From turkey carving mishaps to consumed poinsettias, Purdue Nursing faculty reflect on emergency room experiences during the holidays

Amanda Ward, clinical assistant professor in the Purdue University School of Nursing, recommends vigilance, awareness and not overindulging on the eggnog as keys to keeping you and your family out of the hospital during the holidays.(Tim Brouk)

Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu

With centuries of clinical, intensive care unit and emergency room experience between them, Purdue University School of Nursing faculty find the holidays to be especially hectic times of the year in these facilities.

The causes for increased patient loads are tenfold: Colder weather, flu season, festive alcohol related injuries, more traveling, holiday mental stress and primary care physicians on vacation are just some of the reasons for spikes in cases during the holidays. Then there are the injuries that are holiday specific — falling from ladders while putting up Christmas decorations, Thanksgiving turkey frying burns and New Year’s Eve fireworks mishaps, just to name a few.

“You definitely see an increase in your workload,” said Amanda Ward, clinical assistant professor of nursing and former emergency room nurse. “It is probably a little more stressful for nurses.”

Avoid kitchen disasters

Chelsea Taulman

Most holiday gatherings include cooking and baking to some degree. Chelsea Taulman, clinical assistant professor of nursing, a family nurse practitioner at the North Central Family Health Clinics and a former emergency room nurse practitioner at IU Health Arnett Hospital, said children darting in and out of the kitchen while stoves are burning and ovens are on can be a danger zone. Small children have been known to reach up and pull off boiling pots or touch burners that haven’t cooled off yet.

Taulman advised turning pot and pan handles inward toward the stove and out of reach of curious toddlers. Using back burners instead of front ones also helps prevent potential spills and burns.

Ward had seen multiple lacerations from turkey carving during her 20 years as an emergency department nurse at Hendricks Regional Health.

“Don’t be distracted and don’t be under the influence,” Ward warned when carving that Butterball.

Be vigilant

Jennifer Coddington

The kitchen is kid-proofed, but you still must be vigilant. Crawling infants are especially susceptible to choking hazards from toys with small pieces that their older siblings may have left unattended. Sometimes its holiday decorations that entice a toddler. Clinical professor Jennifer Coddington has received multiple calls in her almost 35 years of experience as a registered nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner of toddlers that have eaten poinsettias when left on their own for even a few seconds.

“Poinsettias are poisonous,” Coddington warned. “When you have little toddlers running around, they’ll put anything in their mouths.

“There’s all the hustle and bustle going on when the families are getting together. … Injuries often happen when they are not being monitored too well.”

Other parts of children’s faces can be in danger when holiday gifts are being opened.

“For some reason, kids like to put toys up their noses or even in their ears,” Taulman said. “There’s a lot of foreign bodies that need to be removed during the holidays.”

The not-so-great outdoors

In much of the United States, the holiday season comes with ice, snow and bitter temperatures. When traveling, always drive slower in winter conditions and pack an emergency kit with a blanket in case of car trouble. Be sure to properly buckle up children and properly install car seats.

Ward said using common sense and waiting for warmer weather is preferable over a Christmas emergency room stay. She remembered a holiday ice storm that created havoc in central Indiana. Among her patients were four adults with broken bones from slipping on ice while walking to their mailboxes. Waiting for a thaw before checking for Aunt Martha’s Christmas card is recommended.

Hanging holiday lights has taken thousands to the hospital over the years. Falling from roofs or ladders happens any time of the year but a fall during the holidays can bring more danger.

“Make sure someone knows you’re on a ladder,” Ward said. “We’ve had individuals injured and left outside, which led to frostbite. Make sure you know the weather forecast and make sure you’re dressed appropriately.”

Ward recommends always wearing proper winter foot attire and to save the eggnog for later when doing outside holiday activities.

If you must go

With the usual holiday uptick in emergency room patients, people should consider urgent care locations and clinics like the North Central Family Health Clinics, where Coddington is medical director. To speed up the process, patients should have their medical history and lists of their medications and allergies at the ready. This will help when wait times are often longer during the holidays.

“Doctor’s offices start to close down during the holidays. There will be an influx in ERs and urgent cares because there’s nowhere else for patients to go,” Ward explained. “It kind of all adds up. Plus, these facilities tend to be short-staffed because they want time off with their families.”

If injuries are life threatening, an ambulance and emergency room should be the plan of action and keep your primary care physician’s number at the ready. “Depending on the situation, reach out to your primary provider,” Taulman said. “Patients can be directed on where they should go and if there is something they can do to treat the injury at home first.”