Does it feel to everyone else that many newer nurses glamourize the ER and ICU?

[The0Walrus]

I'm curious. Most of the people I went to school with want to be ICU or ER nurses. They've never worked in the ICU or the ER but that's all they want to do. I told one girl who refused to work anywhere else other than ICU to go into a nursing home if she needs a job. She refused it and it took her a few months to finally go into a nursing home. She quit after a month because of her standards. It's the same thing when it comes to med surg and psych nursing. It feels like many newer nurses look down upon any other nurses other than ER and ICU.

Another girl I know said she's wanted to work as a psych nurse forever, but when she was offered the ER position and psych position she took the ER position. I asked her why she chose ER over psych and she said she knows ER better. Now she complains about the work load from a trauma 2 hospital. I asked her why she didn't just transfer into psych since it's what she wanted and she didn't really give me a concrete answer just basically that she's stuck.

Does it feel that way to anyone else? When it comes to ER/ICU it feels like they only respect those specialties. Thanks!

[NurseBlaq]

19 hours ago, YG FNP said:

When I started nursing I was on a med-surg diabetic/renal floor. We had regular med-surg, all the DKA drips, and CAPD patients.  The floor was not respected by the other specialty floor nurses or administration. I felt this was mostly due to the type of patients we had (meaning low income, homeless, or medicaid patients). When we were floated to the cardiac unit we would see how other floors had new equipment, fresh coats of paint, and working ice machines and be jealous of that rather than the type of patient that was being cared for.  I worked that floor for 4 years before we moved and I switched to the ER.  The thing I loved about the ER was the immediate availability of the doctors/providers (unheard of on a med-surg floor) and thinking on your feet (that I learned from working the med-surg floor). I never returned to med-surg only because I never found another floor like the one I had started on. What I saw in other hospitals was nurses who refused drips of any kind, were afraid of even trying to start an IV, and had become overly 'specialized'. While I appreciate growing knowledge in one area and being great at a certain patient population, I fear for our profession when we pit one area against another as equating to be a better nurse.  

Absolutely, find your passion in nursing, but never give up on learning from each other and respecting each other.  Regardless of the perceived glamour, your patients appreciate you whatever floor you are on.

I worked with a nurse in the ER who claimed she couldn't start IVs on dark-skinned patients because she couldn't see their veins. I refused to help unless she at least tried. She acted as if they had a different anatomy because their skin had a little more melanin. Management finally did something about it after doctors and units complained about patients being brought up without IVs because none of us would do them for her. She was amazingly good at IV starts on nonlight/white patients all of a sudden when they threatened to fire her.

[Bloop41, BSN, RN]

When we started, most of my classmates were all aboard the ED/ICU train. Now, because of COVID and the resultant scramble to get enough clinical hours, most of us want to start out on med-surg, float pool, or sub-acute facilities. I think there is a lot of anxiety among my class about having poor hands-on skills since our lab times were cut down so severely. There are still a few people, especially those that were previously EMTs or techs, who want to go straight to the ED/ICU. 

Personally? I'm very interested in cardiac, so I'd like to try and start on a tele or stepdown unit. But quite honestly, in this economy, I'll take what I can get. I just hope hospitals and other facilities are aware that we'll need a bit more shepherding when we're hired.  

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

I think sometimes people actually have no idea about other types of nursing. I work in an FQHC. Many nursing students have only ever been exposed to nurses on hospital floors. Last year, my alma mater had me come talk about my job. Several students told me that they just had no idea what I did all day. Once I told them about my work, several were interested in maybe pursuing it. But it was totally new information for them. 

[Maria Frances, ADN, RN]

8 minutes ago, CommunityRNBSN said:

I think sometimes people actually have no idea about other types of nursing. I work in an FQHC. Many nursing students have only ever been exposed to nurses on hospital floors. Last year, my alma mater had me come talk about my job. Several students told me that they just had no idea what I did all day. Once I told them about my work, several were interested in maybe pursuing it. But it was totally new information for them. 

To illustrate your point, I had to Google fwhc...

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

On 12/6/2020 at 11:40 AM, YG FNP said:

When I started nursing I was on a med-surg diabetic/renal floor. We had regular med-surg, all the DKA drips, and CAPD patients.  The floor was not respected by the other specialty floor nurses or administration. I felt this was mostly due to the type of patients we had (meaning low income, homeless, or medicaid patients). When we were floated to the cardiac unit we would see how other floors had new equipment, fresh coats of paint, and working ice machines and be jealous of that rather than the type of patient that was being cared for.  I worked that floor for 4 years before we moved and I switched to the ER.  The thing I loved about the ER was the immediate availability of the doctors/providers (unheard of on a med-surg floor) and thinking on your feet (that I learned from working the med-surg floor). I never returned to med-surg only because I never found another floor like the one I had started on. What I saw in other hospitals was nurses who refused drips of any kind, were afraid of even trying to start an IV, and had become overly 'specialized'. While I appreciate growing knowledge in one area and being great at a certain patient population, I fear for our profession when we pit one area against another as equating to be a better nurse.  

Absolutely, find your passion in nursing, but never give up on learning from each other and respecting each other.  Regardless of the perceived glamour, your patients appreciate you whatever floor you are on.

I think a lot of nurses are afraid to advance out of their comfort zone....and I include myself in this. They become burned out and exhausted.....unwilling to try or do new things such as what you mentioned above....claim they are not capable of something.....when they ARE....and continue to make excuses. I know I made excuses for myself when I was in my last year of the ER....I kept telling myself that the ER was what I was good at and competent at even when I was so emotionally and mentally fried that I desperately needed to change. Now that I am in another area of nursing that is so much better for me, I look back and am slightly angry with myself for not making a change sooner. I kept making excuses instead of making a change.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

I went into Emergency Nursing not because it was glamorized, but because my prior medical exposure was prehospital, because I like being a jack-of-all-trades, and because I liked being able to leave work at work at the end of my shift.

I didn't even know that I could go directly into the ED as a new grad until one of my instructors mentioned that that's what she did.  (She was also both an FNP and a CRNA.)  At that point, I intentionally made sure I had as much ED exposure as I could get, even doing my immersion experience in the ED.  There was no glamour, it was just the kind of nursing I felt would fit me best, and I was right.

I feel like threads such as these get started by nurses who are salty that newer nurses "don't have to put in their time" in med/surg prior to going on to a specialty they actually enjoy.

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

22 minutes ago, TheSquire said:

I went into Emergency Nursing not because it was glamorized, but because my prior medical exposure was prehospital, because I like being a jack-of-all-trades, and because I liked being able to leave work at work at the end of my shift.

I didn't even know that I could go directly into the ED as a new grad until one of my instructors mentioned that that's what she did.  (She was also both an FNP and a CRNA.)  At that point, I intentionally made sure I had as much ED exposure as I could get, even doing my immersion experience in the ED.  There was no glamour, it was just the kind of nursing I felt would fit me best, and I was right.

I feel like threads such as these get started by nurses who are salty that newer nurses "don't have to put in their time" in med/surg prior to going on to a specialty they actually enjoy.

This actually raises some good points. I am just being totally completely honest that I would absolutely suck at being a floor nurse. Every time I have hold patients in the ER or in PACU,  I struggle the entire time. It’s unfortunately not a skill set that comes easy for me. The ER and pre op and PACU does come easier for me.....but I tell you, I am honestly 2 to 4 hours behind on absolutely everything with hold patients.

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

5 hours ago, Maria Frances said:

To illustrate your point, I had to Google fwhc...

Haha exactly!

[LaurieCRNP2002, MSN, RN, APRN]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. I think it is great that there are nurses who feel comfortable doing med-surg, LTC, and many of the "non-traditional" specialties that nurses seem to eschew in favor of the "glamour" of ER or ICU. Before I became a nurse, I did prehospital (EMT). When I got to nursing school, I felt pretty comfortable dealing with patients as I had the experience of being in some emergent situations. As a nurse, I've done telemetry/stepdown and ICU and as an NP of 15 years, I've done cardiac, pulmonary, infectious disease and currently, hospice and palliative care. I love my patients but the traveling is tough. I do feel like I am helping my patients but I'm not sure I can continue the brutal traveling that is required of me in my current position. I guess my message is that everyone is different and has their own talents and interests and should pursue the path that they feel will give them the most fulfillment. That path may change over time and that is OK. God bless everyone of you who are on the front lines and caring for all our patients, whether they have become infected with COVID or not! Please take care of yourselves and your families!! 

[GS ED RN, MSN, RN]

having worked in med/surg/ ED and sooo briefly in the ICU can I just say NONE of that is glamorous --- been in ED level 1 and level 3 trauma centers for 3 yrs I think this all comes from hollywood to be honest - shows usually take place in ICU/surgical ICU/ED/Trauma 

yes in the ED/ICU you get into some high adrenaline situations - but none of it is glamorous - sometimes I feel like I do not even help anyone in the ED - they wait for hours upon hours on a hallway stretchy in a noisy ED - or you take care of a messy trauma who doesn't end up making it in a few days -- as for ICU - lots and lots of meticulous at times monotonous care for ICU care - lots of suctioning/turning/peri care etc. - also not glamorous 

(maybe this is the burnout talking) I say work where you WANT to work - forget what the media or what people think- non-nurses- non-healthcare people have NO clue what we do - they cannot even fathom it - nursing students don't even know what they want! I thought I wanted to do NICU/L+D Now I literally CRINGE at any tiny baby/ pregnant/laboring woman in the ED I pray she doesn't give birth in the ED. point being EVERYWHERE  has its pros/cons... work where makes you happy and every speciality deserves respect! I wish we all got it but we don't 

[Ioreth, ADN, RN]

I saw this mentality too when I was in nursing school. I was one of those that did well in school but I didn't think I should go right into ED/ICU/Cardiac, although I understood the critical care patho very well and loved the rush of ED trauma and psych. I strongly felt that for myself I needed some solid med/surg experience, even if that isn't necessarily the case for everyone. I got hired into a post-surgical unit and now in Covid I'm getting plenty of medical experience since our surgeons are delaying most surgeries. It works for me.

Although most of my classmates were aiming for critical care jobs, most of them did not get these jobs. I know of a few that specifically wanted long term care or home health, and these were generally seen as "less desirable" jobs. I'm happy to say that these classmates are excellent and conscientious nurses, and I would trust them with my own family. I just think it is a shame that these excellent nurses get so little respect.

Now that I am a nurse, I do still respect the critical care roles, but I am very happy that I am not that kind of nurse. I'm not in my niche, but I am where I need to be now, and that is what matters. 

[bluescrubs, ADN, ASN, RN]

I definitely feel like ER and ICU are the most desired positions for new grads. Alot of new grads do not want to be floor nurses for long, they want to become NP's or CRNA. For whatever reason med-surg is looked down upon. One person I know told me that Med-Surg is for the birds. For me, ER and ICU scares me so I didn't apply to those positions. My passion is OR, that's all I ever wanted to do. In my last rotation of clinical I was the only person that went to surgical services, every one else went to ICU or ER. I had the opportunity to precept in the OR, Pre-op and PACU. It made me fall in love with the OR even more. Sometimes people just have a strong passion for a certain specialty. Because of Covid there wasn't any peri-op residencies near me so I took a job on a surgical floor and I do corrections PRN. I never thought I would work in corrections but I actually really like working with inmates. I plan to look for an OR position once I finish my 1 year. So many people transfer after their first year I doubt many will stay in the ER or ICU even if they manage to get that job.