l had my yearly eval today...went very well. Ended up getting into a discussion with my NM about new ER nurses from different areas of nursing and some new grads aclimating(sp) to the ER culture.
Does anyone else out there think ER is a unique subculture of the hospital and nursing?...l definately do, andl am fascinated by this topic.
l lecture in our ER residency program that we hold bi-annually, many are ER nurse wannabe's, or new nurses in local ER's. l have seen several with tremendous potential that do not make it, not because they were incapable or screwed up, but because ER veterans are not very good at identifying the problems these nurses are having and simply write it off as "not ER material".
For the most part, the veterans are not of the "nurse eating mentality"....although it seems like it to the newbes sometimes.
l am interested in other's perceptions of ER nurses and the sub culture. l don't want this to be an us vs them, but some honest perceptions that are held and why. l am hoping to use the info to mentor new RN's in the ER. lt is hard to be new anywhere, but for me, ER was the hardest place l have ever had to prove myself.
One of my perceptions after having worked ER a few yrs now is that the nurses have a "lead, follow or get out of my way mentality" l can feel when l am slipping into this and honestly sometimes it is absolutely nec. when pt's crash and the ER is crazy. ER nurses are REQUIRED to make snap decisions...again necessary ....and , any ER nurse that denies being a bit of an adrenalin junkie is in denial;)
