Which characteristics of the emergency department (ED) would the nurse cite as causing long waits and overcrowded conditions? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply
1. "We are open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.".
2. "So many of our patients don't have any insurance.".
3. "We cannot turn people away even if they don't have an emergent condition.".
4. "Patients don't want to wait at the doctor's office and they think they can be seen here faster.".
5. "We have such a large population of older people in our community.".
1,2,3
Rationale 1: The 24-hour accessibility of the ED is attractive to patients who require medical services after hours.
Rationale 2: People who do not have insurance usually cannot afford private health care and go to the ED instead.
Rationale 3: Open access and the prohibition against turning patients away have increased the numbers of patients in the ED.
Rationale 4: Typically the wait times in the ED are much longer for nonurgent illnesses.
Rationale 5: Fully one third of all ED visits are by people less than 25 years old, so it is hard to prove that overuse by the older population has caused overcrowding.
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Which of the following would be analyzed as therapeutic communication on the part of the nurse?
1. "Things will get better; you will see." 2. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" 3. "That's nothing compared to other client's problems." 4. "That's a difficult problem for you."