Joshua Kulwicki

NUR 275

Winter, 2017

Kristi Edwards, BSN, RN

ED Observation Experience

There were a handful of healthcare team members that participated in the

ED. First upon arrival to the ED patients are met by the triage clerks and nurses

whose role is to get your information, vitals, and prioritize the level of care needed

for the patient. Next there are the ED nurses who do just about everything from

getting the patient from triage and bringing them to their room, to cleaning rooms,

starting IVs, and running a whole team. These nurses work at an especially fast

pace turning over patients as quickly as possible to make room for more. Then there

are the doctors and residents who are usually almost always accompanied by a

scribe. The doctors and residents assess the patients and come up with an

immediate plan of treatment, this is where the scribes come in to record orders on

the spot to keep up with the fast pace of the ED and to allow the doctors to see

more patients. There are also technicians in some parts of the ED who start IVs,

draw blood, and do things similar to CENAs.

The patients that I observed in the ED where mostly common non-emergent

cases ranging from upper repertory infections, conjunctivitis, tooth aches, and strep

throat. I did however get to see a stroke victim and an overdose.

I asked the nurse that I was shadowing what she liked and disliked about the

ED. She said that she enjoyed the variety of different shifts available differing from

the straight twelves of the rest of the units and the fast pace of it all as well as the
Joshua Kulwicki

NUR 275

Winter, 2017

Kristi Edwards, BSN, RN

ED Observation Experience

chance to be a part of something exciting. She said she disliked the lack of severity

or emergency of a majority of the patients sickness.

What I think makes a good ED nurse is someone who can work at a fast pace,

can handle any situation with a cool head, is willing to be moved around, is caring,

and who can work well with the rest of the healthcare team. I truly enjoyed my

experience in the ED and hope to work there someday.