Emergency Nursing:

About the Book

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an ER Nurse? Dealing with the public during the worst moments of their lives is an everyday occurrence. There are wonderful, magical moments, but they are few and far between. You quickly learn common sense is not so common. Most people have no concept of what is or isn’t an emergency. We approach this job with our own set of life skills plus what we’ve learned in college. On our fi rst day in the ER, we realize we must have slept through the lecture on Emergency Nursing. With luck you’re following an experienced nurse. You realize you have none of these skills. Your preceptor smiles letting you know it will be ok. See one, do one, teach one, you’re told with a smile. That’s when you wonder, what have I gotten myself into. The ER, or Gar Gole, as it’s aff ectionately called, is the ‘red-headed stepchild of the hospital. The Staff , Physicians, Nurses, Techs and First Responders have a symbiotic working relationship. We all have the same goal, providing those in our charge with the best outcome possible. The rollercoaster of emotions in the Gar Hole from Patients, Family, and Staff are delt with by each of us, in our own way. We learn to meld our work life along with our home life, it’s a much-needed tool of survival. Our personal goal is to go home at the end of our shift to our safe haven, our home and family.

About the Author

Robert Burnham is from South Arkansas. Like his father, he joined the military at eighteen. After the military he attended Southern Arkansas University Department of Nursing. In almost forty years in nursing all were emergency care related. Working in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and California, gave him an overview of the Emergency Medical System. In the Hospital setting, he served as an ER staff nurse, charge nurse, department head, nurse educator, EMT, and flight nurse. On the State level he served on the Arkansas State Life Support Committe. On the International level he served with the International Olympic Committe in Los Angeles during the Games of the XXIII Olympiad. He maintained Board Certification in Emergency Nursing during his career. Retired, he and his wife reside in Central Arkansas on the side of a mountain with their puppies. He enjoys memories of his days in what he jokingly calls the Gar Hole.