kept on their toes x-raying and investigating
numerous complaints, and the plaster room looks
more like a sculptor’s workshop, where an array
of limbs – large and small – are masterfully set.
Winter tends to be a busy time in the ED,
with lots of people presenting with respiratory
problems. Children, especially, present more often
in winter with breathing issues such as croup and
asthma, along with fever and gastro. The ED also
sees a lot of fall-related injuries, cardiac issues
and abdominal pain, particularly in older patients.
The benefit of a private ED such as Pindara is
that they don’t take on major trauma cases, few
drunks and no drug overdoses - all cases that
can be very taxing on resources - so patients at
Pindara are assessed and can receive treatment
very quickly.
These ailments are a far cry from some of the
cases Chris dealt with when he was working in
the emergency department of a large hospital in
Saudi Arabia many years ago. Chris recounts,
“There was no ambulance service when I worked
in Saudi, so if someone had a car accident it was
up to the next passer-by to pick up the injured,
throw them in the car and speed them off to
hospital. There was no warning call – just a car
speeding up to the front door honking madly to
get our attention. Everyone raced to the door –
you never knew what you would find in that car.”
Another memorable moment from his time in
Saudi Arabia came when confronted with the
wildlife.
“We had a guy come in to the ED who had
been bitten by a death adder. The tricky part was
he had caught the snake – alive – and brought it
into the ED for us to look at so we knew which
antivenin to give him. Needless to say, I stayed
well away from the live angry death adder,”
laughs Chris.
Chris believes ED nurses need a special
combination of personality traits to be
successful. Empathy, compassion, excellent
time management and the ability to prioritise are
among the most important, given no two days are
the same. According to Chris though, this is the
best thing about the ED.
“It’s always interesting. It can be hard work
at times and can be quite taxing on people
physically and emotionally, but this kind
of nursing leaves you with a real sense of
achievement – the satisfaction that you have
really achieved something and made a difference
to someone’s life.”
'WE DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT
MONDAYS ARE ALWAYS BUSY DAYS
FOR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS'
pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 21