Job Duties of an Emergency Room Doctor
Few careers offer the variety and excitement of a career in emergency medicine. Emergency room doctors work with patients of all ages and economic backgrounds, exposing them to many types of medical cases. In addition to their regular job duties, ER physicians also participate in regular continuing education and training to update their knowledge and keep their skills current.
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Triage
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Doctors use a process known as triage to identify emergency victims with life-threatening injuries and the best chances of surviving. If a disaster results in many victims, an emergency room doctor must quickly assess those victims to determine who will receive treatment first. Dr. Amado Alejandro and Dr. Matthew Sztajnkrycer from the University of Pittsburgh report that this response should take no more than 15 seconds per patient. This requires emergency room physicians to quickly perform patient assessments.
Resuscitation
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Victims of traumatic injuries, drug overdoses and other life-threatening conditions may go into cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest in the emergency room. When this occurs, emergency room physicians must coordinate resuscitation efforts. This involves administering drugs, working with resuscitation equipment, and supervising the resuscitation efforts of nurses and other emergency room staff members. Emergency room physicians must work with defibrillators, chest compressors, intravenous lines and other types of equipment.
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Patient Admission
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If a patient requires additional medical treatment, an emergency room physician must admit him to the hospital and discharge his care to another physician. When a patient requires hospital admission from the emergency room, the emergency room physician may write initial orders for medications, provide dietary instructions, or request consultations with physicians of other specialties.
Patient Orders
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The emergency room physician writes medical orders for each patient she treats. These orders help nurses and other care providers manage the care of patients with a variety of medical needs. Emergency room doctors write orders for diagnostic tests, laboratory tests, dietary plans, medications and medical procedures.
Staff Supervision
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An emergency room doctor has supervisory duties in the emergency room, particularly if he manages the department. Supervisory duties of an emergency room physician include training department employees, providing feedback to employees and monitoring employee performance.
Consultations
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Emergency room physicians often request consultations with other medical specialists. These consultations help physicians better manage the care of patients with serious medical problems. For example, an emergency room doctor might consult a cardiologist in the case of a patient with a heart attack.
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References
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