A TYPICAL DAY IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM
The Emergency Room is a hectic but interesting and challenging place to work. It is characterized by certain peculiarities notable among which are
1. THE SMELL
Various smells pervade the ER depending on the time you arrive and what kind of emergency situation has just occurred, the notable smells are of blood, vomitus, urine and occasionally, air freshener.
2. THE NOISE
This could be from a patient in real or imagined pain, or from a relative who has lost a patient. It could also come from arguments between nurses and stubborn relatives who want to have their way e.g visting hours.
3. THE REAL VS THE FAKE
There are patients who look very well but yet may be extremely ill. Others come in with complaints that cannot be termed emergency e.g cough and catarrh and demand prompt attention even above people that are critically ill.
4. BROUGHT IN DEAD
This is a group of patients who are dead on arrival at the hospital. Some have been dead long before being brought, others die on their way to the hospital.
5. THE JOYS AND THE SORROW
Sadly but true, there is a lot of pain and sorrow in the ER especially the helpless cases which are too far gone to salvage. On the flip side, there is a lot of joy when a patient is brought out of an emergent state and becomes healthy again.
On the whole, after working in the ER, one tends to appreciate ones little blessings.
( Dr Erhumu works in the emergency section of one of Nigeria’s busiest hospitals).
