It’s never good to be first in the ER

   HARLAN -- “You don’t every want to be first, if you are first you are very ill. Being first isn’t good in the ER,” Tracy Axland said. Axland and Nicole Ohlinger are both day shift emergency room nurses. Axland has been a nurse for 31 years and received her degree from Jennie Edmundson School of Nursing. Ohlinger has been a nurse for six years and received her degree from Nebraska Methodist College.
    Their 12 hour shifts run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. three days a week. Holidays and between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. they tend to see more patients.
    Every day is completely different. Neither nurse drives to work thinking about the list of tasks to finish for the day or appointments. The only constant? -  everything is inconsistent. There is never one day exactly like another. For some, this is the draw to the job.
    “You don’t know and that is what makes it interesting and fun,” Axland said.
    Their responsibilities fall under patient care. They are the first ones to assess the patients and making sure they are getting the services they need in a timely manner. This can range from lab test to transports to other hospitals. This job comes with the challenge of doing more than nursing.