Relationship with the ER

[CentralCalEMT]

I know a lot of the threads on this board dealing with EMS/ER relationships are complaints and about issues of unprofessional behavior. I understand there are systems where this is commonplace. Where I work, EMS and the ER, despite being completely separate entities, are more like a family and we all genuinely care about each other both at work and off duty.

This last week, one of the ER nurses passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. It hit my agency like a ton of bricks. While he did not work for us, he was always extremely supportive of EMS and was well loved by us all. It felt like we had a LODD. It felt like we lost a family member. It was hard to go to work right after it happened. Most of the medics not working the day of his funeral showed up in uniform and with some of our units to show respect for his family members. Because of this tragedy, EMS and the ER have gotten even closer.

I imagine, my system is not the only one where EMS and the ER are very close and get along great. Who else out there works in a system where EMS and the ER are very close and like a family, and what have the people in your system done to build and maintain that relationship with the ER? I think it leads to much better patient care when the ER and EMS get along so well.

 

[DesertMedic66]

We have a very close relationship to our trauma center. They also treat us like family. Anytime one of our employees ends up in the hospital on or off duty they will do everything and treat us amazingly. I decided to do my ER clinical rotation at that hospital for medic school and so far it has been amazing.

Quite a few of their RNs are also employeed by us for critical care transports. Like always there are a few bad apples who do not get along.

 

[SeeNoMore]

I prefer to keep these relationships civil, professional, efficient but not familial.

 

[avdrummerboy]

I wouldn't go as far as to call us family, but our local ED and our company do get along quite well. Many of the tech work for us and nurses used to work for us. Plus, such a small area (they are the one hospital in the area) they see us for EVERYTHING. Sure, there can be disagreements but for the most part we all get along fine!

 

[TransportJockey]

Our community hospital and the town EMS/flight team has a great relationship. We regularly help them with critical patients that walk in if we are dropping off.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

I can't speak for the trauma centers and such downtown, but at the ED I'm in (specialties being stroke and cardiac but accepting and receiving all (Level IV trauma)) we most certainly get along with ATCEMS and WilCo. I again wouldn't say "family", but there is a very strong, professional tie. We work side-by-side as if they were our own, because they basically are. A lot of our protocols intertwine for a reason. Most of us in the ED know some of the EMTs/Medics that come through, one is even married to a medic, but its barely first-name basis type stuff. I do see my old EMT-B instructors from time to time.

Its a busy system and a busy area, so on both ends of a patient being dropped off its very much so a quick process. Not much shootin' the :censored::censored::censored::censored:.

 

[johnrsemt]

When I worked in Indianapolis we always were treated great by the ED staff, and in turn we treated them well;

Here in Utah, I don't get to the hospitals very often, but am treated well when I am there

 

[Akulahawk]

In my travels, I've always been treated well by any ED staff I've come into contact with, but then again, I've always been in systems where the level of provider I was coincided with expected level of provider they'd usually see bringing in patients.

I think I surprised more floor nurses than ED nurses when I was able to keep up with them when getting report...