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Discussion

First week in ED

Just finished my first week in the ED as an extern. I do have some past experience, 1 year as a tech on a med-surg unit and 1 as a telemetry tech/tech in the unit. I am scheduled to work 1 on 1 with an RN for the first 4 weeks, then will come off orientation. After my first 2 shifts, the nurse I shadow called in so when I showed up last night they told me to just do what I could to pitch in. About 5 this morning I sat down with a few of the nurses and asked them what they recomend me work on and I was told nothing. They told me they had just been talking about me and that is seemed like I had been there forever. They liked that i was willing to pitch in and do things without being asked. They liked that I was able to anticipate incoming patients and have rooms set up for them. I was able to anticipate EKG and have them done nearly as soon as their butts hit the bed along with vital signs while nurse was setting IV and pulling labs. I don't want this to sound like bragging, but I was pretty excited about the feed back and wanted to share. It was an absolutely amazing week and I now have a strong passion for wanting to be an ER nurse.

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    Congratulations. When it comes to ER staff, they wont blow smoke up your asterisk. Sounds like you're a natural.

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    Good for you! It sounds like you've found your niche:)

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    Sounds like they like you already, good. We could us some new people in our ER like this.

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    That's great!!:yeah:I'm interested in becoming an extern within the next few months so I can get some more experience before I graduate with my BSN in May. I noticed that you said you were a tech first. Would you recommend that I do that first before an extern job? What is the difference between the two? Which would I get more hands on RN nursing experience doing?

    Again congrats!!!

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    There really isn't a lot of difference in being a tech and an extern. I have the same responsibilities. As far as hands on RN stuff, really there isn't much that can be done, since you have to be an RN to do them. Now I do get to assist the RN's with some procedures and get to spend time observing what they are doing and learning.

    I have other classmates that have no experience and have extern positions. My experience as a telemetry monitor did help me land in the ER. Matter of fact, the other night we had a PT who was post CVA and taking them to CT. The nurse, respiratory therapist and I were transporting the PT(on portable monitor). The screen was facing me and the RT and started alarming, VTACH/VFIB. The thereapist started getting excited and said the the patient was in VFIB. I looked down at the monitor and it wasn't true. Told the nurse it wasn't and to keep going.

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