Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"Since July boarding has become the new norm. In our ER we are utilizing space in an adjacent unit to households. We have had a steady uptick from five in July to five to ten in August, to no consistently eight to 15 boarders/holds per day. Last week the AM doc came in to 15 holds and two spaces available to see patients. A nursing leader came down and he told them he was tired of this and admin answer was "we will get through it like we have the last few weeks". We didn't get through it, our patients suffered extensive delays and suboptimal care boarding. Admin doesn't want to pay agency rates, so the ER is bearing the brunt of shortages.

We have not cancelled any elective surgeries, and until last week they were getting inpatient beds before people holding in ED >24 hours...

Now we are starting to have ED nurses burnt out and leaving or getting numb to patient suffering and cheering them leave the ER. We are treating things like acute appendicitis out of the waiting room with IV fluids and antibiotics, fluids while awaiting OR. We have not cancelled any elective surgeries, and until last week they were getting inpatient beds before people holding in ED >24 hours right after PACU."