Super bowl Sunday in the ED

Super Bowl Sunday, or SBS as I affectionately call it,  is historically one of the best days to work in the ED. People stay home to watch the game and dutifully ignore all noxious stimuli (like shortness of breath and chest pain) either until later in the evening or until the next day. It isn’t as much fun to work if you are an actual fan of the super bowl, because let’s face it, we have no plasma screen TVs and I’m pretty sure it is frowned upon to drink beer while on duty.

This SBS was no different in terms of low acuity, low numbers, and generally a pretty easy day. Until about 1930. That’s when the cookies crumbled, the fat lady sang, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. In other words, the peace and quiet was OVER. We had nasty gun shot wounds, stabbings, car accidents,  and one multi casualty incident caused by someone who ignored the old adage not to drink and drive.

After running around from trauma bay to trauma bay, I realized that maybe next year I should take SBS off. After all, I deserve a little peace and quiet, a little chips and dip, and maybe even a cold beer. But I’m not watching the game, I’m going to curl up with a good book!!! No one has ever been shot, stabbed or otherwise injured reading a Nicholas Sparks novel…