Accepted the job, now what?

[typoagain]

I begin my career with seven years in pediatrics. Then I transferred over to the ER at the ER directors request. Lo and behold we got a new er director shortly after that. A year and a half later I did what many of us do, I quit my boss and went to work at another hospital.

The new hospital has an extremely busy er that handles a large number of trauma cases. It's a nice facility that's only 10 years old. And it has a great team of nurses. But the local economy has been booming and the bottom line is they just do not have the resources to handle the volume they need to.

Then last week we had an incident where I had three patients, all of whom were ESI level 2. I had one patient going in and out of a fib. Another in afib who had just had a stroke. And another with an altered mental state that we could not figure out what was causing.

I was fine until the 3rd one got sent to the ER and they brought me in and auto accident victim with a head injury.

My teammates stepped in and gave me a ton of help but we very nearly had an error made that could have been fatal to one of my patients. Even though I had a lot of help it was still my patient in my responsibility.

After several days I've decided that was it two years in the ER was enough for me. I liked having a license.

I met with my boss and turned in my notice. 2 hours later I was interviewing and offered a telephone nurse triage job at the same facility.

I think it will be a very good career move due to other things going on with my family. Plus it is something I have actually considered doing before I ever went into the ER.

Now my question: what do I need to do to get ready for this new job that starts in 3 weeks to make myself the best at doing the job?

[pfchang]

To make yourself the best at the new job? Take some time and relax and breathe. I'm serious.

The triage dept people should teach you what you need, such as their software, policies re triage dispositions, etc. ER is good background for triage and they obviously feel you can do the job since they offered it to you so quickly. Enjoy your time off:)