How'd You Get Your ER Job?

[commonsense]

I'm hoping to find an Emergency Room job when I graduate next year and was wondering how everyone found their job. My plan is to look for openings that do not require experience, just prefer it, then show up on the unit in professional clothing with my resume and hand it to the ER Director in person. I figure a face-to-face introduction shows much more initiative than submitting an online application. How did everyone else land their emergency job?

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I went searching for a job as an ER tech last summer and it was a no-go. I'm currently working as well and will be until I graduate, it's a good job that pays well with minimal hours and works with my school schedule, unfortunately it's not healthcare related.

Just my 0.02 worth here, but I think you are making a huge mistake by working in a non healthcare setting. It sounds like you have decided to stay where you are until you find a nursing job. With the current environment you must be as competitive as possible and there will be many others who want the same job, but have healthcare or ED experience.

I work in a very busy, almost 1000 bed hospital. We see about 400 patients per day thru the ED, and all of the new grads that have been hired over the last few years have been ED techs in our department while in school. Even some of our own techs who became RN's were not hired.

Just keep that in mind and even if you have to sacrifice the flexibility and familiarity of your current job, you could be sabotaging your chances later. Good luck to you.

[Hospital_Recruiter]

My recommendation is NOT TO WALK IN and hand your resume to the director. As per our hospital, all new hires go through me before being interviewed as well as the fact that I don't know many emergency rooms that will hire new grads. The pace is too quick and a new grad is (sorry) only going to be in the way. However, I would recommend trying to get on as a tech in the ER while still in school. Any experience is better than no experience at all when looking at emergency rooms. Hope this helps.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I don't know many emergency rooms that will hire new grads. The pace is too quick and a new grad is (sorry) only going to be in the way.

I have to say that is an over-generalization .... some of us were able to hit the ground running, and I know quite a few people who have started in EDs, from freestanding EDs to trauma centers. I was in an ED fellowship with a bunch of green new grads just a few years ago. :)

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I nailed my interview. I applied for a position that required 6 months acute care experience. I had 4.5 months. I received a call and told them I only had 4.5 months experience in Peds but they said they still wanted to interview me. I interviewed with 2 of the ED managers and hit it off, they said I have a personality perfect for the ED and I knew before I left I had the job. They all but made it official. I received the official call from HR a few days later. That's how I nailed my first job as a New Grad as well. I hit it off in the interview.

[FancypantsRN]

Congrats Mi Vida!

[Prettyladie]

I applied to emergency jobs that were catered to new grads for example internships and residencies!!

[tech1000]

I found an ER that was hiring techs while I was in nursing school. I worked hard, was on time, and the nurses liked me. I applied for an RN job when I finished nursing school and was hired.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

My recommendation is NOT TO WALK IN and hand your resume to the director. As per our hospital, all new hires go through me before being interviewed as well as the fact that I don't know many emergency rooms that will hire new grads. The pace is too quick and a new grad is (sorry) only going to be in the way. However, I would recommend trying to get on as a tech in the ER while still in school. Any experience is better than no experience at all when looking at emergency rooms. Hope this helps.

Several of my classmates, including myself, got hired in EDs as new grads, so they are out there. Also, whether a new grad is "in the way" depends a lot on the orientation available and the culture of the unit. I only ever felt welcomed and supported when I first started, but my ED has a long track record of hiring and successfully orienting new grads.

[nurseabi09]

I started in the busiest ER in the state because they were desperate and I went to a prestigious school. I worked 60+ hours a week, only got 4 months of orientation (2 weeks on my shift the rest on days) and sacrificed a lot of relationships to get good at what I do.

A year and a half later I applied at the Level 1 trauma center that I had my sights on from the beginning and learned how much I didn't know about being a GOOD not just COMPETENT nurse.

Funny story though, 2 admission/hospitalist doctors just moved from bad ER to my current good ER and they recognized me right away despite 1.5 years and a whole new hair color and weight loss. They were thrilled to know one of the "good nurses, with a good attitude and IV skills" Not at all how I think of myself, and not how I think i compare to my current (amazing) co-workers but apparently how I came across in a bad situation. Now I get my pages returned super fast! LOL

Moral of the story...sometimes getting what you think you want comes at a really high price, but paying your dues does often pay off if you have a good attitude and make the best with what you got.

And there's a reason for everything, the last thing you would want to do is start off in the ED and not be able to hack it, ruining your chance at a good career when a year or two of med-surg is all it would have taken to be an asset to an ED.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[360jRN]

Applied initially for ICU at a hospital 40 minutes from my house. Wanted me to have 6 months experience in ER or Med/Surg before they'd pull me up. So ER Director liked me pretty well from previous encounters and dealings during clinical and offered me a spot. The hospital that I was working at during school didnt have a full time ER spot open so I didnt plan on staying there. Well fate would have it that 2 of their nurses called in sick for the entire memorial day weekend; I called the DON said give me a job and I'll walk away from the other place... Boom on the schedule! Lol

[pedsEDRN16]

Got my job as a new grad in the Peds ER after working there as a tech for 2 years while I was in nursing school. My advice would be to get your foot in the door and try to find a job as an ER tech. It also helps you get used to the fast pace of an ER and understand how important it is to be able to prioritize and multi task.

[ReWritten]

I always wanted to do critical care/ICU during nursing school. I did not have a good experience in my ER rotation during nursing school, so I was no interested or impressed with it.

After 8 months of not landing an ICU job, but on med-surg, I made ALOT of connections with the ER staff in my hospital and they coaxed me into coming downstairs. I've been there for 6 months and can't imagine going back to the floor. I LOVE it! However, I'm very thankful for my med-surg background. I consider myself a quick learner, but med-surg really helped me in terms of medication administration and good assessment skills. I work in a rural community hospital and had only 4 weeks of orientation in the ER, so you expected to know your stuff from the beginning. All that being said, I'm always learning something and my coworkers are a delight to work with and have no problems showing/explaining things to me.