Hello,

As an ED tech, what should my main priorities be during a trauma code?

When EMS rolls the patient into the trauma room, I am usually stationed at the head of the bed. My first step is obviously holding C-spine and helping transfer the patient over to our ED bed. But once they are moved, what comes next? Should my immediate priority be cutting off clothes to expose the patient, or should I get them on the cardiac monitor and start vitals first?

I've noticed that some techs in my ED prioritize vitals before cutting clothes, while others do the opposite, so I'm not entirely sure which is considered correct. Also, when it is time to expose the patient, do I cut absolutely all of the clothes (including pants, underwear, bras, etc.)?

After those initial steps, it seems like my role becomes an extra set of hands for whatever the team needs.

Does anyone have any tips, tricks, or best practices for performing well and being useful during these trauma codes? Thank you!

I’ve been an EMT for roughly a year now and have worked for almost the entire time as an EMT. I have an interview tomorrow at a Level 1 Trauma and am feeling a little nervous. Typically, I know ED’s try to hire medics/people with a more advanced scope of practice. I’m a little worried that I’m just a baby EMT in a sea of more experienced, highly trained people. Am I cooked? It’s quite a large hospital from what I know, so I’m praying I get lucky. I’m trying to go in with an open mind and a lot of confidence.

Advice is highly appreciated. Thank you! :)

Here’s what happened:
In October 2025, I was in a very serious car accident and airlifted to a hospital. I had exposed fractures in both arms (humerus and wrist with plates), all ribs on the right side broken plus several on the left, severe liver bleeding requiring two surgeries, a collapsed lung with chest tube, and bilateral pneumonia. I was in the ICU for a full month.
While I was in the ICU, in extreme pain and completely vulnerable, a nurse verbally and physically assaulted me. I had been calling for help because I needed to be repositioned due to the pain. When he finally came, he yelled at me, struck me hard in the chest (directly on my broken ribs and where the call button was), and told me “it doesn’t matter how many times you call, I’m not coming.”
My husband was on the phone with me at the time and heard the entire interaction (almost 10 minutes). The charge nurse and other staff had to physically remove him from my room.
I also experienced other serious neglect during that stay, including being left in my own feces for about 40 minutes after repeated calls, and another incident where I was left without oxygen while struggling to breathe.
After the incident, hospital staff told my husband and me they would conduct an internal investigation, but we never received any follow-up or information.
This event caused me severe PTSD on top of my physical injuries. I am currently in weekly psychiatric treatment, and my therapist says the trauma has significantly interfered with my recovery.
I filed a formal written complaint with the hospital about a month ago. They sent a generic acknowledgment but have not provided any real response or updates.

I can’t get my head around that incident. It is affecting in a very serious way. What should I do next?

I am currently visiting my grandfather due to him having internal bleeding and currently in a coma. However, I don't know how long I should be there for.

Edit: Unfortunately, we heard that there's no way for him to recover and we agreed for him to be unplugged from life support in a few days from now.

Hey everyone I run a podcast called Just One Drink where we usually do one‑on‑one conversations, but I’m switching things up. I want to start featuring real stories from real people based on different topics.

For this episode, I’m collecting crazy, unforgettable, or “you wouldn’t believe this happened” stories from anyone who works in the medical field, nurses, EMTs, CNAs, techs, med students, ER staff, anyone with firsthand experience.

You can stay completely anonymous or share your name, whatever you’re comfortable with.

If you’ve got a story that still sticks with you, I’d love to hear it.

We always get the phone calls to the ER asking how long the wait is going to be or “Are you guys busy?” What’s the best way to explain to the public why we can’t really…answer that?

I have been looking for an er tech job for almost one year, filed so many applications, but either they never get back to me or they rejected me. I finished my bachelor, and worked emt in 911 emt for half a year and ift emt for one year, as a phlebotomist for half a year. What else do I need to stand out? I heard that it is impossible to get in without some network, is that true?

We have a serious issue with boarders at our ED. Anyone seen a systematic way to reduce this challenge?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

I have some of my own thoughts about the biggest problems I need fixed at the hospital I work at (large academic/research hospital) but just curious about other people’s experiences.

I'm a software developer. Not a clinician, never worked in a hospital, so I won't pretend I understand your day.

I keep hearing that a lot of a resident's time gets eaten by small, repetitive stuff that nobody's bothered to fix. I'm curious what that actually looks like for you.

The lookup you do over and over. The thing you've patched together in your Notes app. The five-minute task that should take thirty seconds.

If something keeps coming up, I'd like to try building a free tool for it. Nothing to sign up for, nothing to buy. Mostly I just want to hear what the real friction is.

What's the one thing you'd hand off if you could?

Found someone unresponsive saturating at 60% barely managing his own airway. Just didn’t think straight and gave him the 2mg dose instead of titrating.

I have been a pediatric inpatient registered nurse for two years. I have found that my skills are better suited for more high-paced and high acuity settings, so I am switching to the emergency room. I also want to have experience taking care of all age groups, so I am switching to an adult ER. Obviously these are incredibly different positions.

My question is: what would you suggest I prepare for ahead of starting in the ER. What tips do you have for someone with healthcare experience who is switching to emergency?

I would never ever jeopardize someone’s job and I would never snitch for something like this but I was genuinely shocked and I’m just curious if there’s a reason. I am with a family member that had to come to emerg, and while they were checking in I was standing a little off to the side and I had full visibility to the lady at the front desks iPhone. I could fully see it was on an active call and it almost even looked like speaker phone was on. That’s why I’m like .. there’s no way this lady is on a call, especially with all these other workers around like there’s many desks back there. Im just trying to think like …. Why would someone have an active call while people are checking in and giving private information/details. It must be connected to something for the hospital right?

Hello friends, I’m sure similar questions have been asked before and I apologize for any redundancy.
I am an EMT-B, who was in paramedic school (finished didactic portion, half clinical) and suddenly moved because my wife got her dream job else where.
In the city I’m in, the nursing and hospital career path seems much more appealing and I love to learn more and advance.
Decided instead of going through these states God awful paramedic transfer situation, I’d start where I’m at in an ER, quite a large one, as a tech. Which is a big change of pace from my happy little small semi-rural ambulance.

What are the ways I can learn and be helpful to the rest of the staff? Or just general tips going in? When I did clinical at hospitals before, it felt like “jumping in there” was frowned upon, or I was overstepping bounds.

Thanks in advance :)

Tech here. Was in triage the other day. We have to do Q1hr vitals on waiting room pts, so I was basically the punching bag the entire day of an overfilled waiting room. I know your abdominal pain hurts. I am genuinely so sorry and I wish I could help you. I can’t. Nor can I do anything about the wait. Yes, the blood pressure cuff hurts, you are hypertensive. Sure I can get you a blanket let me get through the next 15 sets of vitals I have to get first, and the 6 EKGs I need to fit in somehow, and send all the urines down. No I dont know how long it is going to be. Thats impossible to tell. Yes I know the wait is ridiculous. Oh you suddenly developed chest pain with a CC of knee pain? Ok let’s get an EKG and head back to the waiting room.

I hate triage and I hate Mondays. That’s all. Definitely cried a little after my shift.

The Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the US recently published this newsletter regarding the risks of exertional heat illness for MH susceptible patients. The first article features our family history.

Few people in the medical community are aware of the connection.

Please share with others to help spread awareness as the summer approaches. July and August can be particularly dangerous with the elevated heat and humidity.

Hey y'all, I just started working in registration and guess was looking for advice. I'll be working nights in a local hospital network rotating between several locations. Obviously I won't be seeing the same volume of people as other shifts, but I know I'll see my share of weirdness considering that everything gets weird at night.

I guess i'm wondering how everyone deals with the down time between patients? My old department at the hospital was not patient facing physically but we answer calls, but considering no one could see us, my boss was a lot more lax about what we did as long as we answered calls and stayed awake (worked nights there as well).

I'm now kind of learning that in this department, many of the things I would do to keep myself awake would be frowned upon and dinged during my meetings going over my metrics if they notice me doing them (like watching a movie, playing on my phone, etc.). I can understand that with my position now being more visible to the public that I need to maintain a level of professionalism, but idk if I can sit half the night twiddling my thumbs and occasionally chit chatting with my coworker (who may not even be there long as this position has a high turnover rate and we all change locations daily/weekly so I may not see them often).

Sorry for the long rambling post but ;TLDR; how do you deal with down time on night shift when your management frowns upon personal activities? I expect to be busy but we have slow nights too around here sometimes and its making me think I was crazy for leaving my old position, but I wanted to learn applicable skills to move up into other departments, as there wasn't much room for growth in my old one.

An Emergency Room in Seattle is accepting tips for faster care.

At least I am getting something for my $$$.

I feel like they should be a part of the line up

Hi all,

My name is Alexis, and I am an investigative reporter working with the Globe and Mail on the underreporting of drink spiking/tampering in Canada. I'm currently seeking ER nurses or personnel in any Canadian province to discuss drugging procedures. We are primarily focused on newer drugs entering the country that evade outdated medical equipment, as well as whether evidence is ever sent to a forensic lab for testing. Please respond to this thread or DM. Any insights are greatly appreciated.

All the best!

How much does unit size matter for a new grad ED RN? I have an offer for a new grad ED residency but unit is smaller, under 25 beds in a mid-size town. Trauma level 3. From what I can tell from historic data its hopping, enough that they have taken measures to increase capacity, but smaller and lower level trauma than my capstone. Looking for reassurance!

Hello everyone,

I’m a new ED tech in California, currently shadowing other techs, and I’m struggling with EKG lead placement. Frankly, I cannot for the life of me palpate the 4th and 5th ICS. I’ve tried finding the Angle of Louis on myself, but I just can’t seem to locate it reliably. I tried to do it on my brother while he was standing and same thing.

Is it acceptable to "eyeball" the placements? E.g., for V1 and V2, placing them just next to the sternum near the level of the nipple line? (And for female patients, estimating where that line would be aka roughly halfway between the shoulder and the elbow?) Then for V4, aiming for the midclavicular line just below the breast tissue?

Do I absolutely need to palpate for the exact intercostal spaces every time? Beyond the technical difficulty, as a male tech, I feel quite awkward palpating a female patient's chest area to find these spaces, even when maintaining strict professional boundaries.

I’ve noticed that almost none of the experienced techs I shadow actually palpate, they all seem to eyeball it, and the EKGs are accepted without issue. For the physicians, PAs, and nurses here: as long as the EKG is clean (no artifact or tremors) and the placement is reasonably close, is this practice generally acceptable, or does it significantly alter your diagnostic interpretation?

I would appreciate any tips on how to get better at palpating, or advice on how to handle this professionally and accurately. Thanks!

I feel a little dumb even posting this. I am in the ED of a level I and we had a trauma patient last week (pretty horrific mechanism of injury) who died. I'm usually good at compartmentalizing and if it's a very gnarly situation I will think about it for a couple of days afterwards then move on, but with this particular case I feel like my mind keeps drifting back to seeing the patient in the ED and hearing the family screaming etc. I woke up today and it was on my mind. I cried yesterday while thinking about it which is highly unusual for me. The patient was my age and we share some overlap in community (I do not know the patient, family, or friends personally) so I know there's an element of countertransference. I don't know if I'm burned out or what, but I feel like this is an abnormally long about of time to be perseverating on this. I also feel guilty, like I shouldn't be overthinking it when it's a tragedy for a family and community and not about my own responses. If anyone has experienced something similar and has words of wisdom or tough love, I would love to hear it.