Best Nursing School for ED?

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I am in the process of apply for nursing school. I want to work in Trauma/ED. After nursing school I want to join the military and be an officer first. What are some Nursing schools that would be good for what I want to do? I'm in Washington state. So far I'm going to apply to University of Washington, Oregon Health and Science, and ICN in Spokane. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks :)

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I can't really give you advice on schools. But what I do want to say is that don't expect to get into the position you want immediately. You'll probably have to work somewhere less desirable to get experience and then move into Trauma/ED.

I think as long as you do good in school and make connections, you will be okay.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

There is no particular nursing school that will train you specifically for the ED. Nursing school will train you to be a generalist. If you specialize it will be on the job training and experience along with some extra certifications that you can study and test for. Some ED's have new grad internships, most don't. It won't be impossible to get a job in an ED straight out of school but it will be difficult to find one. If you join the military that will definitely be a plus.

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Any accredited school should do.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

If you want to join the military, then be sure you do a BSN program, not ADN. You have to have a BSN to commission as an officer/RN. You didn't mention if you were looking at ADN or BSN programs, so I thought I'd throw that out there.

While you're in nursing school, it would be a good idea to try to procure employment in an ED setting as a tech so you can start networking to find a position. Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

University of Washington is the highest ranked nursing school in the country. So, it may be a good way of getting a competitive ED externship or something. Also the UW Med. Center gets the worst cases in the region and their ER is free to all who can't pay, so its always insanely busy. If they do clinicals down there, it would be great experience. Its insanely competitive to get into the UW, so good luck! :)

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
University of Washington is the highest ranked nursing school in the country. ER is free to all who can't pay, so its always insanely busy. :)

Okay, I'm SERIOUSLY not trying to be snarky but by whom is UW ranked as the best in the country. Also, all ERs, with the exception of private institutions who do not accept Medicare, are "free" to all who can't pay. Well 'free' is kind of a loose term. We treat patients regardless of their ability to pay but somebody eventually pays for it.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Cardiac.

haha I would like to know where UW is ranked best nursing school in the country as well!

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Rankings - Nursing - Graduate Schools - Education - US News and World Report

Nursing schools are only ranked by US News in terms of graduate programs. FYI I did not go to UW, but I still knew where to find the info.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Then it doesn't really pertain to this discussion, which would be for undergrad programs. Kinda weird that they don't rank undergrad ones as well! Or that they haven't updated that listing since 2007. Ah well ... thanks for the link, there's some interesting info there!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Oddly enough, I was accepted to UW at one time, back in 1990 when I was an aspiring Journalism major! It was a fabulous school (so impressed during the tour, etc.), but I just couldn't leave my beloved Germany in the end, so I went to the U of Maryland in Munich. :)

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I'm not sure how willing you are to relocate, but the University of San Francisco has a great Nursing program that employers in the Bay Area looooove. USF has an army ROTC program that puts you through nursing school so while you are becoming an RN, you'll also be training to be an officer. I didn't do the program myself, but had a lot of friends who did and they are all doing great and are really successful. A lot of them have had the chance to spend summer breaks in Georgia, Germany, and a few other places I think, working in acute care hospitals which is great experience that your peers that aren't in ROTC won't get. If you want ED experience, during your final semester at USF, you get to choose where you want your preceptorship and most people get their first choice..I chose the ED and had an INCREDIBLE experience at a downtown SF hospital where the patient diversity is as insane was you can imagine with a lot of interesting and complicated cases... Good luck!!!

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