Do I have what it takes to be an ER nurse?

[pineappleupsidedowncake, BSN, RN]

Hello! I’m a relatively new nurse (going on year 3). Currently I work in a school setting, and before that I was on a med-surge/ortho unit. I really like working in a school (especially during covid!), but I don’t feel like there is much room for growth. I’ve been thinking about going back into the hospital setting after this 2021-2022 school year, however I had a pretty bad experience working inpatient. I’ve thought about the ER (I really enjoyed my ER clinical), but I’m not sure if my personality is necessarily fitting for  it. I’m laid-back and on the quiet side, and sometimes I struggle with assertiveness, confidence in my clinical judgment, and I can be pretty sensitive. A (non-nursing) friend told me she didn’t think I would be able to survive in the ER. since she’s not in the medical field, I didn’t really take that personally, but maybe there is some truth to it? 
Is there a type of personality best for emergency nursing? Are there some personality types that don’t do as well? 

 

 

[JKL33]

On 8/5/2021 at 2:19 PM, pineappleupsidedowncake said:

I’m laid-back and on the quiet side, and sometimes I struggle with assertiveness, confidence in my clinical judgment, and I can be pretty sensitive.

Laid back and sort of quiet is okay. You do need a decent level of assertiveness (not aggressiveness but assertiveness). Confidence in clinical judgment...it's okay if it needs some development but it's an area in which you would need to continually grow stronger so that you have a very decent understanding of what needs to happen and an ability to assess critical and/or changing patient conditions. As for being sensitive - - not sure if you mean sensitivity related to sad/traumatic scenarios or sensitivity as far as basic communication...but...

Realistically, significant sensitivity does not go over well in the ED. Whatever we are feeling needs to pretty much be processed on-the-go. There is not a lot of hand-holding or walking on eggshells or any of that. We aim to be considerate but many (? most) ED nurses are pretty straightforward, which seems to be intimidating for some people even though straightforward is not negative, it's just not messing around. If you're referring to sensitivity about patient scenarios, there are a significant number of scenarios that are either mind-boggling, disturbing or sad.

There are still a wide range of people who can succeed in the ED, though. There's no one right personality. In general I would say "matter of fact," "go-with-the-flow" and "get 'er done" tend to be some themes down in the ED. Out of what you have shared, it is the sensitivity that would give the most pause. But hey....that's something that can be worked on if you decided it was worth it. ??

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I actually was on the quiet side and also struggled with being assertive. However, as I grew comfortable with my team and with my role as an ER nurse, I overcame that and was able to become much more assertive. ER nursing does tend to attract louder personalities, but not always. Anyone can tell you what you can’t do - only you can make that decision and to move forward with what you want to do.

[nursex23, BSN, RN]

Woah! I swear this could have been written by me! I just hit my 3 years as a nurse and for the past 2, I've been in a middle school. Everything I disliked about school nursing is getting so much worse with covid. Yesterday I got an email from a recruiter looking for nurses for the ER. Everyone is telling me I'm crazy for considering leaving a school for a hospital right now. 

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

Right now your tolerance is the most important trait for the ER.  People coming to the ER have a tendency to be entitled. ER wait times are lengthy and now the people are getting bossy - they want blankets and snacks in the waiting room. They don't want to wait to be seen once they get a room or a hallway bed or even a chair.  They want everything right now - and they don't want to hear that they don't qualify for a particular treatment or they can't have what Google has told them they need. People aren't even taking Tylenol for a fever before they arrive - its like they aren't capable of doing anything for themselves and then when you tell them what to do, it isn't what they want to hear.  Everyone thinks antibiotics are the answer - and they aren't.

You have to assume that everyone that walks through the door has Covid. You need to be sure that your hospital provides proper PPE. Yesterday I was told that I can't wear my ENVO mask and that I have to wear what they fit tested me with - except that they don't have any of those masks on the premises.  When I asked they said that I could wear a non-fitted N95 into any patient room that didn't have covid.  I said "I'm literally testing every patient for covid - what am I supposed to wear??". Its a nightmare. You won't give me what I need and you won't allow me to wear my own.

Maybe by the end of your school year things will have changed. I would not wish an ER or ICU position on anyone at this point in time.

[JKL33]

10 hours ago, bitter_betsy said:

I have to wear what they fit tested me with - except that they don't have any of those masks on the premises.  When I asked they said that I could wear a non-fitted N95 into any patient room that didn't have covid.  I said "I'm literally testing every patient for covid - what am I supposed to wear??".

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