[SteveRN21]

Hi all,

Some of you may remember be posting a month or two ago, when I was deciding whether or not to switch from NICU/PICU to the ED. Well, I did it, and landed a day shift job in my hospital's 80 bed Level I trauma center. Holy Cow. I just finished my second full week on orientation in the Chest Pain Unit section of the ED, and I must say I have a newfound appreciation and overall awe for ER nurses. My head was spinning from the minute I hit the door, not just from all that "adult" stuff I had to dig up from the back of my brain. I learned so much those two weeks, as pt after pt rolled through the door in RDS, AMI, CHF, etc.....By my second shift, I had helped code 3 people! Luckily the N/P ratio in the ER is 3-4:1, so my preceptor had a few minutes to explain away some of the confusion. I must say after all this, that I love the ER. I love the diverse array of pts, illnesses, quick pt turnover, new challenges rolling in all the time... Love laughing at/with the stupid pts who call EMS b/c they think their baby might "have an ear infection", "chest pain" with raging clap......etc...... I really hope I never get tired of it. I'm still at the point where I can't wait to get up and go to work. I guess I'm what you'd call one of those adrenaline junkies, who like to be crazy busy all the time (with a safe assignment, of course) SO: my hat's off to all you ER nurses who've been doing this forever. You are a special group of people!


Stevern21

[suzanne4]

Glad to hear that you enjoy the change in your career. And may you always keep this positive attitude.

I worked ER for years, know exactly what you are talking about.

[jojotoo]

The ER can be a lot of things, But boring is not one of them!

[traumaRUs]

That is what I absolutely loved about the ER - you never knew what was coming in the door. The uncertainty and organized chaos was fantastic!

[TazziRN]

Welcome to the ER nuthouse, there's always room for one more!

[dijmart]

not an r.n. YET (8 mos. to go), but use to be an E.R. tech and LOVED it!!!!!!

my med/surg clinicals are boring and depressing me to all hell, so i decided to volunteer in the E.R. (start thurs.) just to remind me why i'm busting my butt to be an r.n.!
i hope to get a new grad E.R. job when i'm done w/ school, because i don't think i can deal w/ floor nursing!!!

[scrmblr]

I love it too! 80 beds! I would love to come visit a hospital like that! (I don't want to live anywhere big enough for an 80 bed ER, but to precept a week in one would be soooo cooool!)

[CaliEDRN]

Id have to say that the best laughs I have ever had was one of the many nights we discuss the stupid excuses, reasons, drug seeking, and many many stories that our patients give us and that we have to listen to everyday. And the fact that we have to hold in the laughter until we can get in the back where they cant see or hear us! Isnt it a great place to work??!!

[dijmart]

Originally Posted by CaliEDRN

Id have to say that the best laughs I have ever had was one of the many nights we discuss the stupid excuses, reasons, drug seeking, and many many stories that our patients give us and that we have to listen to everyday. And the fact that we have to hold in the laughter until we can get in the back where they cant see or hear us! Isnt it a great place to work??!!

when i was an E.R. tech that was the BEST job i ever had and the whole reason why i'm in nursing school. i loved the people i worked w/ and the atmosphere.....i just hope i can find that same "feeling" again as a nurse vs. tech.

[Jennifer, RN]

I completely understand. I worked on the floor for 5 years and thought that the reason I did not seem to like nursing was the fear of not knowing what pts I would be taking care of every day. When I switched to working in the ER, that is what I ended up loving about the ER. You dont know what you are going to get to take care of. Is the next chest pain a STEMI code? Turns out, what I hated about the floor was the monotony of it all. Meds, breakfast, meds, baths, lunch, meds dinner....BLAH!!! The ER is where its at!!! Thought I would hate taking care of babies and kids, but I love it. Codes dont scare me anymore. Intubations dont scare me. I get excited when I hear about a trauma or critically injured or sick pt coming in. I want to be a part of something that is bigger than me. On the floors, you just dont get the feeling that you are saving someones life, but in the ER, you go home everyday with at least a little bit of that feeling.