ER Nurses

[Tiaconrad94]

I am nearing the end of my schooling, and though I realize I will not start in the ER as a new graduate, but I would like to end up there along the way. I would like to know what to expect as an ER nurse. What are the struggles as an ER nurse and what are the joys?

[PeakRN]

There are absolutely new graduate programs for EDs, but they have competitive application processes and don't expect the biggest name university affiliated programs to have the best ED new graduate programs. Like any other competitive specialty (L&D, ICU, NICU...) there is a good chance you will need to move if you want to start out as a new graduate in these units.

Struggles: Dealing with society. Dealing with a hospital system that doesn't understand your specialty but also feels the need to tell you how to do your job (I think that this is also a huge struggle for our L&D unit). Dealing with inpatient physicians who think that they are the king of castle (insert Borat meme) when they come down to the ED, even though they aren't even privileged in the unit.

Joys: Independence. Working with physicians and APPs who actually value your opinion (including ED, ICU, PICU, OB/GYN, Trauma, Plastics, Cards, and Ortho providers... inpatient only providers: see the struggles). Saving lives. Making a difference. Feeding the ADHD. Making IV/monitor spaghetti for the ICU nurses.

[iheartnursing91, BSN]

Struggles: patients who abuse the ER for drugs, and those who have minor issues like a sore throat and dont want to go to the doctors office, nurses who dont want to take report on the floors and you holding onto the patient and caring for them like med surg/tele nurses when you keep calling the floor and beg them to take report, then they harrass you for orders that weren't done when they were ordered for a later time!