Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"We have 15 medical beds and then there is a psychiatric side of the ER. We routinely hold/board double digit patients on weekends. Floors have no staff (med/surg, telemetry or ICU). The entire community is the same. Our administration has tried to help as much as possible and is very sympathetic but the market is horrendous for staffing. For example, it is Saturday afternoon. I have patients ADMITTED for 24 hours, 20 hours, 18 hours, 17 hours, 16 hours, 16 hours, 14 hours and 3 hours. In addition I have an adolescent psych patient here for 54 hours, a patient awaiting to go back to [home state] for 21 hours and another patient who family did not want to take home and await possible placement in sub acute rehab. This particular patient has been here for 23 hours now.

Our administration has tried to help as much as possible and is very sympathetic but the market is horrendous for staffing.

We have had over 15 patients leave the ER in the past 24 hours as we literally have no space/beds/staff to work. Like I said, the administration has been as proactive as possible (bonuses, renewing travel nursing contracts, hazard pay, texting unit and floor leaders and telling them they need to take patients). The environment from our policies as a nation and state and our reaction to COVID has really unfortunately decimated the workforce. Not just in healthcare but every line of business except the laptop class that works from home. It's very sad."