Unit Notes
- Unit: ER
- Fast track: They have a small area that can function like a fast track. Travelers are not allowed to triage. They do have a triage nurse on 24/7 and will have a 2nd triage RN that comes on at 1100.
- # beds/trauma bays: 22 beds, 8-10 hallway beds if needed
- # Psych/seclusion rooms: No rooms that are psych exclusively but they have several rooms that are non-monitored that function like their psych rooms
- # patients per day: anywhere from 170-210 patients per day
- Certs: ACLS, BLS, PALS, and NIHSS is required
- Ratios: 1 to 4 typically, depends on acuity
- EMR: Cerner - ED uses Cerner First Net, ER supervisor will do Cerner training with traveler because hospital Cerner training is geared more towards inpatient nurses. FirstNet Cerner experience is preferred.
- Charge Nurse: Yes 24/7 charge - they do not take a patient assignment
- Nurse Aides/Paramedics: EMT students, F, Sa, and Sun they will have CT techs ('clinical techs') that will do EKG's, labs, VS, clean wounds etc. they will typically have 3 on for F, Sa, and Sun and only one on during the week
- Security/Patient sitters: yes CT's will function as sitter's as needed, may have to pull someone from float pool, security is close and nearby the ED and they work closely with staff as needed for combative patients
- Weekend Requirement: every other, maybe more than that
- Holidays: work in with perm staff rotation
- Scrub Color: Navy
- Tele/Monitor Techs: Phillips - they have monitor techs that will print off strips and read and then the RN will have to sign off on it.
- Vents: Yes
- ED Physicans/Mid-Levels: MD's and midlevels used, midlevels tend to cover triage and fast track areas
- Lab Draws: CT's will typically draw lab draws but when they don't have many on staff the nurses may have to draw their own
- IV Team: No
- RT 24/7: Yes
- Pharmacy 24/7: Yes
- Shifts: 12 hr shifts, 7am-7:30pm, 10am-2200, 1100-2300, 1200-1200, 1300-0100, 1500-0300, and 1900-0700, travelers will most often be working variable shifts (mostly 1300-0100 and 1500-0300)
- Floating: Yes, they will have to float to SJPVH to work their ER
- Floor specific orientation: usually 2 days on the floor
- Common diagnosis / Types of patients: many psychs, stroke, TPA, sepsis, STEMI's, conscious sedation - travelers will not be allowed to do unless they do competency testing on this), they are STEMI receiving facility and a stroke center, trrauma's are transferred out, most psychs have to be placed outside of county
- Additional Notes: Travelers must have 2-3 years' experience working in the ER, prior travel experience is preferred. They are big on pain assessment, must follow up on PO meds within one hour and IV pain meds within 30 min, swallow screens are huge and they do not want any fall-outs on this for stroke patients. Also big on sepsis boluses and bundles. Manager will work with traveler on I-stat, glucometer, and POC urine pregnancy training.