RN (Registered Nurse)

Unit Notes
Unit ER/ED
- Trauma Level? STEMI Receiving? Stroke Center?: Level 4 trauma
- # Beds/Trauma Bays : 24beds 4 critical rooms 1 "trauma" room (we are level 4 so this term is
relative)
- Do you have a Fast Track: we use an intake model for lower acuity patients with flexible RN to pt ratios.
- Do you have a separate Triage area? If so, do you allow/require travelers to do Triage? yes and -
yes we allow travelers that have demonstrated the ability to triage
- Do you have a separate holding area in the ER or are ER holds intermixed w/in the ER?: MIxed
in, yes they manage their own ED holds
- Do you have separate Psych/seclusion rooms?: yes x 2 well equipped rooms
- Is Security in-house 24/7? Housed in the ER? : yes 1 in ED 1 roving campus at all times
- On average, how many patients do you treat in the ER/day?: 80-110
- Nurse: Patient Ratios: 1:4 for general ED, ICU in ED 1:2 or 1:1 depending on acuity
- Required Certifications: (i.e., BLS, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC, NRP, NIHSS?) ACLS PALS TNCC
- Common diagnoses/Types of patients CP, ABD pain, minor trauma, resp distress
- Experience or 'Must have' skills: ED 2 years, conscious sedation, critical thinking AMI
Management
- Common drips? : ED Physician/Mid-Levels 1 MD 24/7 1-2 mid level providers during peak
hours
- Charge Nurse/House Supervisor? Does the charge nurse take an assignment?: Charge nurse and
house supervisor 24/7- Charge nurse does not take an assignment in general
- Nurse aids/EMT/Paramedics/Patient Sitters? Ratios? Duties?: EED Techs are 1:10-12 ratio, have IV skills, phlebotomy, splinting, wound care, transport, and help with special procedures. Paramedics are staffed 1 per day 1100-2300 in our intake area and have the ED Tech role plus 12 meds they can give and can discharge pts.
- Is RT in the ER 24/7? Do they do ABG's, breathing Tx, & EKG's?: RT 2 for the entire hospital.
reports to ED for intubation, vent setup, Bi-Pap, Vapotherm and ABG. breathing tx if urgent
otherwise RN may start them. EKG tech during the day night RNs and techs do their own.
RT Equipment (Vents, Cpap, BiPap, High Flow, etc.) Are RNs required to do anything with these
besides trouble shoot? RT manages these settings, RN does troubleshooting and calls RT for problems
- Do you have Monitor Techs in the ER? Are RNs required to read their own strips? What brand
are the Tele monitors?: all beds have tele monitor capability. RNs read own strips, techs are
trained on "what bad looks like"
- X-Ray or CT in the ER? Transport?: X-rar/CT transports its own patients. portable in ED,
Radiology department is adjacent to the ED
- Does Phlebotomy draw labs or RN's draw?: Both occur depending on the situation
- Shifts & Scheduling (Do you allow self-scheduling? Block scheduling?): 1We do not self schedule. Can do block scheduling but no more than 4 consecutive shifts.
- Weekend Requirements: Every other weekend days sat/sun, nights friday/sat
- Holiday Requirements: negotiable must work some major holidays 7/4, thanksgiving/ christmas
eve/day, new years eve/day
- Is there call or a standby requirement?: yes 1 on call shift in a 28day schedule. Dayshift picks up day call, mid and night pick up night call
- Floating Requirements: Yes float between east/west ED only, generally prescheduled.
- Scrub Color/Dress Code: navy blue dignity scrubs
- Unit/Department specific orientation: Hospital orientation two days then one 12 hour shift in each ED with a mentor, one at east and one at west.