ER job- new grad

Published

Specializes in ED, ICU.

Just want some thoughts on this, is 8 weeks of orientation in the ER enough for a new grad w/o prior ER experience?? would you take the job?

All thoughts /comments are appreciated!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Rehab.

Maybe that will be good for you. There are several factors that could help determine that...how fast you learn, their new grad program, your preceptor, etc. I'm surprised your orientation isn't longer though, especially for a specialty such as ER. I'm a new grad in Acute Rehab and my orientation is 6 weeks but i was advised i can go up to 12 if i wish.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medicine.

Congrats on a job offer!!

Test it out and see how well you do during the orientation. You can always try and see if an extension or added support following the 8 weeks is available. It wouldn't hurt to inquire about that. I, personally being unemployed, would take the job and see how it works out (especially if it is an area of interest).

Best of luck in making a decision:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Quit a few of my classmates started out in the ED. Congrats on such a great job offer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not only should you not take the job, it should not have been offered to you in the first place.

The ER is a discipline of nursing that requires years of finely tuned nursing judgement and instinct which a new grad does not and cannot possibly possess. I had several years under my belt(some to include ICU), and I still looked like and felt a deer in headlights during my orientation when something really, really bad rolled through those doors.

Of course there are many 'levels' of emergency departments, and I suppose some rural centers are akin to medical clinics. If you are in this type of setting it should not be too much of a problem. But if you are working in a large metropolitan hospital(and honestly I cannot imagine a large Trauma Center hiring new grads), then I would run screaming into the night for the sake of your career and, more importantly, for the sake and safety of the patients who present there for care:yawn:!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm going to go ahead and disagree with the person who said new grads don't belong in the ER. If you have the proper orientation time, preceptor, and availability to ask questions and have a mentor available, it's a great place to begin. Where else will you start and see a little bit of everything? Just my opinion, of course.

My orientation was 16 weeks, so I do not personally think 8 weeks is enough...but it's hard to say.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU.

Thanks for all the comments, I will let you know how it goes... :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

At my hospital, new grad orientation to critical care areas (ICUs and ER) is 6 months. That seems more reasonable to me..I would be wary of 8 weeks for ER.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi Rehab,Pediatrics, PICU.

I definitely don't think 8wks is enough time. Most med/surg floors are 8-16 wks. ER can be considered up there with the critical care areas, and in my exp/research, ICU settings are grouped w/ ER, & their orientation is a minimum of 16wks to 6mos. And I've heard of some being 1 year.

I think its great that you want this area, and I don't agree that new grads should be banned, but it will be difficult in 16wks, and probably unsafe in 8wks. That being said, I agree with other posters that it depends on the facility, patient population, and education dept. Also depends on how quick you catch on, your current set of skills, etc. Be sure and ask about what happens if at week 7 or 8, you're still not ready... Do they allow more time?, if so, how much more time? If you're still not ready, then what happens, do they fire you? If in the end 8 wks isn't enough time & the only option is termination, it will be detrimental to you as far as your confidence is concerned. Personally, I don't know if it'd be worth risking my sanity and license even in this economy.

Sorry to be so dismal, but I'd rather be truthful than to sugar coat things and then have it go sour. But to each his own. Hope this helps in some sort of way. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in General Surgery, Orthopaedics, ICU, ER.
Not only should you not take the job, it should not have been offered to you in the first place.

The ER is a discipline of nursing that requires years of finely tuned nursing judgement and instinct which a new grad does not and cannot possibly possess. I had several years under my belt(some to include ICU), and I still looked like and felt a deer in headlights during my orientation when something really, really bad rolled through those doors.

Of course there are many 'levels' of emergency departments, and I suppose some rural centers are akin to medical clinics. If you are in this type of setting it should not be too much of a problem. But if you are working in a large metropolitan hospital(and honestly I cannot imagine a large Trauma Center hiring new grads), then I would run screaming into the night for the sake of your career and, more importantly, for the sake and safety of the patients who present there for care:yawn:!

You should never assume a new grad knowns nothing, no more should you assume and experienced nurse knows everything! I've met new grad doing amazing in the ER...perhaps at first it just wasn't the right place for you :p I'm sure they wouldn't have offered the new grad nurse a job in the ER if they felt she was a risk to patient safety. Take the job and try it out girl! :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
just want some thoughts on this, is 8 weeks of orientation in the er enough for a new grad w/o prior er experience?? would you take the job?

all thoughts /comments are appreciated!

it depends. if management plans to stick you on the rapid/express beds (low acuity-clinic type patients) or the medical patients with no traumas, then yes 8 weeks is enough. if they plan to stick you with trauma patients of any kind to include chest pain issues and problems then my response is no! no! no! get some experience first or you will end up being fed to the wolves and washing out. btw, supportive eds have long orientations and they do so in multiple environments.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is curious that CWhitebn misconstrues my post as being critical of new grads.

I understood the author of the original post to be asking for opinion of those of us with good experience under our belts. I gave mine based on my personal experience as a Level I Trauma Nurse, Certified x 15 years having worked in a large and progressive Westcoast Level I Trauma Center for years and years.

I hope that my well earned wisdom has been useful to the new grad who asked and that he/she knows it was offered in good spirit and care of the new inexperienced nurse. We all have to start somehwere, and I stand by my opinion(shared by many an ED manager) that the ED is no place for a new grad. Most EDs require at least 2 years previous med-surg experience. Those that don't or who have decreased their requirements are more than likely feeling the nursing shortage and weary of paying high dollar for agency nurses.

:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion