Air Tight Cliques-Level One Trauma ER Nurses/ Hospitals

Nurses General Nursing

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Most Valuable Dearest Nurses,

I have posted before about my excitement for my upcoming interview (in 11 days!!!) for a level one trauma ER in a large city in Southern California!!!:yeah::yeah:

A lot of research for this interview has been ongoing since. However my heart sunk after I have read various posts stating how it's almost impossible for a fairly new nurse (16 months acute rehab experience) to do well in a level one trauma facility :cry:. Most people say those are usually staffed with air tight cliques of veteran nurses :smokin: who not allow an inexperienced RN to work with or anywhere near them. Some suggest I should try a level 3 perhaps...get my feet wet because the ER is a totally different animal, especially those level ones with true traumas and other very real emergencies. I feel discouraged at this point...plus I have discovered it may be a night position, which I know will be hard to adjust to (I have been working days), but in this economy I will take anything.

I have posted this in the general discussion to get reposes from everyone, not just ER nurses...ex ER nurse who is in ob or med/surg/ICU...why did you leave....that sort of thing. Would love to hear from a level 1 trauma nurse who thinks a new nurse CAN make it in that enviroment

Thanks guys!!!!

Hey Jo,

Thanks 4 being more specific. Points taken: Poker face, watch, learn and listen, ask for teaching, get busy on ACLS, PALS etc. get ready to be yelled at and not to take things personal, cry only at home (or in the car ;) )

One more things, how about physical appearance affect my being able to be taken seriously?

I'm female, wear both top and bottom metal teeth braces, 5'3 115 lbs, smilley happy person generally...not a good fit?!?:nurse:

Thanks!

Sorry to break this to you...

Things aren't going to work out. Metal braces are definitely going to hinder your influence and performance. The weight issue is going to be an issue too...If you don't gain 2.2 pounds; I'm afraid your career will be over before it starts.

:vlin:

To be blunt...

You need to grow some ovaries and embed this quote into your mind:

"Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right"-Henry Ford

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Specializes in rehab.

Gain 2.2 pounds? bring the horse then, I'll eat :D

Just asking, how will the braces get in the way of my nursing skills?!? I have the same amount of experience as you. Have had no problems so far except people asking how old I am. One I "prove" myself to them, they feel confident I can do the job. I work Rehab...Physically demanding Rehab, we transfer to and from the commode heavy 200 lb plus paraplegic pts....all day (it seems). Its all about technique...

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Web, time to duck for cover... :D

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Gain 2.2 pounds? bring the horse then, I'll eat :D

Just asking, how will the braces get in the way of my nursing skills?!? I have the same amount of experience as you. Have had no problems so far except people asking how old I am. One I "prove" myself to them, they feel confident I can do the job. I work Rehab...Physically demanding Rehab, we transfer to and from the commode heavy 200 lb plus paraplegic pts....all day (it seems). Its all about technique...

I was being facetious. You asked as if you're looking for reasons to fail before you've begun.

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Specializes in rehab.
Web, time to duck for cover... :D

Heeeeheheheh :D

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J/K

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Specializes in Oncology, Emergency Department.
I told you before you're going to need thick skin.

Don't show your weakness...and whether or not there are mean people are irrelevant. These people are like war vets. They've seen it all and if you can't handle the load they will eat you.

Don't come here whining about them. I don't like inexperienced people; they will only get in the way.

I am not going to sugar coat for you.

Former L1 nurse.

You dont like inexperienced nurses? Did you walk into the level 1 trauma ER born knowing all there is about a trauma patient. I work in a very busy ED and have only worked there for 1 year, but have been a nurse for 15 years. We are not considered a truama hospital. But we see only about 30 patients less a day then the trauma hospital down the road. I really would like to transfer to the ED there. I guess I am inexperienced also and would just get in the way.

To the OP..go for it. Listen to the experienced nurses, learn from them, dont take things personal, find a good mentor, and soon you will be teaching others. Like I said above I have been in the ED only a year and I am already teaching the news ones the ropes.

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Specializes in rehab.

Thanks Riely3, I will go for it!! Wish me luck!:nuke:

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
You dont like inexperienced nurses? Did you walk into the level 1 trauma ER born knowing all there is about a trauma patient. I work in a very busy ED and have only worked there for 1 year, but have been a nurse for 15 years. We are not considered a truama hospital. But we see only about 30 patients less a day then the trauma hospital down the road. I really would like to transfer to the ED there. I guess I am inexperienced also and would just get in the way.

To the OP..go for it. Listen to the experienced nurses, learn from them, dont take things personal, find a good mentor, and soon you will be teaching others. Like I said above I have been in the ED only a year and I am already teaching the news ones the ropes.

YOU are not considered an inexperienced nurse.

The OP has 1.5 years in an LTC. THAT is not experience for a LEVEL 1 TRAUMA. She is a NEW nurse as far as I am concerned.

If I were here, I would start in a L2 ED and work my way into the L1.

For the patients' sake.

Hopefully she has a LONG (minimum one year) preceptorship.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
um... so you were born with level 1 trauma experience??? you were never an inexperienced nurse???

btw, i like your post and i even like this one especially since you're being honest and are representing the sentiments of many others. however, i cannot help to point out the irony in the fact that there are nurses out there who think that just because they have more experience then another nurse, they are not a nurse who "gets in the way". in my experience, nurses with attitudes are nurses that get in the way, especially the "eat-your-young" types. they are bullies with a lot to hide. again, i am a fan of your posts so thanks for posting!

-new er nurse... soon to be trained in trauma... and hoping to land a level 1 postion within a year.

i was years an icu nurse already--taking post op traumas.

so yeah...i was already basically "initiated" and didn't have a huge steep to learn.

i'd been working with the same people already, and they knew me.

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It's funny about the whole impression thing and intimidation. I work in the ICU as mentioned earlier, and excuse my language, but other floors call us the Dick U, because nurses in ICU treat other nurses terribly. We get a patient from ER and we call them FERN, meaning F***ed up ER nurses; and we think that they bring their patient's to us in a mess. It just goes in cycles. Every department thinks they are the greatest. And each department has their own battle axes to go along with it. It just comes with the job. I, personally, don't try to intimidate anyone. I know that sometimes when I'm receiving patient's from the floor who have rapid responded or coded, the floor nurse is a little intimidated, but I try to make them feel as comfortable as possible, because I remember when I was a floor nurse and I received or gave report to an ICU nurse, I used to hate them with a passion because I thought they were all dicks. Again excuse my language.

The only problem I have is with getting report from PACU nurses haha, but I won't get into here. ;)

I agree with you. Since I work in ICU, everyone calls us "ICU Divas" since we can only handle one or two patients and we turn up our noses at the 22 ga IV's we get from the floor . . . unfortunately, there definitely are some ICU RN's who treat the med-surg nurses in a very condescending, "know it all" manner.

My policy is to treat everyone with respect, check the "attitude" at the door.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I agree with you. Since I work in ICU, everyone calls us "ICU Divas" since we can only handle one or two patients and we turn up our noses at the 22 ga IV's we get from the floor . . . unfortunately, there definitely are some ICU RN's who treat the med-surg nurses in a very condescending, "know it all" manner.

My policy is to treat everyone with respect, check the "attitude" at the door.

These attitudes come from never having to step in another person's shoes.

I've been in different roles as a nurse so I can understand the issues each department has.

They are all valid.....

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