ER RN in Canada! ?? Med/ Surg RN in Hawaii?

[nurse_misty]

hello all,

i am currently a rn in emerg at a community hospital in canada. i am wanting to try a travel assignment in hawaii in the upcoming new year. my experience includes emergency with no trauma, lots of cardiac, ortho, medicine, post op complications, sepsis and elderly age related issues. i also work casually on a nephrology medicine unit. i was thinking of applying for medicine or surgery position since i do not have two years of experience in my speciality. i will have had one full year in emerg by the time i want to travel. i heard that since i don't have one year in medicine/ surgery then no one will look at my application. however, my hospital has two areas in emerg, one for autely ill pts and one for those pts who are admitted to surgery, gyne, ortho or medicine. what is your opinion on my place to apply for a first time travel assignment. any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[thorRN]

I was in your shoes once exactly. Best to stick with med /surg to be safe for now. You really need to be pretty comfortable with the area you are going into--especially if it is a specialty unit. If you do decide to take an ER position, really question the ER director on patient acuity and staffing loads issues. They obviously very short staffed, otherwise they wouldn't need you. If you have the opportunity to work at a trauma center at home, take it. Make sure you get every certification you can--CEN, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, etc even NRP if it's offered. These letters will look good on your applications wherever you go. I worked at Winnipeg HSC to get my feet wet before heading south. That place was quite a bit different than any of the smaller ER's I've worked at.

Personally, I'ld take the Med/Surg in Hawaii --but only during the winter:rolleyes: