Travel Nurse RN - Med Surg
Nampa, ID
eTeam Inc
3x12 hrs

Unit Notes
July Start date

Unit ER/ED

Trauma Level? STEMI Receiving? Stroke Center? "Trauma Level IV

STEMI and Stroke Receiving- will transfer out strokes if intervention is needed. Will also transfer out STEMIs as they don't have an interventional cath lab"

# of Beds/Trauma Bays 24 rooms and 4 low acuity bays with chairs, 1 trauma/crash room within the 24 rooms

Do you have a Fast Track? Yes, they use the low acuity bays

Do you have a separate Triage area? If so, do you allow/require travelers to do Triage? yes- triage 24/7 travelers typically don't triage

Do you have a separate holding area in the ER or are ER holds intermixed w/in the ER? "Holds are intermixed- don't have an issue with boarding, happens on occasion, The longest time a patient has been held is for 20 hours.
If boarding 3-4 patients will bring down a MedSurg nurse"

Do you have separate Psych/seclusion rooms? we have 4 rooms within the 24 that are for behavioral health patients, these rooms have "garage door" that closes off all supplies, monitors, etc. to make it safe

Is Security in-house 24/7? Housed in the ER? yes- security station in lobby next to triage

On average, how many patients do you treat in the ER/day? average 110-120

Nurse:Patient Ratios 1:3-4

Required Certifications BLS, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC- all required

Common diagnoses/Types of patients: "all ages- about 20% of patients seen are Peds under 18 any sick kiddos go to Boise, Respiratory issues, abdominal pain, Strokes, STEMIs, chest pain, walk in trauma, injuries from outdoor activities- fishing hooks, hiking, etc, farming injuries
Nampa is farm lands so there is a very big migrant worker population and old farmers, quite a diverse population"

Experience or 'Must have' skills: "Must have 1-2 years of ED experience and be able to manage the ED flow, okay with 1st time traveler., Must be comfortable with Peds"

Common drips: typical ED drips, conscious sedation

ED Physician &/or Mid-Levels staffed? Generally how many are on at a time? "In 24 hour time frame have 7 MDs

Midlevel comes in at noon-MN, from 2a-8a will only have 1 MD on "

Is there a Charge Nurse on each shift? Does the charge nurse take an assignment? "charge available 24/7 and does not take a patient assignment. Charge works 7-7"

Are there nurse aids/EMT/Paramedics/Patient Sitters on each shift? Ratios? Duties? ED techs, sitter if needed for behavioral health patients, and a secretary 24/7

Is RT in the ER 24/7? Do they do ABGs, breathing Tx, & EKGs? "RT available 24/7 cover ER and floors- do have 2-3 in house at all times. Will do ABGs, breathing txs

Nursing staff- RN or ED Tech will do EKGs"

RT Equipment (Vents, Cpap, BiPap, High Flow, etc.) Are RNs required to do anything with these besides trouble shoot? nasal cannula to vents- RT manages vents, CPAP, BiPAP

Do you have Tele/Monitor Techs in the ER? Are RNs required to read their own strips? What brand are the Tele monitors? RNs read and interpret

X-Ray or CT in the ER? Transport? in the same hallway, will pick up the patients

Does Phlebotomy draw labs or RNs draw? RNs primarily draw but phlebotomy will help with difficult sticks
Shifts & Scheduling -n12 hour shifts, start times: 730, 09, 10, 1130, 1330, 1530, 1930
self scheduling, not finalized until manager balances"

Weekend Requirements every other weekend

Holiday Requirements if there is a need

Is there call or a standby requirement? no

Floating Requirements possibility to float to Meridian and Boise in ER- doesn't happen often

Scrub Color/Dress Code Any color of scrubs as long as clean and professional

How many shifts of unit/department specific orientation? 1 shift in the ER

Additional Notes "Very fast room turn over times, not a lot of down time- if you are discharging a patient there
will be a new one ready to come in to the room. Rarely have over an hour wait for patients to get a room, run protocols in the lobby for patients waiting- get IVs started, orders for labs put in, etc.

Our culture is very good- have a young very experience staff

Good ratios, a lot of staff meet up after work or do things together outside of work

If you live near the hospital there is a sugar beet factory close by so there is a different aroma

If traveler is looking to go out and do things, suggest living more towards Meridian or Boise (about 20 min drive) lots of things to do in Boise- Greenbelt in Boise has live music, rafting on the river, food trucks"

Additional Questions "For someone that is newer to the ER: Tell me what your closet looks like?
**CNMs- An ER nurse will generally say their side of the closet is organized but their partners side is messy/chaotic. This shows that they are organized but can handle chaos."