Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"We are a 30-ish bed ED. It has become a daily occurrence for over 25 of our beds to be occupied by boarders. With over 130 patients arriving requesting emergency care per day, there is no way to efficiently see our patients. Long ago, we resorted to seeing patients in hallway beds and chairs and are getting ready to resort to seeing them in the waiting room.

We are expected to do everything with nothing.

It's embarrassing to have such limited resources to offer patients who arrive in distress. I am aware of at least two cases where someone has died due to delays in being seen. Multiple providers have left our department due to the stress of an untenable work environment. We have been asked to do more with less to the point that it feels like we are expected to do everything with nothing."