Any Lpn's Working In Er??

no er holds · Nov 13, 2004

hi i am two exams and one nclex away from becoming a lpn. at the local hospital in philadelphia they are hiring glpn right after graduation. has anyone come straight out of school and worked in the er. if so can you tell me your experiences? good and bad.

i've been in the er of our local trama center since graduation (about 1 year). it's hectic, fast-paced, and crazy. i wouldn't trade it for anything (give me a few years, i may change my mind!) :uhoh3: you'll learn how to do alot of things quickly and get alot of practice with ivs, ekgs, foleys' etc. most of the patients transferred to the med/surg floors have all of that stuff started in the er. i've developed a reputation for getting ivs started when there was no hope and have been focusing more on pediatric emergencies. you get exposed to alot of different scenarios and learn to keep yourself calm under pressure.

good luck...it takes a really special person to be an er lpn. i know you can do it! :balloons:

mhull · Nov 13, 2004

This post should have been mine also, I have worked in an ER since I graduated LPN school. It is funny because I am called to start 90% of the peds IV, etc. I love the ER and can't think of any other place I would rather work, well actually I would like to be a flight nurse. When I get ifnished with my RN I will work on that.

I've been in the ER of our local Trama Center since graduation (about 1 year). It's hectic, fast-paced, and crazy. I wouldn't trade it for anything (give me a few years, I may change my mind!) You'll learn how to do alot of things quickly and get ALOT of practice with IVs, EKGs, Foleys' etc. Most of the patients transferred to the med/surg floors have all of that stuff started in the ER. I've developed a reputation for getting IVs started when there was no hope and have been focusing more on pediatric emergencies. You get exposed to alot of different scenarios and learn to keep yourself calm under pressure.
Good Luck...it takes a really special person to be an ER LPN. I know you can do it! :balloons:

ER_RN07 · Nov 16, 2004

Hi!

I also started in the ER as a new grad. According to my manager who hired me, they normally did not hire new grad LPN's only new grad RN's. She (thankfully) took a chance on me because I had experience as an ER tech. I was hired to work in the fast track and eventually once the fast track was staffed we were all floated to the main ER if we had an extra LPN in fast track. I love the ER and have been there so far for 4 years! Recently, our Clinical Nurse Specialist got approval for the LPN's to push IV meds and then all the Nurse Managers in my hospital jumped on board so now hospital wide LPN's are allowed to push IV meds! The ER has been the best learning experience I could have wished for! Good luck to you!

no er holds · Nov 17, 2004

Hi!
Recently, our Clinical Nurse Specialist got approval for the LPN's to push IV meds and then all the Nurse Managers in my hospital jumped on board so now hospital wide LPN's are allowed to push IV meds! The ER has been the best learning experience I could have wished for! Good luck to you!

What state do ypu work in? That's great you got approval to push IV meds. That's a big DON'T according the nursing boards here in California. Just be careful and make sure you're not being set up. It's alot of responsibility. Hint: if you have to push Benadryl, take your time with it because patients will freak out (when it's pushed too fast) and start feeling as though they're going to lose consciousness (not pleasant) and they'll try to fight it and panic.

Good luck! Let me know how it goes :balloons:

tisha1098 · Nov 20, 2004

Kentucky just put in place for us (LPN) to do IV pushes and also blood administration. I say it's about time. but I just wonder when the money will come with the responsibility.

Tisha

What state do ypu work in? That's great you got approval to push IV meds. That's a big DON'T according the nursing boards here in California. Just be careful and make sure you're not being set up. It's alot of responsibility. Hint: if you have to push Benadryl, take your time with it because patients will freak out (when it's pushed too fast) and start feeling as though they're going to lose consciousness (not pleasant) and they'll try to fight it and panic.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes :balloons:

no er holds · Nov 20, 2004

Kentucky just put in place for us (LPN) to do IV pushes and also blood administration. I say it's about time. but I just wonder when the money will come with the responsibility.
Tisha

In California we have been able to do blood administration, still no IV pushes yet. What about discharges? :rolleyes:

tisha1098 · Nov 21, 2004

LPN's are able to discharge any patient no matter what department. I currently work on an Ortho/Neuro floor and we do admissions and discharges. There is not a lot that we don't do. Which gets pretty hectic at times.:balloons:

In California we have been able to do blood administration, still no IV pushes yet. What about discharges?

Tentorio2002 · Nov 22, 2004

During my time in the ER, I worked with LPN's and RN's both......I always thought it was kind of interesting that the majority of the LPNs could run circles around the other nurses.

no er holds · Nov 25, 2004

During my time in the ER, I worked with LPN's and RN's both......I always thought it was kind of interesting that the majority of the LPNs could run circles around the other nurses.

It's a beautiful thing...I've had more than my share of complicated peds patients that I end up caring for because the RNs start to cry (the "poor baby" thing) and they end up sticking the patient several times just to start an IV. I had 4 in one shift this week and ended up jumping on a gurney and feeling like a pretzel keeping a patient in position so the doc could stitch (strong kid that got out of a papoose the RN stuck him in)...tiny fingers slammed in car doors...ouch! The hug I got from the muchkin was worth it!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Off to the relatives to eat and not having to clean up MY kitchen :balloons: :rotfl:

xy/RN2b 2006 · Nov 26, 2004

It's a beautiful thing...I've had more than my share of complicated peds patients that I end up caring for because the RNs start to cry (the "poor baby" thing) and they end up sticking the patient several times just to start an IV. I had 4 in one shift this week and ended up jumping on a gurney and feeling like a pretzel keeping a patient in position so the doc could stitch (strong kid that got out of a papoose the RN stuck him in)...tiny fingers slammed in car doors...ouch! The hug I got from the muchkin was worth it!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Off to the relatives to eat and not having to clean up MY kitchen :balloons: :rotfl:

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... yeah okay:stone .....................please don't turn this into an RN vs. LPN/LVN.....because in the end the RN always comes out on top....but of course with the higher education and higher pay!!!

xy/RN2b 2006 · Nov 26, 2004

During my time in the ER, I worked with LPN's and RN's both......I always thought it was kind of interesting that the majority of the LPNs could run circles around the other nurses.

same goes for you....

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... yeah okay:stone .....................please don't turn this into an RN vs. LPN/LVN.....because in the end the RN always comes out on top....but of course with the higher education and higher pay!!!