Episode 2: Rotation (and life) Pointers from Emergency RNs

In this episode we got a chance to sit down with three ED RNs from here at OHSU  – Diana Bijon, Nichole Meuwissen and Catherine Teng – who had some great points to relay to students preparing for their ED rotations, as well as some very useful information about working in the ED in general. At the end of the episode, OHSU emergency physician Dr. Josh Kornegay weighs in to chat about some of the main points that were discussed. Below is a list of those main points, as well as a link to the TED talk about vulnerability that Diana discusses. Enjoy!

Play nice: Introduce yourself to the team and talk to them about what you can do to make their shift a little bit easier. 

Get down in the trenches: If you’re not breaking a sweat you’re not doing it right. Help in any way you can with the numerous procedures, transportation or anything else that keeps the department flowing.  

Read the room: Be aware of the situation and the stress level in the room and act accordingly. It’s great to step in when appropriate but in certain situations it’s time to take a deep breath, kick back and learn. 

Communication: Pretty much number one take-home point and usefull for folks at every level of education. Talk to the team and help relay information that may have not ended up making it to all the people who need to know. 

Listen to your RNs!! They have a regular old arsenal of knowledge bombs so talk to them about your patient (when they’re free) and ask for feedback about what you can be doing better. 

Develop a global vision: The ED takes care of a lot of people every day, not just the one’s you’re following. Take a moment to get a feel for the flow of the department and appreciate your role within it. 

Work on those leadership skills: Start to think about and identify various leadership styles and begin to figure out how you’d want to act when people start looking to you for direction in difficult situations. 

TED Talk on Vulnerability with Brené Brown 

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