sitrep: OUT OF CONTRL

You know those days when its bright and sunny and then you see it on the horizon: a line of ominous looking clouds...You think to yourself: Its OK they'll probably just go around us, la de da, as you frolic through the meadow full of daisies. The wind starts to pick up a little bit. It cools you off, feels really good, frolic, frolic. The line of clouds move closer, its cooling off. Uh-oh...better start thinking about leaving the meadow and heading home. Its starts to rain a little...no big deal.. you still have time to get home. Then all of a sudden- WHOOOSH!! its a downpour, hail starts bouncing off your noggin, there is a crash of thunder. Here's the thing: There is no where to go. You are stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm and there's no way out.. And that describes today in the ER perfectly.

We are half full, the staff is actually able to interact with each other, goofing off a little. Its start to pick up. Four or five patients in triage. No big deal. Then suddenly there are ten people in triage. There is a critical patient on the way. They have a problem that needs immediate attention but they aren't going to take a dirt nap anytime soon. Then you hear it: Stab to the room next door to your room with the critical patient. A few minutes later, overhead: "help needed in the ambulance garage". A really bad thing. When help is needed out there, the patient has crumped.

Here they come, CPR in progress...you know the rest. About five minutes into that: Stab to the 3rd stabilization room. Its raining..damn it hailing with winds of 60 MPH...I think I see a funnel cloud..the ER is officially OUT OF CONTROL.