Anyone else waiting to start an Emergency Department Residency Program?

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Hi All,

I graduated December 2016 and passed NCLEX January 2017. I've been waiting for two months to start my residency program in March and I'm getting impatient. My start date is finally two weeks away and I couldn't be more nervous, anxious, happy, and excited. I've definitely enjoyed my break, but I'm ready to start working :yes:. Anyone else waiting to start their first RN job? Anyone currently in a residency program? Any advice for a new grad starting out in the ED?

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Specializes in Pediatric Emergency.

Adults or Peds? Mixed?

Be ready to learn! Meaning... recognizing sick vs. not sick and prepare to give MAXIMUM EFFORT! Sorry, Deadpool quote...

When I started my residency, I didn't know the in's and out's of... anything. So I had to compensate by putting in extra effort to keep up. It also helps that my department has an excellent new grad program with amazing educators that are on the floor and working with the staff nurses.

Best of luck to you!

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Adults or Peds? Mixed?

Be ready to learn! Meaning... recognizing sick vs. not sick and prepare to give MAXIMUM EFFORT! Sorry, Deadpool quote...

When I started my residency, I didn't know the in's and out's of... anything. So I had to compensate by putting in extra effort to keep up. It also helps that my department has an excellent new grad program with amazing educators that are on the floor and working with the staff nurses.

Best of luck to you!

Hey chul_soo, BSN

Thanks for replying. It's mixed. And I love Deadpool too, lol. Are you still in your program? How long is your program? Mines will be 12 weeks of training with a 2 year commitment. Could you give any tips on staying ahead? Did youth program give you any resources to take home and study? Was the classroom time anything like nursing school? (Sorry for so many questions but they've built up over the course two months, lol)

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Specializes in Pediatric Emergency.

My ED orientation was about 3 months and my residency was 1 year. That being said, the residency program was hospital wide and cover basic pediatric stuff for all the new grads on the critical care side. My ED gave great didactic lectures on common illness seen in my ED. To be honest, most of my learning was on the floor and not in the classroom. But then again, I learn best when there's hands on involved. I finished my residency 4 years ago now. I'm actually speaking to the group of new grads that's finishing up their residency soon in my department.

No worries on all the question, that's why we all come to this forum. As far as tips... coffee? Lol~ There wasn't much I did outside of my residency. I thought about memorizing different dilutions for meds but it wasn't really needed. I felt like I had a leg up on all the other residents because of my previous experience as a Army Medic and working part time as a medical assistant while going to nursing school. Plus, I feel that the hiring process weeded out 99% of people that wouldn't cut it in the ED. Since I've been in this department, I've only seen 1 new grad that didn't make it through residency.

Ah, 1 good tip. Find a good mentor on your floor. It doesn't have to be your preceptor but someone that you look up to and has vast amounts of knowledge in the floor and in the nursing career. I hope this helps!

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Specializes in ED, Critical care, & Education.

Congratulations on your nurse residency program! SUPER EXCITING!!! I started in the ED as a new grad and boy do I wish we had something like this. Plan to dive in and study hard, but do take breaks to care for yourself. Show your enthusiasm for learning and for being the best you can be. Get some good ED books. Read about the types of cases you are seeing after your shift.

I 100% agree with chul_soo's comment about finding a mentor. This is key. Please read a couple of my blog posts. They are written from my years in the ED with newer nurses in mind. They may help you. Best of luck!

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-things-i-1083307.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-things-i-1085789.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-clinical-tips-1088596.html

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Congratulations on your nurse residency program! SUPER EXCITING!!! I started in the ED as a new grad and boy do I wish we had something like this. Plan to dive in and study hard, but do take breaks to care for yourself. Show your enthusiasm for learning and for being the best you can be. Get some good ED books. Read about the types of cases you are seeing after your shift.

I 100% agree with chul_soo's comment about finding a mentor. This is key. Please read a couple of my blog posts. They are written from my years in the ED with newer nurses in mind. They may help you. Best of luck!

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-things-i-1083307.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-things-i-1085789.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/5-clinical-tips-1088596.html

Thank You for replying! Heading over to read your posts now! :yes:

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Specializes in Emergency.

Hope everything is going well for you. I graduate in May and start my ED residency (36 weeks) in July. Level 1 and will be working peds and adult. Super nervous and was blown away by the facility. I am hopeful because they hire new grads somewhat often. Theres a lot of classroom work with it and online "classroom" work each week so I am hoping I survive.

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Hope everything is going well for you. I graduate in May and start my ED residency (36 weeks) in July. Level 1 and will be working peds and adult. Super nervous and was blown away by the facility. I am hopeful because they hire new grads somewhat often. Theres a lot of classroom work with it and online "classroom" work each week so I am hoping I survive.

If you can survive nursing school you can survive anything! So excited for the both of us :-)

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Specializes in ED.

I'll join in too! I just accepted a new grad position in a level 1 trauma center! I don't graduate until May and won't start until June but I'm really excited. :)

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I'll join in too! I just accepted a new grad position in a level 1 trauma center! I don't graduate until May and won't start until June but I'm really excited. :)

Early congratulations to you! The wait for me seemed extremely long, but now that I've started we've been going nonstop. Needless to say that break after graduation and NCLEX was well needed :yes: But I am enjoying this new role and so love writing RN behind my name. Just worked my first shift on the floor yesterday and it was faces past, but fun. You'll enjoy your job if you thrive off a fast paced environment.

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Specializes in Emergency.

It looks like I will be starting before I take the NCLEX on a provisional license....yikes!!

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