Er nursing

[maco1]

I've been a med/surg nurse for 12 years. I did tried icu -gave it a year and hated it. Not sure if it was actually the icu or if it was the facility. I went to another hospital. I've always liked er, but not sure I would be any good. I'm 49 years old now, not sure if u can teach a old dog new tricks. I'm so task oriented from doing med surg for so long. I'm scared if I switch, I will hate it. Any advice on what makes a good er nurse?

[JKL33]

Quick

Critical thinking

Objectivity

Excellent communication

On-the-go prioritization/Go-with-the-flow/Ability to change gears quickly

An understanding that you will not be planning out the next 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12 hours

A staunch resolution to help people with their problems without engaging in their problems with them

Empathy and compassion in situations that call for it

Confidence

If honest introspection tells you that you're an excellent med-surg nurse (you know what's up with your patients, confidently handle things well, etc) then you should be able to translate that expertise to the ED. Those who struggle with critical thinking, time management, communication, confidence outside of the ED can't expect to be easily successful in the ED.

Why don't you ask to shadow?

[tilelene]

I am a med surg nurse at heart but I did dive into the ER realm and I love it. All of that med surg thought process goes out the window. Your skills will be appreciated, but you will have to think quickly and shift your mindset. If you are ready and willing to make some adjustments, you will enjoy the ER!

[ERArmyRNND]

I did MS before ED and it worked out well. Just think about it like this, you are seeing the same pts in ED that you saw in MS, you are just seeing them at an earlier stage. Initial assessment, more focus on acuity than long term care and moving pts faster than in MS. You will be fine, just get some good training.