Advice for an aspiring trauma nurse?

[colli646]

Hey everyone!

I'm pretty new to this site, but I ran across it one day when I was doing research. I just got accepted into the BSN nursing program at Michigan State University. My dream nursing job would definitely be to work in the emergency department in a big city. I love everything about Boston, including their hospitals. Does anyone have any advice for a student who wants to be a trauma nurse? I'm currently working as a CNA in a nursing home because I needed a job ASAP, and I plan on working in a local hospital next year, as a CNA and an Emergency Department Technician.

Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks,

A

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

I'm not a trauma nurse (not even a nurse) and I don't even really work at a trauma CENTER yet, but being a nurse having to take charge of traumas is very, very stressful especially if you're not a leader, not as confident as you should be and/or are unorganized. I've work at a Children's ER and I currently work at an ER on the outskirts of a large city and there were huge differences in how traumas were handled at each location. I give my current workplace the benefit of the doubt because we just have a trauma room as of now. Anyway, back to the question, I think it'll be really helpful being a tech before being a nurse in an ER. You'd already know how ERs work and how to do simple things. There are nurses at my ER who weren't techs and they have no idea how to do splints.... And in my opinion, it's even better that you're working in a nursing home initially because you know basic patient care, privacy, etc. In the ER, none of that matters as much to the staff but patients and families will be very grateful if you have the initiative to close the curtains before undressing someone or providing care as well as knocking before entering. Good luck!

[colli646]

Thank you so much!