Er nurse to ir nurse

Jersiey · Apr 8, 2018

I was a ER nurse (with a year of ICU experience) and just started an IR job about 6 weeks ago! The day shift schedule is pretty nice, night shift was killing my body. We work 4 9 hour shifts per week and I'm way less tired than even when I was working 12 hour day shifts. It's definitely a change of pace, both in good and bad ways. I some times miss the acuity of the ER but it's also nice not to get dumped on all shift. We do have some sick pts and we get a lot of ICU pts, but the majority of our pts are very stable. I also feel like some of my ER skills will get pretty rusty, I've put 1 IV in so far and every one was pretty excited about it. I do worry that I'll get bored in this job so I've started looking at going to grad school, it would be the perfect job to do part time while going to school. I do love the people I work with, they're awesome, and the department does some very cool procedures (IR was basically invented at this hospital), but I'm pretty much just doing moderate sedation all day and getting paid for having the knowledge of what to do if someone goes down hill, but that doesn't happen very often.

jarielle22 · Apr 9, 2018

Sounds like a job for an ER nurse who needs a break from the hustle and bustle of ER nursing! It sounds like a good job for a shorter period of time. I would love to work days in that positions! At the same time I would not want to stay long because of losing skills. Good idea on grad school! That's awesome!

winniewoman9060ret · Apr 9, 2018

Radiology job won't have the challenges as the ED. It's a slower pace most of the time

jarielle22 · Apr 10, 2018

I figured. Thanks so much!

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 21, 2018

I went from ICU to IR, and while the slower pace and better hours are awesome, I miss the adrenaline of the ICU. My plan is to pick up prn in the ICU and stay full time in IR while I'm in grad school.

fsuao2006 · May 1, 2018

I have the same story as you. Went to IR a year ago and do really love it. I work 4 10 hour shifts, call is one weekend every 8 weeks and one night a week. We take call on one holiday per year. ICU patients require the RN to stay with the patient during procedures and for them to titrate all drips. I basically sedate and chart, I have changed one diaper in the past year and if a patient is being unruly I just send them back to the floor until they can have a better attitude :) LOW stress with perfect hours.. can't ask for more. I can see people getting bored in the long run but it was the break I needed from ER and I don't think I could have a better schedule as an RN that I do now.

BexnRN · May 17, 2018

I totally geek out about IR. I loved it-just my past 2 supervisors were techs and just didn't "get it" with regards to the nurses. I've worked in a large teaching/trauma hospital, and a small community hospital. Both were really neat and very different at the same time. I miss it. I'm in home health at the moment, and in abject misery! I've actually applied for another position locally. I just hope there's a real nurse manager, not a rad tech. The pace can be that of a drive-through beer barn on a Saturday night so don't assume you'll be completely bored. But it's not the same pace as the ED. Been there, done that. I hope you like as much as I did. Do. It's a NEAT field, and needs as much love as the Cath Lab gets!! í ¾í´£