ER by the Numbers

In the ER we hear alot of numbers and stats - from wait times number of patients in the department. For the most time I don't pay to much attention to the numbers and try to focus on the patients they represent.  But here is a snapshot of ER numbers.

1-"Thank you, dear" from a sweet little old lady to make my day.
2- CTAS level of patient I most commonly take care of. CTAS is a prioritization scale rating people from 5 ( go see your doctor in a week) to 1 ( immediate intervention needed to preserve life)
3- pts in my mini CCU the other morning- hello Integrilin Infusion, Amioderon Infusion, and Nitro Infusion.
3- pitchers of beer to many.  Not so smart and I will tell you so. I work the next 5 Friday nights and I better not see you again.
3- minutes between Epi doses in a code
4-  beds supposed be in a cardiac assignment
5- If you win the 50-50 lottery and end up in Acute 1- its 5 beds in your assignment
5- cardiac monitor stickers for your chest
6-hours for the effects of lasix to wear off
6- hour wait for the second blood work you earned for coming in with chest pain. I know the first tests are negative and Yes I know you are bored, but hey its better than a massive heart attack
7- packages I need to open to start your IV
8- if I miss on the first attempt - not too often
9- more packages later and the usual cocktail of morphine and gravol will be injected into that IV ( I do believe in the fact that health care is the primary cause of global warming)
10-hours my fab Starbucks mug will keep my tea drinkabely hot until I have have time to drink it.
15- seconds is the half life of adenosine. a medicine to chemically restart your heart.
16- most IV starts I have seen a person get before a successful start
20- seconds seems like forever when waiting for a blood sugar result.
25- minutes to RCH for stat transfers
30- quiet/manageable number of patients in the department
35- max number of admits seen in the department. Baseline staff is based on 0 admits
56- highest blood sugar I have seen. You/me 6-8. Diabetes diagnosed when higher than 10
58-lowest percent of oxygen I have seen on a walking talking person (on 5 liters of O2)
60 - stitches that I took out of the leg of a screaming 5 year old
120- minutes from first ECG to inflation of the angioballoon for optimal results when having a heart attack
360- Joules of Electricity to restart your heart.
700- mls of fluid taken from the sac around the heart of a patient.