We get regular media updates on the overcrowded conditions in our Emergency Department, the times that people have to wait to be admitted to hospital, the crowded corridors, the difficulties faced by the public when they present to these extremely busy departments.
What we hear less of is how the ED staff cope and do an excellent job under these circumstances. Medical staff working in emergency departments are at the front line of our public health services and each day they report to work in the knowledge that they will be faced with the best and the worst of humanity and human frailty. Emergency medicine doctors, in their normal working day, meet their patients on what is the worst day of their life. Let’s face it, none of us set out for work/school/college and plan to end the day in the Emergency Room! When we do, we are met with professionalism, compassion and the medical skills that can save our lives and mitigate the outcome of whatever has resulted in us being there in the first place.
A few years ago, I had the misfortune to have to report to the Emergency Department of my local hospital as a result of a horse-riding accident. I was anxious, afraid and in considerable pain, having damaged my left shoulder. From the moment the ambulance staff arrived on scene, talked me through the circumstances of my fall, to the arrival to A&E, I felt I was in the care of competent and compassionate professionals who were going to do all their power to help me. I will never forget their names, they will never remember mine and I was only one of very many people these Emergency Doctors and Nurses would tend to during their shift. I lay on a trolley for some of my time in the Emergency Room, however, I can honestly say that this in no way impeded the level of care I received, but it did make the working environment for the staff more challenging and they rose to that challenge!! With a smile and individual attention to all their patients.
There are 29 Emergency Departments Hospital sites in Ireland which offer emergency medicine Doctors the opportunity and support to excel in their chosen field. Emergency Departments provide life-saving care when required, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Emergency Medicine Doctors look after people who have emergency medical problems, injuries or psychological issues, whatever the cause may be. The Consultant led teams of medical professional’s work as a cohesive unit to provide top level emergency care to their patients. Emergency Departments are staffed by teams of Doctors, Nurses and other healthcare professionals who work together to identify and treat patients’ emergency health problems. Working in an Emergency room in an Irish hospital will provide Emergency Medicine Doctors/ Registrars or SHO’s with a calibre of experience that will be recognised worldwide. Once a patient receives the emergency care they need, the next steps in their care are planned. Some patients need to be admitted to Hospital; most can be cared for by their General Practitioner (GP) or followed up at a Hospital outpatient clinic.
Emergency Medicine healthcare teams are to be held in the highest regard, they do a tough job, but tell you they love it! They remain calm when all around them there can be panic and fear, they look the patient in the eye and tell them they will be OK.
To be an excellent Emergency Medicine Registrar you will need a broad range of knowledge and skills that you can access in often stressful and time sensitive situations to access and diagnose your patients, identifying the urgent aspects of their illnesses or injury and taking measures to halt what could be fatal progression of both. Emergency Medicine Registrars have excellent communication skills, natural authority and great teamwork skills.
If you are interested in a career in Emergency Medicine in Ireland, contact me, Eithne Vaughan Witts, Principal Healthcare Recruiter, Emergency Medicine Specialist, FRS Recruitment. I would be delighted to provide the same professional treatment in which I received from the emergency healthcare team on the day I ended up in A&E.
Eithne Vaughan Witts
Holding a BA(Hons) Psychology and with over 14 years' experience in the recruitment industry, Eithne understands the importance of providing a professional and effective recruitment service to both clients and candidates. Working within the medical and healthcare sector for the last 3 years has allowed Eithne to nurture and build close working relationships with these clients and candidates. She is knowledgeable about the specific skills and experience that are in demand in public hospitals, private hospitals and clinics. Her aim is to ensure that all medical professionals placed, find themselves in roles where they can build on their professional experience, ensuring their continued career progression.
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