New Graduate ER Nurse

[heylfire]

I pose this question: Do you think that it is appropriate for a new graduate RN to start His/Her carrier as a nurse in an Emergency Room. I bring this question as I find mixed results from my different managment team members as I approach graduation. I have almost 6 years experience as a CNA, and now have 1 and 1/2 years in the ER. I have worked in just about all aspects of nursing minus home health/ hospice. I have found the ER to be the most rewarding, and look to establish my carrier there, but I find mixed reviews on a New Grad. starting in the ER, what do you all think?

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I still think you should start off on the floor before doing ER or ICU. Not all wards are alike. I don't like Med-Surg, but intermediate care is a great floor to start off on because you get all the skills down. You probably don't get to run drips in the ER like you would on the floor, or see basic meds that are given every day to patients or learn how to communicate with physicians and deal with families. I wanted to to be in the ER so bad when I graduated and interviewed for it, but instead I excepted a job in a trauma unit. I didn't think that I would like it, but now I am very greatful that I was offered a job on this trauma unit because when I leave I now have a foundation and experience to fall back on. I now want to get into ICU instead of ER because I love the technicality of it all, and being able to sit there and see something unfold before your eyes either good or bad, which you don't get to see in the ER. I did my preceptorship in the ER too and I really thought I would be an ER nurse. Now I realize that trauma is the only way to go. Things change and so do your ideals of nursing when you're actually on your own.

-David

We run drips in the ER (whatever drug worked on the code/MI is now the drip until we transfer to the CCU), we communicate with physicians all the time (our docs seek out & take the our input very seriously), we certainly deal with families (you weren't serious about that statement?) and as for "being able to sit there and see something unfold before your eyes either good or bad, which you don't get to see in the ER" (huh???? not flaming you but it sounds like you've never spent any time in an ER). Plus we don't just sit there....

I'm not sure what kind of ER you precepted in, but it doesn't sound at all like where I work.

Anyway, to the OP, go for it!

[nikjalik03]

Well I worked in our ED as a Unit Sec for 4 1/2 years while in nursing school. The older nurses told me it would be good for me to work at least 6 mos on a Med Surg unit before becoming an ED nurse. Boy what a mistake I made. I transferred to a unit that was short staffed and seemed to want to hurry my orientation, so they could have a warm body working the night shift. The nurses on the floor barely talk to each other, which I find very strange being that everyone in the ED talked and joked with each other and worked as a team; this unit does not know the meaning of teamwork. The cna's do not want to do their jobs, all they want to do is sit at the nursing station and surf the web or see who can be the first one to relieve the secretary for lunch. I am counting down the months because after my 5 months are up, I am hightailing it back to the ED where sensible nurses work!!

[lagrl7]

I think as a new grad and being in a new grad program you can work in ER because at first you are working with preceptors, you already have the knowledge you just need to put it to use.