[roud123]

WHat an amazing first day of rotation in the ER. I followed your advice and made it aware that I was there to do everything and anything I could for them. I looked around to familirize myself with everything, memorized the stock room and even made coffee for everyone.

It started out pretty slow with 2 ladies one 72, one 67 both complaining of dizziness. They did complete works ups on them and we just basically monitored them.

1 hour into the shift we had a 76 year old male /c Hx of a cabbage and carotid obstruction come in via Ambulance after being found unconcious in his driveway. He had a GCS of 9, then later a 15. I took V/S inserted a Foley and we continued monitoring him. He was molted, diapheretic and vomiting. His BP was 76/42 and tachycardic. We administered Dopamine and NS wide open. His BP came up but he was still doing "bad" stuff as the RN put it. He was sent for a CT and he started to sieze on the table, then I yelled "he's in asystole"! he coded on the ct scan table and then they started compressions and I was the bagger after they iintubated him! I looked up and there were like 15 people swarming in there.. We worked on him, he came back to us and then we went back to ER with him. We continued to monitor him and he coded again. They shocked him with 200, he came back and then coded again, they shocked him with 300 and we continued chest compressions all in all we spent about 3 hours on him, eventually losing him after we maxed out all the meds. It was hard to see the familys reactions and I actually broke down after leaving the room.

Then we had a patient who presented with complaints of severe abdominal pain which later turned out to be severe constipation the patient was so confused that he took a dump while squating on the gurney. !!!

Anyway, I cant wait to go back tomorrow!!

Thanks again for everyones advice on my previous post

[AlaskanRN]

Good job roud123...you not only survived your first day...you jumped in and helped where you could...

it's not unusual to have a slight nervous break down after your first code...esp if it was as long and drawn out as this one...but you sound like you're gonna do just fine...

good luck and hang in there...every day is new and exciting...

[JAYNE :DANCE:]

YOU SOUND JUST LIKE WHAT ANY ER NEEDS.....SOMEONE WHO LOVES THAT FAST PACED ENVIRONMENT......ME >>>>>> I NEVER COULD GET THE REASON WHY ANYONE WOULD LOVE THAT INSANITY...BUT TO EACH THEIR OWN>>>>>HAVE FUN WITH IT

[alet3ff]

Greetings,
Is it hard to get into ER nursing? I have been told that usually they want new RN's to do some time on a med/surg floor.
Thanks,
Ed

[kimmicoobug]

I was in ER today too. How cool! I asked the nurse today how to go about getting into ER and she said a good way is to start in Med-Surg, go to ICU to learn critical skills, and then to ER. I loved ER, but I don't want to do it. I will float there any day, though. We had one baby who was supposed to come in that was dying of leukemia and I nearly cried just hearing the story. (Thank God, the child went to med-surg instead)

[massEDgirl]

I NEVER did ICU...went to ER after being float nurse just about every where else in the hospital......telemetry a big plus.

I feel if you have a desire to do ER nursing then you will make it......If you are not sure about it.........you might make it.........but there is a good chance you will run away after a few months.......especially if you work in a trauma center.........if you are not sure ..better to start off in a smaller ER.

Because of the nursing shortage....most places will hire all levels of RN's ( the level I trauma centers might be a litlle more picky).

If you get bored easy and want more of a challenge...go for it!!