calling all ED Technicians

Hi everyone I have been an LTC aide for three years and am looking into applying for an Emergency Room Tech job at the hospital. I am wondering if any of you work in the ER and if so what is your day like? Is there alot of lifting? Just looking for a sort of rundown on what you do all day. I have never worked acute care before and am very nervous about even applying. So any insight you all can give me would be wonderful. Maybe it will even calm my nerves a little. O and I have the choice of either taking a PCT class before going to work or on the job training. Which one do you guys recommend? Would it be better to have some of the skills like phlebotomy down so that at least theres some things that arent all new to me? Thanks guys.

Hi there. I have been an ER tech for the last 4 years before that I was a CNA in a LTC setting and a CNA on a telemetry unit. You shouldn't be nervous about applying for the job. I'm sure you have gotten some good patient care experience as a LTC aide. To give you a run down on a day in the life of a ER tech it is as follows. When a pt. comes in I am usually the first person to interact with them. I take their vitals (if they are abnormal I tell the RN ASAP)get them in a gown if needed and get them comfortable. Then the RN comes to do an assessment, based on what the RN and the MD think they will tell me to start an IV or draw labs, so a phelbotomy course will be helpful to you. I learned on the job and it was just an added stress on top of getting used to everything else ( but it is possible to learn on the job) Then if the pt needs X-rays I'll transport them to the department and if they are being admitted I will transport them to the admitting floor( unless they are on a cardiac monitor, in that case an RN has to transport.) There is not too much lifting or even personal patient care like bed baths and brief changes. I mean there are times these things have to be done but not as frequent as in a nursing home.

You definitley will see new and different things and will learn A LOT! Depending on the hospital you work in, techs can put in Foley catheters, start IVs, spike and prep NS solution bags, take EKG readings, put pts. on the cardiac monitor, do dressing changes . You assist the nurses and doctors with procedures like lumbar punctures, chest tubes insertions, central line placement, suturing, intubations, codes. I've done chest compressions on coding patients and suctioned secretions during intubations. In my opinion you see a lot more in the ER than in a nursing home and I feel more involved in the pt's. care. If this sounds good to you then go for it! I am sure you won't regret it! Best of luck to you!

OMG you are wonderful. Thank you so much. I think I am going to take the class first so that I dont feel like absolutely everything is new. I am really excited because I am really bored with ADL's only. I knew that the ER would be completely different so that is really my motivation. You gave a wonderful description. God Bless you!!

P.S. can you believe I have never had to code anyone EVER. That should be an experience:):cheers: