Sometimes Feeling lost in the ER

[Ikikaeru]

Hi everyone,

For soem background I've had and LPN license in behaviorl health / DD setting for two years, this Febuary I graduated as an RN and had a job lined up for me at a rural hospital. Ive had a two clinicals with ER experience and did a ER certification through our school (capstone as well). At the end I felt pretty sure I wanted to work ER.

Now to the qustion, after going through an "oriantation" of 3 months I was put on 12 hour shifts in the ER. Our hospital only runs one RN in the ER and we help out on the floor if there is some down time. The other issues are that we work as charge nurse and help with pre op / post op on other days. Basically we work three different nursing jobs and they rotate us through jobs as needed.

I feel like there is so much information being thrown at me some times, and the ER , where I loved my experience from before , I feel like im lost some times. To add to this difficulty its arragned horrible (as they got equitment things were just place in open areas so nothing is together in what would make sense. We even have to run to the med surge floor to get medications from there pyxis some times because our ER doesnt carry it always). I just got a job offer from another facilty looking for ER RNs and Im tempted to take it though I love most of the people I work with.

Is this to soon to jump ship. Should I stay and work it out and try to get things set up better? The managment are friendly but clueless and dont seem to want to change how things are set up.

Kind lost some times, I feel like im stuipid on occasion.

Well thanks for listening to me rant.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

It sounds reasonable to be confused, even if you were confident about your ER experience going in. It sounds very stressful too, being ready for ER patients while helping in a couple other areas- that would make you the "go-to" nurse for almost any problem. Leaving the ER for meds means you are leaving the patient alone in the department. If it was me I'd try for another position.

[Armygirl7]

I'd be lost without my fellow RNs in the ER! How are you doing in alone! maybe in 10 years I could handle that but I'm not sure I'd want to - it's very stressful just getting your ER rhythm down - trying to jump to different floors and wear so may hats would leave me exhausted.....do what's best for you, don;t get hung up on whether you've spent enough time - if it doesn't feel right then trust your gut feeling.

[Ikikaeru]

Thanks for the replies. I think I may have mixed people up, the ER I work for has only 6 beds, there are plenty of times we have no pt, when this happens we lock up the er and help on the main floor. we don't leave pts unattended. If something comes in we get back to the Er.

The big issue is the knowledge base, I work as charge for med surge one night, er another night, maybe pre or post op another day, it's just so much to learn and remember. Where things are, all the charting, each sections protocols. It seems over whelming. We fly solo in the er mostly (dr and 1 er nurse) but if a trauma comes in often charge nurse comes down to help while other nurses / staff watch the main floor. It's just weird for me, I got my er certificate from a hospital about the same size and they had WAY more help (other nurses, techs, pa, np, doctors). I know this is giving me tons of experience but I just feel like I run across new stuff and feel lost almost very shift.

I'm not sure, maybe I just need to rant and get this off my chest. Anyone else ever work at a place like this? How did you get to a point were you felt like you had your crap together?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I have worked placed like this.......These small places are difficult to work and require experience. A seasoned nurse would find this challenging. If the other ER has more staff giving you a chance to learn instead of stay afloat...I'd go there.....an experienced nurse would find your present place difficult.

The first year is difficult under the best circumstances.....((HUGS))

'

[Ikikaeru]

Thanks for the support! I never thought that the hardest part of nursing wouldn't be the pt care, but taking care of my sanity! I've been taking time off on my own to familiarize myself with procedures I don't know, protocols I have never seen, and some of the drugs I haven't ever had to give yet. I make it a goal to teach myself one of each every day if I can. I'll keep chugging away and hopefully it gets easier.

thanks again, your encouragement is GREATLY appreciated.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I worked in an ER as one nurse for 7 beds, with a doc, and the maintenance man would come in and answer phones if it was nuts. I didn't have to cover any other jobs, but I'd help if they needed it. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend it for a brand new nurse. How can you learn without colleagues to go to? Books are helpful, but real life is a whole different thing.