Schooling to become an ER RN

Spanky (cute...),

It's great you are planning. If you are still in high school, many areas allow you to be a volunteer with the paramedics. That is great experience. Find out admissions and degree requirements at colleges you want to attend and start working towards them now (challenging classes in hi school, AP classes, healthcare volunteer work).

All you need to work ER is to be an RN. But it's a "sexy" position to many new grads, so there is competition. That's why I say volunteer with paramedics, work during college in an ER (volunteer, clerical, student intern), to give you some experience. If you want to get there you will.

Congratulations on deciding to become a nurse, and pat yourself on the back for asking how to go about it. Take a lot of science, nutrition, anatomy classes as soon as you can. If you start to become familiar with anatomy and physiology in high school nursing school will be even easier. Do try to get a job as a tech in an ER. This will let you see whether you really like ER nursing and what you need to know. The wonderful thing about nursing is that there are so many avenues you can take. OR nurse, recovery room, ICU, med surg, home health, there are so many it is unbelievable. And it is a very rewarding profession.
Good luck with your educational goals.

Get a job as an ER tech - you will learn a lot of skills that will help you be an ER nurse, and you will also see if you really like it. Then, see a psychiatrist - anyone who wants to work in an ER is crazy! Seriously, I have worked in almost every area of a hospital - the ER is the hardest, most stressful place to work. And it is also the most rewarding, non-boring place to work. Go for it!

I would highly suggest taking biology, chemistry, physics and a lot of math in high school. I wasn't properly prepared for nursing school, and I found the science courses very hard. I did get my BSN, but with better highschool preparation, I would have had a bigger choice of colleges, and I would have had an easier time. If I had it all to do over again, I would overload my highschool experience with science and math courses. You will do better on the math part of your SATs, you will have more choices of nursing schools and have an easier time once admitted. Good luck! Krisssy