Emergency Room Reflective

Observing a rotation in the Emergency Department at Beth Israel Medical Center was a life changing experience. Having the opportunity to take part in this rotation made me certain that nursing the career that I want to peruse. Compared to the usual unit of the hospital this department was higher paced and consisted of a lot more work in a limited amount of time. During the rotation I was paired with a nursing that has been working in the Emergency Department for 25 years. Even though she could complete tasks in half of the time, she was more than happy for explain everything with so much passion. While getting to know each other she talked about her nursing school years and Kingsborough and how things have changed. Throughout the day the Emergency Department was literally a revolving door. Patients were coming from the waiting room as well as Ambulette Services. The department was very crowded because of the patients on stretchers that were lined back to back in the hallway. It was a little difficult getting by in such a confined space, but knowing that these patients were willing to wait for their care was notable. The Emergency Department can sometimes be a gruesome or solemn. The RN on call cared for all of her patient’s like family. It was amazing to see how fast she recognized different cultures throughout the day. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to help translate with some Spanish speaking patients. This reminded me how important it was to know more than one language in the medical field. The patient was finally able to express herself to get the help that she needed. Nurses in the Emergency Department are constantly on their feet. Whether it’s checking vital signs, administering medication or restocking the room, my RN barely had time to drink her morning coffee. With everything going on they still made sure to perform the 3 checks before medication administration to the 6 rights of the client. While performing the 3 checks the RN was