Recently, I had the opportunity to work in the Emergency Department as a Health Unit Coordinator.
I usually work in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, but it was my day off, and I had nothing else to do, so I decided to go to work and make some money.
Though this was my first time working there, I was asked to help the new HUC orientee. The person who was training him had called off. The nursing supervisor had faith in me because she knew that I was a quick learner, that I already knew the computer system, that I knew the doctors, and that everything flowed in the hospital.
So, we were mainly leaning toward each other.
Living in South Florida, we have the "Snowbirds" (people who live elsewhere, like Michigan or New York, most of the year and live in South Florida during the winter), so the Emergency Department started off slow but quickly picked up.
But there were some things that I noticed right away that could be improved.
They needed two HUCs (which they did have, but the other one came in three hours later and did not work together. One was on one side of the ER, and the other one was on the other side of the ER. I never saw her again after she clocked in) they worked together - as a team. South Florida ERs are dealing with a triple whammy, the opioid crisis, Snowbirds, and this horrible flu season. The HUCs needed to sit beside or across each other, handling the craziness together.
The HUCs needed to learn how to use computer systems. They are so busy that they don't have time to explore the system. When they charted that they had called in a consult, it was placed in an area where none of the other HUCs in the hospital looked. So it seemed like the consult never got called, and then the HUCs on the floor had to do double work.
They also do double work! They have to call the Attending Doctor, write it down on a piece of paper, and keep it for legal reasons. I asked the guy, "Why don't you just chart it on the computer?"
I got a ho-hum answer.
They all needed training on how to be proactive. Being proactive means being prepared for a future situation rather than waiting for it to happen and then reacting to it. The ER can change in an instant!
I was told that I could if I ever wanted to sign up and work extra down there.
I just smiled.
They don't realize that I'm the best at what I do.
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