Is 1-year ED experience enough to apply elsewhere?

KnitWitch, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2013

One year is sort of the golden rule of thumb. Emergency nursing looks especially good on your resume because you're expected to deal with a variety of things and be flexible. I'd suggest polishing up your resume and floating some applications out there. The market is opening up nicely in many areas for nurses with experience. Now's a good time to put your feelers out for a more high-traffic position.

RunawayN · Nov 11, 2013

That's what I'm thinking and at least I can put something down on my resume!

Dumb question, how do I put out feelers?

Ikikaeru · Nov 11, 2013

Network , lots of people that work per diem will be working in other places. You can also look at job boards and such to see how much is out there. If your really intrested in an area you can always talk with the HR department to see what they are looking for. Just a heads up though be ready for HR to give you a general response. my wife is head of HR for a company and she has very little time to give indepth responses to inquiries.

Guests · Nov 12, 2013

I started out in a rural level-none ER (well first, a year on their m/s floor, then to the ER)... every 9 months or so, I looked for new work. After 1 year there, I managed to add a per-diem at a rural level-4 ER. After two years, I turned down a larger L-3 ED to take a trauma 1 job.

I think you'll find one year total to be a bit light... I think you'll get more traction between years 2 and 3.

It doesn't hurt to try but don't get frustrated if you can't get off the ground yet.

TrevyRN, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2013

I bet you could. And some agencies will pick you up after a year experience. Don't be afraid to look around. Of course, agency nursing can be very stressful, I've heard. An agency placed me in a permanent position at a level 3 trauma center (semi-rural) when I had NO RN experience because there was a strong need at their facility. Depends on how far you're willing to go, how much effort you put in, and how well you sell yourself! :-)

Best of luck to you!

RunawayN · Nov 12, 2013

I started out in a rural level-none ER (well first, a year on their m/s floor, then to the ER)... every 9 months or so, I looked for new work. After 1 year there, I managed to add a per-diem at a rural level-4 ER. After two years, I turned down a larger L-3 ED to take a trauma 1 job.
I think you'll find one year total to be a bit light... I think you'll get more traction between years 2 and 3.
It doesn't hurt to try but don't get frustrated if you can't get off the ground yet.

I know what you are saying. One year experience seems to be the bare minimum and it's always good to have more experience under my belt. Hopefully it will be enough.

DalekRN · Nov 12, 2013

I say start.applying and see how it goes. Can't hurt anything.

Guests · Nov 12, 2013

I know what you are saying. One year experience seems to be the bare minimum and it's always good to have more experience under my belt. Hopefully it will be enough.

Keep in mind that you might also benefit from cooling your jets for awhile.

The leap from Level-None to Level One was pretty intense - and late in orientation I questioned whether I really was up to it. I did make it but it wasn't a sure thing for awhile there and our washout rate remains fairly high. You don't want to find yourself able to get the job but not really ready for it.

Believe me, I understand the desire to move up the food chain... but be cautious in what you undertake... it's a challenge that you don't want to undertake until you're ready.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

I was able to get a per diem job with 18 months of experience. I wasn't looking at the year mark so I am not sure if I'd have done as well at a year. Since getting experience, however, I've gotta gotten every job I've interviewed for, which is definitely a contrast to my new grad experience!

exit96 · Nov 13, 2013

IMO it depends on your skill/critical thinking level and the diverse experience you have. I too work in a Rural ER, but I feel it has been advantageous because of the "interesting" demographics of the area. I mean, I have seen a lot of different diagnoses and traumas. I "think" and have also been told that in Larger ER's you might be on certain teams, and that may limit what I can "get it on." Correct me if I'm wrong, just going by what I was told, and it does make sense. In the small ER I am in on everything; gunshot, RSI, mental health, cardiac syndromes, sepsis etc.....BUT the larger ER is paying $5-7 per hour more, so I may gravitate that way when necessary.

Guests · Nov 13, 2013

IMO it depends on your skill/critical thinking level and the diverse experience you have. I too work in a Rural ER, but I feel it has been advantageous because of the "interesting" demographics of the area. I mean, I have seen a lot of different diagnoses and traumas. I "think" and have also been told that in Larger ER's you might be on certain teams, and that may limit what I can "get it on." Correct me if I'm wrong, just going by what I was told, and it does make sense. In the small ER I am in on everything; gunshot, RSI, mental health, cardiac syndromes, sepsis etc.....BUT the larger ER is paying $5-7 per hour more, so I may gravitate that way when necessary.

In the level 1, I get in on everything... but not all the time. We continually rotate through the department so you may spend one shift in triage, another in trauma, and a third with the ICU players... or with a group of psych holds or... whatever.

The big difference from Level-None to Level One is that I used to be the only nurse; now I have resources to draw from.

The pay increase for me was about $20/hr... with better bennies, etc.

It was a no-brainer... and I love working Trauma One...