For non-medical people, the ER environment looks dramatic and exciting. For nurses in the ER, some of that drama occurs, but the true rewards come from being able to help people who are in a condition of crisis by correctly managing their injuries and offering comfort.

Kaitlynn Williamson, an LNC and a certified emergency nurse and a trauma-certified registered nurse, takes us into the world of a level-one emergency room. In this podcast, she describes some of the situations that are critical for both an emergency room nurse and an LNC to understand.

Many times, when multiple injuries have occurred, one may be overlooked because another seems more critical. Often the nurse has to deal with language barriers. She or he may have the challenge of patients who say they feel fine and want to go home, a demand that is often caused by their being in shock.

Kaitlynn emphasizes the importance of having clear and correct discharge explanations and documentation. This part of ER work often becomes the focus of malpractice suits.

She also cites the importance of having patient advocates. They have always played a role in easing the practical and emotional difficulties of patients and their families, and they have assumed even greater importance during the Covid era.

This Legal Nurse podcast may not replicate the high drama of an episode of “ER,” but it will give you a deepened appreciation of the real-life challenges of emergency room work.

• What’s an important similarity between emergency room nursing and being a legal nurse consultant?
• What’s one of the most common traumatic injuries to be overlooked in an emergency room?
• How can you identify the possibility of internal injuries from a visual examination?
• Why is proper discharge documentation so important?
• How can the risk of violence perpetrated by intoxicated, other agitated patients, or family members be decreased?
• How can patient advocates help patients and their families?