
Welcome to ERland where the sun is always shining and the staff is always grinnin'. I am Bertha and I am your triage nurse. Your spouse may park the family sedan in our ER parking lot at the bottom of the driveway. It is of course, free of charge. We do have valet parking for your convenience. We will be happy to guide your family to the nearest restroom, pop machine, cash machine, mcdonalds, smoking area. When I am done performing triage I will be putting you into our comfortable waiting room. Feel free to let your children run circles around the waiting room. If you want our attention you may take one of 3 routes: 1) Lay on the floor of the ER waiting room. 2) Lay on the bench in the ER waiting room. 3) Hang pathetically over the side of your wheelchair. Feel free to come up to the triage window every 3-5 minutes and ask how much longer it will be. You will find two televisions for your convenience with cable in our waiting room. I assure you your wait will be minimal because you are important to us. If you get cold, we would be happy to give you a warm blanket to take care of any chill you may experience. Your family is welcome to bring any type of food into the ER waiting room and partake of one of our hospital eating establishments fine cuisine. There is even a table for your family to gather around to make it a more festive occasion. If you feel at all that you can no longer sit in an upright position, feel free to approach the triage window and we will be happy to allow you to lie on a cart in back of triage.
Your turn has come. I will now be taking you to your room. When you arrive in your room please remove your clothing and don one of our lovely gowns. A phone is on the wall for your convenience. Chairs are available for your family. This is the call light. Feel free to use it as often as you like - our staff loves serving you. If at any time you are chilly, we have many warm blankets available for your use. Feeling hungry - feel free to request juice, crackers, a box lunch, a hot entree. We also have foot socks available in many colors to keep your tootsies warm.
Ah, your visit has concluded. Allow me to call valet parking to bring your car around. Oh you didn't bring a car. Would you like a bus token? You may fill your meds in our lobby at the insty med machine. Of course, I will be happy to give your the dollar for your co-pay. Don't have any insurance? We will be glad to fill your medication free of charge. Yes that's right, its on us! Don't feel up to taking a bus - we also have cab service available free of charge to any destination in the metro area. We hope you enjoyed your visit to our fine establishment and look forward to seeing you again. You are now exiting ERland.
12 comments:
*snicker* Disneyland ain't got nuthin' on us..... ;-)
I love the word "tootsies." I think I will add it to my list of words to perseverate on. Tootsies... tootsies... tootsies... ;)
I always try my best NOT to take my kids to the ER if they aren't the ones sick- because they'd catch something.
I mis-read one of your sentences and thought it said "We have chains for your family"----I was about to agree and say: "Damn right, thank God somebody figured this one out..." but then I re-read it and saw that it was really the word "chairs".
Damn.
Well, it was good idea, anyway....
I mis-read one of your sentences and thought it said "We have chains for your family"
The other day, I notice a sign in triage next to the pile of charts of patients who were ready to go that said "Patients to be removed."
I was like...YES! Someone's finally figured out how to triage to the street! ED-Urgent care-Get the Hell outta here
Well, I guess I'd misread it and it said..."Patients to be roomed." meh.
Outstanding post.
Have you been sniffing the nitrous? Loved your post.
One of THOSE shifts, eh?
Not even a full moon, either...
:)
jo
priceless
Holy Cow....I swear you are my sister...She's an ER nurse also and your stories sound just like her!! I love it!!
Great Post: What, your facility still has Triage and not Provider is Triage or no Triage where everyone no matter how minor the complaint is walked back for bedside Triage. Thats what we have. Someone forgot to tell admin that when all the Beds are full and you no longer have an assigned Triage Nurse you open a big hole in patient safety. More on this at my post on the Top Ten ways to improve your ER satisfaction scores. ERMurse
You made me laugh out loud!
Very funny stuff. I especially liked the part about valet parking. I don't think we have that here yet. :)
- Dean
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