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I spent the first 10 years of my career working in the ED. I still love Emergency nursing, but I will never go back to working in ANY ED. The wait times are not just a Providence problem, they are a nation wide problem. Do you really think going to Tacoma would have made the wait any shorter? Do you think they would have administered anything stronger than Tylenol while waiting to be seen? Guess again. I worked in both EDs while I was traveling and the wait times back then were long and people were placed on hallway beds. While a dislocated elbow is extremely painful unless the dislocation is causing lack of blood flow to the limb, it is not a life-threatening emergency. The ED is drastically understaff, as is the rest of the hospital. Administration is not doing what needs to be done to fix the problem. Even if they were, there are problems with the hiring system at Providence so good, qualified people that apply aren't receiving calls for interviews. As for stand alone EDs, I think they are great. I worked at one for 10 years and loved it. Unfortunately, they have a limited amount of space and most don't admit patients. Most can take care of major traumas and they certainly don't have cath labs or ORs, so again, they are sending people out for a higher level of care, which will probably mean going to the ED to wait either for an OR, or a room in the hospital. The community has outgrown St. Peter's. It is the only hospital to serve a 5 county area. Read that again, THE ONLY HOSPITAL TO SERVE A 5 COUNTY AREA. Prior administrators have advocated to have another tower built to increase beds and availability, but the state of Washington has denied the request stating there isn't a need. There was a need 10 years ago, and that need has only increased. If you want something done, then please go to the state and tell them your story. Telling your story here isn't going to make anything happen unless you give it to the ones that actually have the power to make the needed changes.