Aspiring ER nurse with a few questions. :-)

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:)Hi!!!!!

I'm currently out of school and working as a CNA on a Telemetry unit. My ultimate goal is to become an ER nurse.

The hospital that I work at now doesn't require the nurses to have BSN they hire ASN as well. But to work in the ER would I have to get my masters in nursing? or is it only if I want to specialize?

Also if you don't mind sharing some of your stories/experiences of working in the ER? so that I can get an actual sense of what it's like aside from watching Scrubs? lol Thank you so much!!!!!:nurse::saint:

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If you want to specialise you need your masters, as a general nursing staff member in the ER you don't.

Stories: a good day at my ED is when the board is mostly psych patients: suicidal ideations, ODs, manic depressions, bi polar, convinced aliens are on the earth that kinda thing. It makes for a fun day!

I've had 6 patients die on me...4 hospice and 2 MVAs...in one shift

I've delivered a baby

It all turns into the same eventually but the days go fast

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I don't think you need a masters to be an ER nurse.

I love my job. I have good days and bad days. Bad days consist of very sick patients that need more attention to give them, extremely demented pts with no family at the bedside who keep climbing out of the bed, and patients with no pulse aren't fun either.

Good days consist of 3:1 ratios where I can give good care. Pts having an acute heart attack that get to cath lab and then you hear they had 99% blockage, but are now doing well. I once had a pts that was going into vtach and went aststole 3 times until we got amidorone hung on her and she was thanking us for saving her life.

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Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

I'm not sure what the requirements are in your facility, but in NYS where i am it is not easy to find and retain a good ER nurse. Many of my co-workers just have AS. In my hospital it was much preferred that an aspiring ER nurse has at least 6 months of med-surg or critical care under her belt. My normal assignment was 6 patients. It required quite a few different clinical and interpersonal skills to manage that load and provide good care.

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Thanks for the comments!!! I'm getting more excited and determined just reading them. :-) My hospital is in chicago. And after talking to my manager I found out that most hospitals are requiring a BSN but because I work there already if I were to get an associates in nursing they would hire me but I would have to make a commitment to go back for my bachelor's. And ED doesn't require us to have a certain amount of experience to work there.

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I also suggest you try and volunteer....just today I was with a family as the trauma registrar told them their son didn't make it. Nothing prepares you for that!! As a volunteer you will get a small taste for what happens in an ED and you can ask questions.

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