Perhaps I'm not meant to work in the ER?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you do need a change. Like someone said a busier ER with a Trauma unit etc. Are you in the DC area?

Would you have a lower salary in GP? Could you cope with that?

[Anonymous]

I'm an ER doc, but work at a hospital in a poorer community. Although I see lots of BS, I usually see a few sick patients a shift. So maybe try a different hospital? If you work somewhere with PA's, that also helps cut down on the BS you see.

Sometimes I like seeing the non-Emergency cases as it breaks up my day. If I had back to back Stemis and strokes and septic shock patients every single shift, I would go crazy.

I cut back on my hours and am a lot happier. If you don't need the money, it's something to consider.

[Anonymous]

My brother works an ER doctor at an inner city level 1 trauma hospital. He sees some insane stuff daily. But he gets paid about half of what he could elsewhere. But he loves his job--it's never boring.

[Anonymous]

If you are in DC try Howard or Washington hospital center. I live close to WHC and that medical helicopter or flying in at least twice a day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which kind of medicine do you like to do, OP? If you know you're going to be mostly dealing with non-emergency situations, maybe you should go for a non-24/7 urgent care, or primary practice. If you like it busy, maybe you need to go to a different ER.

Its not that I want it to be busy. I wouldn't wish harm or bad health onto anyone! If we can go a whole shift without any serious injuries, that's great. However, it's when people come in with bullshit that is really annoying. I feel like I'm working crazy hours and just seeing nonsense patients all the time. If I wanted to do GP cases (vaccines, abdominal pain, chronic pains, management of conditions) then I would work in a GP facility and be home at 10 pm relaxing, not writing the chart of Dave the drunk who comes in every night after drinking 2 6 packs.

You sound miserable. You should find a different practice area.

Or maybe leave medicine all together. Patients aren't there to entertain you. Your expectations are off if you are looking to be appreciated. I'm surprised you didn't catch on in school or residency that medicine isn't an episode of ER.

It doesn't have to an exciting fast paced tv medical drama. However, seeing chronic indigestion at 2 am is not an emergency.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I also just had to go to WHC for a non life threatening issue that required IV antibiotics. I get what you are saying OP. Almost everyone in there in the afternoon was drunk, homeless or crazy and a lot of folks were standing outside smoking while wearing their hospital gains. It was. Sad sack shit show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which kind of medicine do you like to do, OP? If you know you're going to be mostly dealing with non-emergency situations, maybe you should go for a non-24/7 urgent care, or primary practice. If you like it busy, maybe you need to go to a different ER.

Its not that I want it to be busy. I wouldn't wish harm or bad health onto anyone! If we can go a whole shift without any serious injuries, that's great. However, it's when people come in with bullshit that is really annoying. I feel like I'm working crazy hours and just seeing nonsense patients all the time. If I wanted to do GP cases (vaccines, abdominal pain, chronic pains, management of conditions) then I would work in a GP facility and be home at 10 pm relaxing, not writing the chart of Dave the drunk who comes in every night after drinking 2 6 packs.

You sound miserable. You should find a different practice area.

+1 I wouldn't find another practice area, I would get out of healthcare all together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ER provider here. I am very compassionate and loving, however I am so tired of working the ER. It's just nonstop BS coming in day in and day out. Complaints of things like sniffles/body aches, intoxication and general medical exams are basically what I do all day. No one is appreciative at all and the ER is constantly busy because it's pretty much operating as a primary care facility. I completely understand that some people come to the ER as a result of not having insurance, but a lot of people seem to come just for the hell of it. I see a true emergency (appendicitis, OD, heart attack, stroke, severe burn or broken bone etc) about once every 3 shifts. Would I be happier working in ICU or maybe just as a primary doctor so at least I would work on a normal 9-5 schedule and not have to deal with the 5th case of sniffles at 4 am.


Vent over. This is all stuff I can't say in real life because I would sound inconsiderate but my job is seriously dragging me down most days.

ACA was supposed to drastically reduce that kind of thing in ER's but it didn't.

[Anonymous]

1. ACA was undermined by many states not allowing Medicaid expansion.

2. You can't dramatically change people's behavior with one piece of legislation. We need better patient education.

Look, OP you are suffering from burn out or Compassion fatigue. It doesn't mean you should leave Medicine. But certainly explore other job options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the ER during a thyroid storm last year. My husband worked in the ER decades ago.

I'm SO glad your days are filled with non-life-threatening issues.

What does this have to do with anything? You utilized an ER for an emergency condition. This post was not aimed at you.

Do I really have to spell it out to you?

If an ER doc wishes for more emergencies, that means he or she wishes for more suffering people in mortal danger. Having been in that uncomfortable predicament, I don't wish that on anyone. My husband, having been on the medical side, has never once uttered such a wish as OP's. And he got all the druggies as well.

I was trying not to express how disgraceful it is for a doctor to say the ER is boring, but hey, you asked for it.

NP. No, it wouldn't. Actually, plenty of hospitals have to contend with horrible, life-threatening predicaments. Seems like OP wishes she could help people who are truly in dire straits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which kind of medicine do you like to do, OP? If you know you're going to be mostly dealing with non-emergency situations, maybe you should go for a non-24/7 urgent care, or primary practice. If you like it busy, maybe you need to go to a different ER.

Its not that I want it to be busy. I wouldn't wish harm or bad health onto anyone! If we can go a whole shift without any serious injuries, that's great. However, it's when people come in with bullshit that is really annoying. I feel like I'm working crazy hours and just seeing nonsense patients all the time. If I wanted to do GP cases (vaccines, abdominal pain, chronic pains, management of conditions) then I would work in a GP facility and be home at 10 pm relaxing, not writing the chart of Dave the drunk who comes in every night after drinking 2 6 packs.

You sound miserable. You should find a different practice area.

+1 I wouldn't find another practice area, I would get out of healthcare all together.

+2

[Anonymous]

Most posters are suffering from compassion fatigue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ER provider here. I am very compassionate and loving, however I am so tired of working the ER. It's just nonstop BS coming in day in and day out. Complaints of things like sniffles/body aches, intoxication and general medical exams are basically what I do all day. No one is appreciative at all and the ER is constantly busy because it's pretty much operating as a primary care facility. I completely understand that some people come to the ER as a result of not having insurance, but a lot of people seem to come just for the hell of it. I see a true emergency (appendicitis, OD, heart attack, stroke, severe burn or broken bone etc) about once every 3 shifts. Would I be happier working in ICU or maybe just as a primary doctor so at least I would work on a normal 9-5 schedule and not have to deal with the 5th case of sniffles at 4 am.


Vent over. This is all stuff I can't say in real life because I would sound inconsiderate but my job is seriously dragging me down most days.

Go to a university teaching hospital. They will pull you into all sorts of interesting cases, particularly if you are on the overnight shift and they need another doc available. Sounds like you opted out for a suburban/urban hospital (like Alexandria) with no need for acute care.

[Anonymous]

ER provider? What does that mean?

If you really worked in an ER you would know that there are different trauma levels at different ER's? Do things like level 1 trauma and level 2 trauma mean anything to you? Do you perhaps not have any qualifications to work at such a level so you're at a small regular ER?

And congratulations on your poor attitude upon seeing fairly healthy , non dying people more often than not - how refreshing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which kind of medicine do you like to do, OP? If you know you're going to be mostly dealing with non-emergency situations, maybe you should go for a non-24/7 urgent care, or primary practice. If you like it busy, maybe you need to go to a different ER.

Its not that I want it to be busy. I wouldn't wish harm or bad health onto anyone! If we can go a whole shift without any serious injuries, that's great. However, it's when people come in with bullshit that is really annoying. I feel like I'm working crazy hours and just seeing nonsense patients all the time. If I wanted to do GP cases (vaccines, abdominal pain, chronic pains, management of conditions) then I would work in a GP facility and be home at 10 pm relaxing, not writing the chart of Dave the drunk who comes in every night after drinking 2 6 packs.

You sound miserable. You should find a different practice area.

+1 I wouldn't find another practice area, I would get out of healthcare all together.

+2

I think that OP is actually the orderly.