Navigating Chaos: The Vital Role of Nurses in Emergency Departments

Abstract

Nursing professionals in the emergency department alter the outcome of life-or-death situations every day. The nurses prepare for the chaos, the out-of-control environment, the unknown, and the uncertain. Nothing can prepare an individual for the chaos of an emergency department. Nurses cry inside but find strength among each other or draw strength from within. The comfort of the nurses in scrubs takes all other thoughts away as they remind one that everything will be alright. The essay will discuss the important role of the nurses in the emergency department, including how they navigate the chaos of sick people, frantic families, and overwhelmed resources. The skills and competencies of nurses are key during chaotic situations (M. Schultz, 2014). The discussion will also include how all healthcare professionals must collaborate during emergency situations, particularly how the nurses care for the patients and the doctors determine the plan of action. Lastly, the discussion will include how ethical dilemmas arise in emergency nursing practice; for example, how one patient’s needs may exceed another’s care or how some do not have the insurance needed for care. The topic is significant because, without the emergency nurses, the emergency department would be lost. If one has ever watched a television drama, they may have seen doctors performing medical procedures, resuscitating patients, or running anywhere but where the patients were. But on the other side of the drama is a quiet team of nurses bustling about, tending to the patients and keeping everything together. Emergency nurses not only keep everything together but also involve the chaos (Grochtdreis et al., 2016). The discussion will reflect on what draws individuals to this profession and how they can care for others while they themselves are broken.