New Grad hired in the ER, question.

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Should new grads be able to start in a critical care position?

    • 80
      YES
    • 27
      NO

107 members have participated

Hey guys,

So I want to bring up a hot topic here that I hear often. As I have stated before, I am a new grad, about to take my NCLEX and I was hired in the ER prior to graduation. I was only one of 2 new grads offered a position in the ER at my local hospital.

I often here MANY seasoned nurses say that new grads should NOT be hired in critical care positions. I feel I have an advantage over other new grads since I have worked as a nurse apprentice in the ER prior to graduating.

I know a lot of students do not feel they belong in med/surg or any "stepping stone" unit, so I am here to ask you guys your opinion. Whether you're a nurse for 2 years or 25, what is YOUR opinion on a new grad starting in the ER?

In case anyone is wondering my opinion, I am a firm believer that some people are meant to go into critical care- BOTTOM LINE. I don't really believe new grads NEED to start on a med/surg floor to gain their experience and time management. I truly believe some just do better than others in critical care right off the bat.

I am a mother to 2 sons, as well as a hairstylist and managed to work full time throughout the entire RN program, so I do not feel like I am lacking in time management.

I know I still have soooo much to learn and I absolutely LOVE being given the opportunity to learn in a critical and fast paced environment.

Let me know what YOU guys think. Im also going to add a poll in case some of you guys do not have the time to write out your answer, but if you do, please take the time to respond because I truly am curious.

Thanks so much,

XO, Alex

I just passed my NCLEX. I went into nursing to become an ED nurse. I am thankful to say my first job will be in the ED. I just know it is where I belong. I love fast paced work. I love things never being the same. I hope I chose the right hospital and the seasoned nurses are willing to take on this enthusiastic new nurse!

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I've had some friends go straight into critical care and wound up competent amazing critical care nurses. Show those seasoned nurses you can roll with them

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Nursing school gives you a taste of what several kinds of nursing jobs are available. They cannot go into any real depth. New grads need a couple of years in Med-Surg to solidify their knowledge of general basic health problems. Not time management, but learn it to recognize subtle changes in multi-disorder patients. If one I s an experienced LVN/LON, they may require less basic training, though their role as an RN is vastly different.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Meh, do what you want. I was told the same tripe, only med/surg for new grads. Was offered a job in labor/delivery. Took it. Succeeded just fine. I don't let others' opinions sway me so much when I am set on what I want and work hard to get it.

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Meh, do what you want. I was told the same tripe, only med/surg for new grads. Was offered a job in labor/delivery. Took it. Succeeded just fine. I don't let others' opinions sway me so much when I am set on what I want and work hard to get it.

Thank you for your advice, do you love L&D? I feel like thats a close second favorite of mine.

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I've had some friends go straight into critical care and wound up competent amazing critical care nurses. Show those seasoned nurses you can roll with them

Thanks so much for your positivity.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I am of 2 minds on this. As a new grad, I was hired into a Progressive Care Unit. Critical care in which I had 5 months of orientation. With the right preceptor I learned a lot & soon, experienced nurses who floated to us were looking to me for help & couldn't believe I'd be so calm doing XYZ.

With 18mos under my belt, I changed jobs to a new hospital. With no ICU/PCU positions I took a med/surg job (already planning to transfer asap). It was still an amazing learning experience. Did I fall in love & stay? No. I have since moved on to a variety of critical care positions in different hospitals & in different states.

It wasnt't my dream job, and I couldnt wait to get back to critical care, but it was a year out of my life that taught me a lot and actually gave me some great opportunities. The nurse educator was used to wotkingbwith new grads & while I was experienced & initially found her grating as I wanted to get on with it I'd be a fool not to be thankful for her. She would go out of her way to ensure we saw new things, tried new equipment, and had our backs when doctors or residents got a little too high & mighty with us.

So, in a way, you're right. Often new grads are pulled to a certain area. While most instructors will direct students to the med/surg year a few of mine said to go for what we wanted. I was interested in critical care but never imagined I'd get it asca new grad. Fearing not landingba job, I applied to everything I technically qualified for. I remember after the interview I said to the hubs "they were nice & all but I'm going to be a new grad. My only question was did my resume hit the shred bos before or after I'd made it to the front door of the hospital." Imagine my surprise when that was the job I got!

But 8 years later and from working with new grads on med surg AND students AND experienced nurses in a (new to them) critical care setting I will tell you newbies (and even experienced nurses) dont always know what they dont know... Some ARE amazing, some aren't. That said I still encourage some med/surg time. You never know what you can get out of it. What do most really lose in a year by doing it? I wouldnt say to you nope, dont take ER (especially since you got it), but I will say its foolish to disparage the med/surg year without experiencing that. Its recommended to new grads for a reason.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

I was essentially a NG when I started in the ED. I had worked for 11 months on a low-census, low-acuity M/S floor first but I had limited ED orientation and I was the *only* nurse in the department on my shift so I had to pretty much figure it out on the fly. I was successful but it came with a number of bumps and bruises and, on occasion, sub-optimal nursing care (though from my perspective ~10 years in, I see regularly see sub-optimal care, even from very experienced nurses so I accept that it was what it was).

Being an NG in the ED comes with some serious challenges and risks... you may end up rising to the challenge but you could also end up torpedoing your career at its outset. You sound like you are very confident in yourself and your ability to learn and grow professionally so you'll probably be fine but do be sure that you're evaluating yourself as objectively as you can.

With the appropriate on-the-job training, the right NG nurse can successfully launch their career in any kind of unit, critical-care or otherwise.

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I was essentially a NG when I started in the ED. I had worked for 11 months on a low-census, low-acuity M/S floor first but I had limited ED orientation and I was the *only* nurse in the department on my shift so I had to pretty much figure it out on the fly. I was successful but it came with a number of bumps and bruises and, on occasion, sub-optimal nursing care (though from my perspective ~10 years in, I see regularly see sub-optimal care, even from very experienced nurses so I accept that it was what it was).

Being an NG in the ED comes with some serious challenges and risks... you may end up rising to the challenge but you could also end up torpedoing your career at its outset. You sound like you are very confident in yourself and your ability to learn and grow professionally so you'll probably be fine but do be sure that you're evaluating yourself as objectively as you can.

With the appropriate on-the-job training, the right NG nurse can successfully launch their career in any kind of unit, critical-care or otherwise.

Thank you for taking the time to address my question. I definitely am confident in being a new grad, but of course I understand that there are a lot of things I have yet to learn, but I am ready to take on the challenge.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

You should start out where you want to be, or as close to it as possible. If you don't know where you want to be, you should start out where you can see a wide variety of problems and patients, med surg is a good option.

Nurse turnover is a serious problem. No one should knowingly take a job they only plan to have for a year.

Go for what you want.

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Specializes in LTC.

Congrats on getting the job and good luck passing your NCLEX!

I think if you've apprenticed in the ER before and feel comfortable, you should be fine. There will be seasoned nurses there to help you out, so make sure to learn as much as you can from them. Good luck to you and I hope everything works out well!

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Congrats on getting the job and good luck passing your NCLEX!

I think if you've apprenticed in the ER before and feel comfortable, you should be fine. There will be seasoned nurses there to help you out, so make sure to learn as much as you can from them. Good luck to you and I hope everything works out well!

Thank you,

I just took it today!! I start my position in the ER on Monday! I am so excited.

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