Emergency Department Nurses

[Gona_bea_nurse]

one of my teachers was an ed nurse, said you never had time to take a break even to pee so she got out.

[MJVANLOON707]

Hi everyone!
New poster here, was wondering if I could get some advice from the exp. ER nurses. I have been a Cath Lab nurse for the past 7 years. Looking to transition to an ER. Having some difficulty getting even my application through, because I have no ER experience. Any suggestions??? I am very motivated, and I really want to learn. I am used to fast paced and high stress. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks! Marsha

[Edson!]

one of my teachers was an ed nurse, said you never had time to take a break even to pee so she got out.

Working in critical care, I can attest to this on many shifts. Overall, I think it is most true in a busy inner city or busy university ED. The nice thing about it is the that time flies. If you hate slow periods, this kind of ED is good. But whether I've worked on the floor MS-tele or a unit, I usually at least find myself working at a steady pace. To me there is always something that needs to be done. And the key is to be prepared as much as possible, b/c when the shite hits the fan God help you and everyone. I have learned that I will find a way to take a pee break, period. My bladder has been abused enough. LOL

[RonW]

Emergency Department Nursing can be a rewarding career.

[RonW]

I totally agree, DIDO!

[leenco12]

Hey George, I've had colleagues try to talk me into CC Transport. I just have to get over the fixed wing aircraft issue. My friends tell me that one hour in the air is equal to 3 on the ground.

hi edson.i have not been to this forum in quite a while.did you go to thje caribbean and scuba.i have never scuba only snorkeled.i recently went on vacation to alaska.my boyfriend actually has snorkeled in alaska.

[predator12]

the topic of this forums is very good there are lots of question and problem in the nursing field and nurses face these problem daily and they not discus their colleague and their higher management and they have a opportunity to share their problem here and get very good instruction and solve their problems

[jayne1975]

Everyone who can, should do at least a year in an ER if they have the opportunity. I love ER nursing, I love the pace, the frustration, the learning experiences, the personalities and above all I love that I never know what I'm going to expect when I get there. From shift change CPR to having one patient at 4am because the waiting room is finally empty, its always a surprise what happens on any given shift.

I spent my first two years as a nurse on a step-down telemetry unit. Post-cath patients, some out of the OR, some from the post open-heart ICU... and I learned so much. The day I decided to start thinking about something else, was a patient who needed a medication we 'weren't allowed' to use on our floor due to the need for increased monitoring. Looking back on the circumstances, I definitely understand why the patient needed to be transferred to the ICU, but the way it was presented to me at the time was 'you can't keep this patient because you can't handle that medication'. All I could think was, why did I spend so much time learning to be a nurse, if they are going to tell me that I can't use that education. So, I started looking at my options and decided that the ER would be the place where I could use everything I had learned in school.

It's rewarding in ways that no other department can be... you have a lot more autonomy, a lot more responsibility, and get to be part of a team that does amazing things every day. From the pediatric codes, the 3am drunk, the 4am toothache to the active MI or stroke coming by rescue... you get to use every bit of education you have and still continue to learn something every shift you work. It is frustrating, heartbreaking, overwhelming, and there is no place else I would rather work.

The best suggestion I can make to anyone who wants to work in an ER, is to talk to some of the staff who work there and ask them about that specific ER. Make some contacts, talk to people from different shifts, different days and listen to what they tell you. There is a common personality trait in all ER staff and the camaraderie they have is different from anything I've seen in any other workplace (the only place I've seen anything even close is the military). You learn to sink or swim quickly, you tread water sometimes (even after several years) and your coworkers can make all the difference in the world.

[NURSEDETROIT]

Agreed with Jayne1975; All of it! ER nursing is truly a unique experience. You never know for sure anything. . . it tests every aspect of your abilities. Any prior Critical Care/Acute Care experience is a valued commodity in that setting. All of us have different talents/strengths. Not any one person can know it all; then, it's when everyone's knowledge/experience is brought to the table to help any given patient; the sense/state of "nirvana" that is achieved when everyone functions as a team, in unison. . . when all the circumstances/abilities come together; that is what "it" is all about for me. . .Love the ER. . .

True, your colleagues can make or break the experience and all the difference in that type of setting; having a cohesive group is exactly what it's all about. . . The autonomy is great as well, that's if it's valued and/or allowed by management; a micro-manager in the ER setting is definitely a "bad sign." Just walk away . . .

[adamsusan]

Emergency Department Nurses are committed to provide most advanced treatment options to meet the needs of patients.