Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"We are a 25 bed ED but we see on average 150 patients per day. Lately we are seeing over 180 to 195 patients per day! We hold 15 patients daily with some days less and some more. Last week, we were holding so many patients we had to board patients in the hallway. One patient had a broken hip and had to stay in the hallway because she wasn't critical. She cant get out of bed due to the broken hip. She had to use the restroom and usually we place a Foley catheter or use a external device called a pure wick to absorb the urine. One nurse brought out a portable suction machine to hook up to the pure wick and place the device in the hallway near the nursing station and the ambulance entrance. So she was in the hallway with a portable suction to drain her urine without privacy."