ED Career Change?

I'm an experienced ICU RN who worked in ED's many years ago with an agency and enjoyed it. I was thinking of going to work in ED, but what concerns me is that at my hospital and several others in the area, the ICU's have very few openings but the ED's have a lot. Is this a bad sign? Has the ED environment become extremely stressful?

like many specialties, ED goes through a period of good staffing/short staffing and vice versa. don't let that discourage you. i really like the ED because it is TOTALLY different from the floor and i don't regret one day that i chose to stick with with it. good luck!

ED stressful?! (looking for the cat with the fried hair sticking out icon! :chuckle )

MVA traumas, GSW, diabetics, overdoses, acute MIs, naaaaaahhhhh, just all in a days work! :rotfl:

JMHO,

Pam

our ED is very stressful. In fact, we cannot beg borrow or steal anyone from in house to come down and bid on job openings. we are the only unit in the hospital that cannot close due to lack of staffing or being full of patients. We are constantly holding patients from all depts in the hospital.

we often have to go on divert, just to catch up a little bit.

we seldom sit down, and never get all of our breaks. stressful? yes!

ED stressful?! (looking for the cat with the fried hair sticking out icon! :chuckle )

MVA traumas, GSW, diabetics, overdoses, acute MIs, naaaaaahhhhh, just all in a days work! :rotfl:

JMHO,

Pam

You left out dealing with the hysterical, angry family when they loose a loved one, broken bones and the hands that get nailed to boards, domestic violence and assault victims!

ED is the only place to be

my experience has been that the greatest amount of turnover in the ED has been with fresh nurses (just out of school). I have heard the complaint that it was a lot harder then they expected. I think they got overwhelmed. You have an idea of what you are getting into. Plus, you have a leg up on pts that will be admitted to ICU, you already know how the nurses will want things and where they want em. Good luck to you and go with your instinct.

I love the ED and I welcome the ICU patient on hold because it gives me much to learn from as a new grad........ xoxo Jen

our ED is very stressful. In fact, we cannot beg borrow or steal anyone from in house to come down and bid on job openings. we are the only unit in the hospital that cannot close due to lack of staffing or being full of patients. We are constantly holding patients from all depts in the hospital.

we often have to go on divert, just to catch up a little bit.

we seldom sit down, and never get all of our breaks. stressful? yes!

Veetach are you sure you don't worl in my hospital?!!?

In Illinois?!!?

Just checkin'!

:chuckle

It makes me crazy when we are holding patients in our ER...but when I discover that we are holding because the floor nurses won't "stretch" on the units to take one more patient...I want to scream!!!!

Exactly what do they think the ER nurses are doing!!!??!!