my first blog :]

ok, i've decided to keep a blog of my thoughts on the events in ER. im hoping this can help me out on a future project that i'd like to accomplish. if not, no biggie. here's to some memories.

first, an overview of what an E.R. registrar [god damnit i hate that word, especially when it is said out loud] does.

[this could get lengthy and boring, but if i say something later in my entries that you or i do not understand, we can refer to this initial blog entry.]

-sit at a desk in front of a waiting room, protected only by a thin, glass window. with shades. open. now the reason i even mention the fact that im slightly protected, is you have to imagine how people can be in a waiting room. violent, loud, smelly, and of course, sick, are the first adjectives that come to mind.

-when a patient signs in, i call their name from the waiting room. they sit down at my desk, and i ask what they're coming in for today. i usually like to get straight to the point. somehow 'how are ya?' just doesnt suit the situation.

-i get all the information which includes but is not limited to: name, address, phone number, social security number, insurance, and so on and so forth.

-after typing up their 'chart', i assign them a bed in the ER and walk them back to it. i attach their chart to their clipboard, and write the last name up on the wall with a giant red 'x' next to the name. whichever nurse decides to take the patient erases the 'x' and writes their name.

-verify the insurance via the internet or telephone, and bam. on to the next patient.

-during this entire time, i must process bed arrangements for patients on the inpatient level. meaning, if someone is to be admitted to the hospital whether they are coming from the ER or not, i book the beds. this includes calling the floor they are going to, asking if they can take the patient, then tubing a chart to the designated floor. each floor of the hospital has different patient care types.

exceptions:

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there's always exceptions. for example, if you come in with your head attached to your body by nothing more than a sliver of skin, then naturally there isnt going to be any waiting. i take you right back to the ER and get your information when it's a good time. most commonly, the patients i take right back have an open wound, complain of chest pain, are having a heart attack or seizure.

another exception is that sometimes i dont ask patients their names. sometimes, i know them on a first name basis. their track record for ER visits are very lengthy, and everyone gets to know them very well. most commonly, these patients are homeless.

sometimes, patients get brought in the back of the ER by ambulance. most commonly, this happens when you are already very busy. these patients are priority over the waiting room. i collect as much data as i can from the ems guys, and type up a chart. sometimes, there is no information whatsoever other than the chief complaint. no name, age, address, anything. these patients are typed up as john and jane doe's.

now the insurance exception. of course, nobody is turned down to be seen by a doctor regardless of if they have insurance or not. verifying whether or not they do can be very boring, difficult, and time consuming. most commonly, i 'forget' to do this part.

booking patients to rooms can be a huge hassle. most commonly, i get stuck doing this because most commonly, i work with a bunch of lazy ass hoes.