applying for ER jobs,,, stuck,did LPN past hurt me?

[LPN2RNdude]

hello all,,,, i was an LPN for 6 years prior to going back to RN school.... the reason i went back to school was to land a dream job in the ER. ICU was my first thought, but after precepting there in school i was in for a rude awakening. the local hospital had a 12 bed ICU, and in my opinion short staffing was an issue, one nurse would have like 2 critical vent patients, plus another one. and i witnessed a few med errors made by seasoned ICU nurses, so that kinda scared me as well. i have worked in internal medicine clinics, a subacute hall in a rehab LTC facility prior to going to RN school. i always did a wonderful job but longed for the ER.

when i passed my boards in december i took a home health job making an INSANE amount of money, but i knew it wasnt what i wanted to do, WHAT was i thinking???? i guess money talks.

i interviewed for an ER position this morning, and the human resources gal told me that a very experieinced ER RN may take that job. and the other local hospital hired 4 new nurses due to a scholarship the hospital offers, they had to give them the job. do u think that my LTC and LPN experience hurt me? what can i do to get into an ER? years ago i worked as a tech in an ER and i dont want to work as a nurse if it isnt ER. know it sounds picky but thats what i want to do. i have 10,000 saved up to bide time and pay my bills until an ER job comes up. any thoughts:o????

[bigsyis]

I don't think your prior LPN experience or LTC had anything to do with the interview. I think it was one of those "courtesy interviews." They probably already knew who they were going to hire, but had to do interviews anyway. At least they didn't string you along by telling you they would "give you a call," or some BS thing like that.

Whatever you do, don't NOT work as a nurse. Get with an agency and begin working in hospitals. Then you will kind of have a foot in the door. However, **warning** some agencies have contracts with hospitals that forbid one of their employees to be hired away by the hospital without the employee and/or the hospital paying a penalty for doing so. Be sure you are aware of that, going in. In the meantime, you will keep gaining experience, keep your skills fresh, and have your ear to the ground to hear about open ER positions. It is too early in your career to be so elitist, I think. There is nothing wrong at all with having goals (ER was where I went after I bridged from LPN, so I feel that I'm qualified to speak here), but it can be off-putting to other nurses if you make it seem as if their units are distasteful, or somehow beneath you. Good luck!

[trainer2070]

. It is too early in your career to be so elitist, I think. There is nothing wrong at all with having goals (ER was where I went after I bridged from LPN, so I feel that I'm qualified to speak here), but it can be off-putting to other nurses if you make it seem as if their units are distasteful, or somehow beneath you. Good luck!

With all due respect I disagree. The ED is where I want to work when I get done with school and its the only place I want to work. If I had to chose between working Med/Surg Tele or some other floor because I cant get a job in the ED then Ill go back to paramedicine. It has nothing to do with being an elitist or putting down other floors, its all about me and my career and where I want to work. I know there are plenty of places that take new grads in the ED and there are plenty of places that won't.

[LPN2RNdude]

i understand what you are saying, bigysis, about other units thinking that way, but i just know in my heart i wouldnt be happy on a floor. i want to be the first nurse to care for that sick patient, i like trying to figure whats going on, and im great with my assessment skills, i feel very comfortable with physical assessments. when i was a teen i was hospitalzed and the male ER nurse was about the only nurse i could remember from all that time being in the hospital, its like he made the most impact l... do u know what im talking about? hard to explain, i guess. but thanks for the feedback.