New grads in the ER?

HopefulSRNA1234 · Jan 19, 2015

Per NY state law, new grads cannot be hired into the ER (ER nurses must have at least 1 year nursing experience). The only way to work in an ER as a new fed is to get into a state approved residency/fellowship program. In the city, NYP and LIJ are the only ones that I know of that have one for the ER. There aren't many spots so it's crazy competitive and several of the spots go to experienced RNs who are switching specialties.

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

The city hospitals of NYC HHC hire new grads into ER. I heard of new grads being hired at all of them including Elmhurst, Coney Island, Bellevue, Woodhull, Kings County, Jacobi, Lincoln. There is no residency program but they do have at least 3 months orientation.

HopefulSRNA1234 · Jan 20, 2015

The city hospitals of NYC HHC hire new grads into ER. I heard of new grads being hired at all of them including Elmhurst, Coney Island, Bellevue, Woodhull, Kings County, Jacobi, Lincoln. There is no residency program but they do have at least 3 months orientation.

Hey Estrella. The city hospitals do not hire new grads as RNs into the ER. By law, only state approved programs can hire new grads into the ER and HHC is not one of them. The program must be a year in length and technically the nurses may not work independently for a full year.

I wanted to do ED so I looked into this a lot. I also just attended and orientation at LIJ that confirmed the legalities of this. The people you have "heard" of either didn't get hired as RNs, weren't new grad rn's or perhaps something else in their story didn't match up.

Here is the link to the law: Rules and Regulations - New York State Department of Health

Here is the quote: (ii) Emergency services supervising nurses shall be licensed and currently registered and possess current, comprehensive knowledge and skills in emergency health care. They shall have at least one year of clinical experience, be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge necessary to perform basic life support measures, have successfully completed a course in ACLS or have had training and experience equivalent to ACLS and maintain current competence in ACLS as determined by the hospital;

(iii) Registered professional nurses in the emergency service shall be licensed and currently registered professional nurses who possess current, comprehensive knowledge and skills in emergency health care. They shall have at least one year of clinical experience, have successfully completed an emergency nursing orientation program and be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge necessary to perform basic life support measures. Within one year of assignment to the emergency service, each emergency service nurse shall have successfully completed a course in ACLS or have had training and experience equivalent to ACLS and shall maintain current competence in ACLS as determined by the hospital.

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

yes those I "heard" (why do you have heard in quotation marks? It is offensive) of were hired as RNs 2 years ago , they were in my orientation at my hospital. Also my BSN classmates hired at other HHCs told me they also had new grads hired for ER in their orientation. THese new grads...some were EMTs, others only had 3 month experience in nursing home or in outpatient PACU. So nowhere near the 1 year that is required by law. I notice postings this year, state "1 yr med surg exp required" but that wasnt the case before. Their ER orientation is longer than med surg, about 6 months. I do not go on this website posting nonsense. If something I have to say is not verified, i would not post it.

MissJessRN · Jan 20, 2015

I also know of people hired as RNs as new grads into ERs in the city....hospitals with no new grad residencies but just a long orientation. Perhaps this has changed or there is some unwritten exception that got these new grads in. I would say Dee, you can try applying nothing to lose but also keep your options open. I did notice in my most recent job search many ER job posts now say "candidates need at least 1 year experience in ER or 1 year in medsurg/ICU".

dee789 · Jan 20, 2015

Thanks everyone! I am aware of the state code that says new grads cannot be hired into the ER unless they go through a residency program, but I too have heard of new grads going into HHC hospitals and also heard that it depends on the facility so I wasn't sure if there were exceptions somehow. Thank you all for your ideas, if anyone else knows of hospitals in the area (even in NJ) that hire into the ER please keep them coming!

HopefulSRNA1234 · Jan 21, 2015

yes those I "heard" (why do you have heard in quotation marks? It is offensive) of were hired as RNs 2 years ago , they were in my orientation at my hospital. Also my BSN classmates hired at other HHCs told me they also had new grads hired for ER in their orientation. THese new grads...some were EMTs, others only had 3 month experience in nursing home or in outpatient PACU. So nowhere near the 1 year that is required by law. I notice postings this year, state "1 yr med surg exp required" but that wasnt the case before. Their ER orientation is longer than med surg, about 6 months. I do not go on this website posting nonsense. If something I have to say is not verified, i would not post it.

Heard was in quotes because of the hear-say involved in the information presented. It wasn't meant to be offensive. Just saying someone heard something isn't much of a source. Anyways, I verified this with the ENA, looked up the state law, and this information was confirmed by the fellowship director at LIJ at my orientation a couple weeks ago. I trust these sources.

I doubt you'll find an ER posting that says new grads welcome (without a year long fellowship/residency) but good luck with that! Those that you knew probably were not hired as RNs, were hired before the law took into effect, or perhaps didn't tell you the truth about something. Either way, I doubt HHC hospitals are violating the law so I'm pretty sure what you think you heard is not as simple as "new grad was hired straight into er". I trust the sources I listed more than just hearing life experiences from someone who heard something from someone who heard someone etc.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

What I find annoying is that every ER job I see posted wants ER experience. No mention of any other RN experience. How then do I GET the ER experience in the first place? I'm a traveler right now, but I'm just fishing for when I decide to go back to staff.

ebrooks1013 · Jan 21, 2015

To the OP I applied to those jobs anyway. Sometimes they hire and have their own training. I am a new grad in NC and both of the places I applied to and got offers said the same thing.

EMT-->RN · Jan 21, 2015

Some HHCs do hire new grads into the ED. I was given opportunities to be hired as a new grad into the ER from two different HHCs. I was told that the orientation process would be ~6 months at one HHC and unsure of the duration at the other. However, I did not accept the offers.

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

GoVeg, we are all in this to give advice to the OP. But instead you are here to say anyone who says a new grad is hired into the ER is wrong and "heard wrong or made up things". These new grads that were hired into ER....i met personally at my orientation in my hospital and my classmates met personally at their own hospitals. Of course no posting will say "new grads welcome" but somehow these new grads are finding their way in. Some were EMTs which is great experience but others were not they just went straight from newly licensed RN to ER new hire. And did not have their foot in the door as a CNA or clerk. I have some of these "new grads in ER" as friends on linkedin. Somehow they got in and the hospitals are not violating a law. How? I do not know but point is....OP , you can apply but it will be challenging to be hired into ER as new grad...but if you dont apply you will never know.