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 1530 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (15)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
We're used to stress in the ER. But omicron has made our jobs impossible. (Original Post)
swag
Jan 2022
OP
Native
(5,943 posts)1. Ugh, it just never ends.
twodogsbarking
(9,805 posts)2. Can't imagine. Wish all the best and thanks.
Response to swag (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Skittles
(153,193 posts)4. this is who Neil Young is trying to help
it's not about the music