Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"We are a 28 bed ED and routinely have 20-40 inpatient boarders (patients awaiting an inpatient bed). I have observed up to 50 patients in the waiting room at times. On two occasions, I have provided care for patients who had waited 18 hours. We are left caring for patients in hallways, chairs, waiting rooms, anywhere we can find space. Patients are suffering and staff are burning out. A patient suffered a cardiac arrest in the waiting room. Boarding in the ED is currently a crisis!"