ED vs Critical Care

[djasset]

Hi,

I am a float nurse at a level 1 trauma center in Boston. I want to get into the ED and have been told (not by the ED nurse manager) that I should have a year or more experience in the Unit before I try for the ED. I also have an opportunity to do some per diem at a suburban hosp (not level 1 trauma) in the ED, should I do that while floating? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Donna

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Why don't you just ask the ED manager? I work in a level one trauma center and we hire new grads.

[djasset]

I have been a float nurse for 1 1/2 years so I don't think I qualify for new grad anymore. The hosp I'm in does not hire new grads in the ED. The rationale behind Unit nursing is that I would get some experience with unstable patients on a much smaller scale ie: 1-1 or 1-2 as apposed to several patients in the ED at the same time.

[Dinith88]

...

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

ER is very different from place to place...depends on the trauma level, the pediatric population, etc.. You can certainly as the above-poster stated, not see a critical patient every shift in the ER. However, in many ERs you see many critical patients every shift and sometimes have ICU patients that you hold many, many hours. Its very dependent on what your particular ER sees. What about shadowing an ER nurse for a few hours? Or, just talking with an ER nurse to see what kind of ER patients they see? As you can see, I'm pretty biased toward the ER. Take care...ER is cool.