Nightmare double shift in ER

[foodnerd]

Just finished 16 hours of the worst of ER life. Two different teen suicides both successful, four fatalities over two DUI'S and another victim who is really fighting, and a frequent flyer who went back to her abuser for the last time. A crowded night of hell after hell but those are the ones I still can't erase.

You think you get used to this stuff but this was just surreal. We knew the woman pretty well and she seemed to have her stuff together in every other area. we hadn't seen her on drug issues in at least three years, she always had some sort of job and loved her kids.

Then driving home exhausted I manage to get stopped and ticketed. My fault of course 37 in a 25 in an area known for low tolerance of lead feet. And I made it even worse by leaving my drivers license in my scrubs pocket back at the hospital like an idiot. Was so drained I wasn't gonna change and somehow I did anyway probably on autopilot but the license didn't make it over. Ten years of hard work overcoming my younger speeding days and there goes my nice clean record.

Thanks guys if you actually read all this incoherent mess, just needed to vent with people who might get it and maybe find some laughs then maybe I can actually fall asleep. See that Monte thread is good for something!

[BikeCop501]

Deferred adjudication and it will go away after probation.

[eagleI]

Who tickets and ER nurse or doctor??

[Popps]

Wow - that's really a bit much for one night. I don't envy you that. Even though you deal with that type of stuff on a daily basis, these are all individuals, not numbers. They all had a life and a story to tell, plus people who loved them.

[foodnerd]

Thanks, guys. In her defense, I didn't mention being a nurse. I would have most gratefully accepted and appreciated any courtesy, just didn't feel right asking. Although I was cussing myself for changing out of my scrubs!

She looked like she was having a rough night. She was professional, just behind her eyes she looked drained, I wondered if she had been on some of THE calls. Then I doubled my idiocy by forgetting the license which she really did not appreciate. Usually I'm extra cautious when this wiped out myself just because less margin of error and all.

If I take it to court will they drag her in? I would love the break but it was my screwups so I don't want any discounts at her expense if that makes sense. I won't have much to say except yes I did what she says I did and I'm sorry for being a pinhead.

Popps, yeh, you think you get used to this stuff but you really never do especially when it's young people and so senseless!

[foodnerd]

Thanks Tick I copied that!

[Iowa #1603]

T

If I take it to court will they drag her in? I would love the break but it was my screwups so I don't want any discounts at her expense if that makes sense. I won't have much to say except yes I did what she says I did and I'm sorry for being a pinhead.

In my area if you go in to court and "plead guilty---but" no the no carrying DL charge they usually drop the charge when you produce the DL that was in effect at the time of the charge. (violator pays court costs)

They normally don't get the officer in unless you plead not guilty and want a hearing.

FYI ---the last TWO tickets I received for being a pinhead ------I never told the officer what I did for a living until AFTER he wrote the citations.

[JonathanE]

Thanks, guys. In her defense, I didn't mention being a nurse. I would have most gratefully accepted and appreciated any courtesy, just didn't feel right asking. Although I was cussing myself for changing out of my scrubs!

She looked like she was having a rough night. She was professional, just behind her eyes she looked drained, I wondered if she had been on some of THE calls. Then I doubled my idiocy by forgetting the license which she really did not appreciate. Usually I'm extra cautious when this wiped out myself just because less margin of error and all.

If I take it to court will they drag her in? I would love the break but it was my screwups so I don't want any discounts at her expense if that makes sense. I won't have much to say except yes I did what she says I did and I'm sorry for being a pinhead.

Popps, yeh, you think you get used to this stuff but you really never do especially when it's young people and so senseless!

I am curious, do you get just a speeding ticket or did you also get ticketed for not having your license as well?

[MargeGunderson]

Boy are you a noob around here! You are supposed to be down the hall in Ask A Cop, complaining that she should have instinctively known you're a nurse, mis-used her "discretion" to automatically and obligatorily let you go, and that she should have spent the time waxing your car in appreciation for your very existence instead of "harassing" you by running your information since you didn't have any on you.
(seriously guys, is this refreshing, or what??)

Sorry you had to deal with all of this! I can't imagine having to break that news to somebody's parent, kid, spouse, best friend.

Read your sig quote about 10 times, then go get some earned rest.

[ArmyVet]

If I take it to court will they drag her in? I would love the break but it was my screwups so I don't want any discounts at her expense if that makes sense. I won't have much to say except yes I did what she says I did and I'm sorry for being a pinhead

In WA you have three options: pay it, contest it, or request a mitigation hearing. By requesting a mitigation hearing, you are admitting guilt and the officer is not required to be present. Depending on who you get and in what county, since it is your first you will likely get it deferred and may have to go to traffic school.

Don't ask me how I know this

[slamdunc]

Just finished 16 hours of the worst of ER life. Two different teen suicides both successful, four fatalities over two DUI'S and another victim who is really fighting, and a frequent flyer who went back to her abuser for the last time. A crowded night of hell after hell but those are the ones I still can't erase.

Between the fatigue and the inherently stressful pace of the ER, you need to find time to rest AND do fun stuff to remind you that there is life outside work (I should take my own advice LOL).

I have a dear friend who is an RN in the ER and has been such for twenty years. It has taken its toll on her health.

[MargeGunderson]

In WA you have three options: pay it, contest it, or request a mitigation hearing. By requesting a mitigation hearing, you are admitting guilt and the officer is not required to be present. Depending on who you get and in what county, since it is your first you will likely get it deferred and may have to go to traffic school.

Don't ask me how I know this

When did you last experience this? My friend got stopped, she went to court just hoping they would offer traffic school in exchange for keeping it off of her record. Her options were guilty or not guilty and no opportunity to speak (since she was guilty).

Last time I got stopped other than a courtesy tail light heads up about six years ago, was 2000 and the LEO encouraged me to write a letter of mitigation, (despite it being an enforcement area where they're waiting for you and I'd acknowledged exactly what he clocked me) instead of requesting a court date and said they may consider reducing the fine.

Threw myself upon their mercy; my letter got it thrown out entirely, "as if it never happened."
(although if I ever wanted to be a cop I would include it, of course)

[Monty Ealerman]

Thanks Tick I copied that!

Ref: http://design.caltech.edu/erik/Misc/...a_Republic.pdf

[ArmyVet]

When did you last experience this?

If I were to have experienced it, it might have been a few months ago...

I also fully admitted that I was speeding and was not disputing anything. He said if it had been (ahem) the first one I received, he would have deferred it. Fair enough. I'm a slow learner. If I told you the full story of that weekend, it's actually quite comical.

[ArmyVet]

Great, even better. Apparently Vets get written in those parts too...

I probably wouldn't have even mentioned the military, but it is on my license and I had to explain why I had a registration from one state, a license from another, and no separate proof of insurance (in the state where my car is registered, the registration is the only proof of insurance you get). However, to be fair, if they didn't write members of the military around these parts, they probably wouldn't write anyone at all.