Community Health to ED Nursing?

Specialties Emergency

Published

I will have one year of nursing experience come June. I currently working in community health, which is also what I did prior to obtaining my nursing license. My role in the clinic includes triaging patients and assisting in procedures (including EKGs, catheterizations, neb treatments, wound care, etc.) and managing the care of the occasional emergent patient who walks in the door (e.g. respiratory distress, severe burns, HELLP syndrome) until EMS arrives.

I know that the emergency department is very competitive, and typically requires experience in the ICU or at least a Med/Surg unit. I'm curious if there's any crossover between community health nursing and the ED. From what I've seen (in clinicals), the ED is 90% what I do in the clinic (cough/cold/minor injuries) and 10% fast-paced, highly skilled critical care.

I have my ACLS/PALS cert and am looking into TNCC. I enjoy my job but am just curious if I do someday want a change of pace if it would be feasible to apply straight to the ED or if I would need to pay my dues in Med/Surg first.

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ambulatory Case Management, Clinic, Psychiatry.

Listening in.... OP do you still work in the clinic?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I know that the emergency department is very competitive, and typically requires experience in the ICU or at least a Med/Surg unit. I'm curious if there's any crossover between community health nursing and the ED. From what I've seen (in clinicals), the ED is 90% what I do in the clinic (cough/cold/minor injuries) and 10% fast-paced, highly skilled critical care.

The ER does not typically require ICU or med/surg at all. But your percentages are probably off, unless you are working in a very low-acuity ER; what you are describing sounds like an urgent care or a fast track. If you do go to work in an ER, be prepared to feel like a slow new grad all over again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.
I know that the emergency department is very competitive, and typically requires experience in the ICU or at least a Med/Surg unit.
Quite untrue... most ED nurses do not come out of the ICUs. That's a tough transition.

I'm curious if there's any crossover between community health nursing and the ED.
Yeah, just what you've identified.
From what I've seen (in clinicals), the ED is 90% what I do in the clinic (cough/cold/minor injuries) and 10% fast-paced, highly skilled critical care.
That's facility dependent... and most facilities have a fast-track/urgent-care pod to filter off those cases so they don't get into the department. Also, it's not a binary thing as you've describe... it's probably better described by the 5 ESI levels: (say 40% ESI 3, 30% ESI 2, 15% ESI 4, 10% ESI 1, and 5% ESI 5). The proportions really vary by hospital location and type.

I have my ACLS/PALS cert and am looking into TNCC. I enjoy my job but am just curious if I do someday want a change of pace if it would be feasible to apply straight to the ED or if I would need to pay my dues in Med/Surg first.
I think you'd face a challenge getting an ED position from a clinic. I presume that you have very little psychomotor experiences like IVs, ABGs, NG tubes, caths, etc as well as exposure to critical situations.

The longer that you remain in the clinic environment, the less likely you are to successfully make the jump. JMO.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment