April 2005 – An ER nurse with a tirade for the ages:
The fear of liability is why we send so many people to the ED. But don’t take it out on the advice nurses, they are simply doing what the docs are instructing. And that means sending everyone in question to the ER to be evaluated as a cya measure. You can see the pressures of defensive medicine has gotten to this nurse in particular.
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{ 6 comments }
Why do those in healthcare always blame someone else because they don’t do their jobs?
Kevin, here in the UK we have a system called NHS Direct. Its basically a medical helpline (we get free healthcare here remember), where people can call up for some advice about whether they should go to their family doctor, or waste the Accident and Emergency Department’s time at the hospital. NHS Direct’s advice is pretty much always “Call an ambulance, you’re going to die” – even if you only have tonsilitis. Such a shame. they set these things up with the best of intentions, and it just compounds the problem!
Anyone who puts themself in t \he place of a telephone nurse will realize this is the only way to play it…you will be making the right call every time…what most of you don’t realize is that even innocuous complaints can represent a serious underlying condition…
Yes, I agree to an extent, but if that’s the only answer you’re gonna get – why set up an expensive helpline system that pretends it will do something else? You might as well just let people go to the hospital of their own accord!
I agree and in the states in many areas we have what’s called “Call A Nurse” it is also always..”You better come in and get checked just to be on the safe side” So I also have to wonder, why put money into this program?
It’s called politics…the politicians or hospital administrator takes credit for it and the masses think they are getting betetr service…suckers…
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