Pre Nursing Student--ER Tech?

havemercy21 · Jan 31, 2013

Hi, Popeyepalmer
I know it's been awhile that you've posted this but:
I came across ur post about you landing a job as a er tech in ur first semester of ur adn program. I also would like to become an er tech to get a feel for the er because I probably would like to become an er or trauma nurse in the future. But I want to get some exposure to the er to see if I can handle it. I wanted to know what u did to get it or how u got that position as an er tech? Did u have to get certified or did you ask around to see if they were hiring for an er tech position; after u got hired did they proceed to teach u what u needed to know as the situation popped up? Did u have previous medical experience? What's it like to to work as an er tech? I haven't finished my pre-reqs yet but am planning to apply to an adn program next yr in january. How much time do u commit to the hospital wrking as an er tech outside of school? Any other info or recommendations u could give me about working in the er; er clinicals, preceptorships/internships is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

Start by volunteering if there are no tech positions open. generally, after youve completed the first semester of nursing school (fundamentals, etc), that cancels your need to get certified as a nursing assistant. volunteer..start school...be on the managers good side and let them know how interested you are....and take it one step at a time. you learn on the job for sure. you need to get precepted by another technician for a specified number of hours before you can go work on your own. each ER is different so a lot varies in terms of who theyll hire, how youll be precepted, etc.

Rhi007 · Feb 1, 2013

^^^ this!!! Volunteer, I have previous triage experience and am not giddy at the sight of deformities but the only way you'll know is to do work experience orvolunteer

Bobmo88 · Feb 1, 2013

Hello,
I'm doing my prerequisites for nursing school and meanwhile I'd like to transition out of my current career into the healthcare field in order to gain more experience. Right now I'm a volunteer in L&D at a local hospital as a doula and like that a lot but think I might like working in the ER and might be good at it. I will have to take my CNA course anyway as part of the nursing program, so could work in that capacity through the rest of school, however...
Would I be better off getting a certificate as an Emergency Room Technician? There is a community college nearby that offers that course of study and it doesn't seem like a huge investment of time or money. It kind of seems like in an ER tech job I would be involved with some of the skills that ultimately I will need as a nurse along with typical nursing assistant duties. Is that correct?
Do graduates from these programs get hired right into positions or would I need some kind of additional experience. It kind of seems like all the job postings for techs I've seen require a year of experience.
Would it benefit me to volunteer in an emergency room? What kinds of things do volunteers do? Would that help me figure out for sure if ER work is right for me?
What other experiences should I have in order to ensure gainful employment as well as success as an ER nurse after graduation. I'm going to need to work anyway, so I figure I might as well be on some kind of meaningful path.
Thanks so much for your insight!

Your qualifications for the job are going to depend on the ER that hires you; some hire CNAs, some hire EMTs, some hire phlebotomists (this is the case for my ER) , some hire nursing students and some hire paramedics, therefore, scope of practice varies. I would look to see what your local ERs require but I think a course might be beneficial. Even though EMT certification wasn't required for my job, I felt that the knowledge base was helpful. Volunteer experience can vary from hospital to hospital but it might be worth your time if you are able to network with the staff and make connections to help land a job. I for example was fortunate to volunteer at a hospital that had a fairly hands on volunteer program so I was able to get an idea of what the ER was like. I was also able to get to know the staff well and have them put in a good word when a position opened up.

DFWRNStudent · Oct 22, 2014

Hi Everyone,

I am having trouble getting a job for an ER Tech position in Dallas-Fort Worth. I have an EMT certification and hands on ER experience as a volunteer and clinical researcher. I am pursuing a BSN at the moment, but cannot seem to land an interview for a job as an ER tech. Would anyone have any advice to give me? I would greatly appreciate it.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 24, 2014

Hi Everyone,
I am having trouble getting a job for an ER Tech position in Dallas-Fort Worth. I have an EMT certification and hands on ER experience as a volunteer and clinical researcher. I am pursuing a BSN at the moment, but cannot seem to land an interview for a job as an ER tech. Would anyone have any advice to give me? I would greatly appreciate it.

What are the requirements for the position that you don't possess? What kind of trouble are you having? No interview? Interviewed but not hired? Do you have EMT experience, or just a cert? Do you have BLS?

DFWRNStudent · Oct 24, 2014

PixieRN,

Thank you for responding.

The positions that I am applying to require an EMT certificate at minimum. 1 year of experience preferred. I have the cert only, and no EMT field experience but I am very involved in the field of EMS and trauma due to my current job as a clinical researcher. I am BLS certified and I'm taking acls next week. I'm having trouble getting responses (interviews) from recruiters. I have over 2 years of experience as a volunteer in a level 1 trauma center where I had some direct patient contact. I also volunteer at a local free clinic where I have hands on experience assessing and treating patients.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Nov 11, 2014

How can you get a job as a ER tech with no experience? And what is hourly pay for a night shift ER tech per diem?

DFWRNStudent · Nov 18, 2014

Tasha92337, I do have experience doing tech related duties while I was a volunteer at a level 1 adult facility. (I helped take vitals, ekgs, started o2, etc. as a volunteer because I was competent and knew when to ask for help). I have letters of recommendation from nurses there that will attest to my knowledge and skills in the ED. Unfortunately where I volunteer, they currently don't have a need for techs PRN, just full-time. So they advised me to get in where I can. I'm not sure what the exact pay is for night shift. I don't care about pay though, I just want to gain more experience and expand my knowledge. This position will also help me figure out if being an ER RN is right for me.

*I have a job interview in person at a local ED with the nursing director coming up soon.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Nov 18, 2014

Tasha92337, I do have experience doing tech related duties while I was a volunteer at a level 1 adult facility. (I helped take vitals, ekgs, started o2, etc. as a volunteer because I was competent and knew when to ask for help). I have letters of recommendation from nurses there that will attest to my knowledge and skills in the ED. Unfortunately where I volunteer, they currently don't have a need for techs PRN, just full-time. So they advised me to get in where I can. I'm not sure what the exact pay is for night shift. I don't care about pay though, I just want to gain more experience and expand my knowledge. This position will also help me figure out if being an ER RN is right for me.
*I have a job interview in person at a local ED with the nursing director coming up soon.

Thanks for sharing . You seem like a stellar candidate for the job position. Wish you the best.

DFWRNStudent · Dec 18, 2014

I wanted to update everyone. I got the phone call on Monday telling me the job is mine. I want to thank everyone for their support and advice.

*For those that are still on the job hunt. Don't lose hope! You will get the job you want with persistence and patience.