Wanted ED

Nurses General Nursing

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Need some advice. I have been in my ortho trauma position for over 4 years and am looking for a change. Wanted ED so I called the nurse manager for ED and told her I wanted to transfer. Never heard back from her. Sent her my resume etc and spoke with the CNS and unit educater of the ED. Found out positions are available. Called again and she never called back. Sent resume and cover letter through inter-office mail and finally heard back from her secretary. Scheduled an interview and finally spoke with her and the CNS. Was told I could transfer, no problem, but the position open was a Part Time non-benefitted position. Never heard of this before. I took a pay cut going from per diem to part time but at least I got paid time off and tuition reimbursement. Now if I go to the ED I get part time pay (less than per diem) but with no benefits (less than the part time $ I am getting now). I feel like I am going in the wrong direction with my career. I want to eventually move to the ED, but do I really have to take such a drastic pay cut to do that? What are your thoughts???

Hello BlueBear,

I just started in the ER yesterday and I had to change hospitals to do it. I went to the rival institution. It was a hard decision to make because I really liked the nurses that I worked and I was challenged on the floor I was on Resp. However I always wanted to do ER nursing. I also wanted 12hr shifts, which my hospital no longer offers because the have to pay four hours overtime per the union, so they just don't offer them anymore. I went with the hospital that could better suit my personal needs.

I see that you have been at this hospital for four years, so you do have seniority, do you want to stay at this hospital?? Do they list job postings in house first?? You stated that you contacted the ED director that you wanted to transfer, was there a posting that you saw?? Did it say part-time with bennies??

Look at other hospitals and see what they have available and are offering if that is an option that you want to take. You can always keep checking in to see if another position becomes available at your hospital that would better suit your needs, benifits and pay are very important in the scheme of things when there are bills to pay and illness to deal with. You can always talk to human resources and the nurse recruiter too for these questions.

I wish you the best of luck! I hope this helps a little. Good luck :)

Y2KRN

Specializes in ER, Hospice, CCU, PCU.

The whole situation you describes spells a little rotten.

In the first place I wouldn't want to work for someone who wouldn't return my calls or acknowledge my letters. If she treats a potential employee like this, how does she treat her staff?

Secondly, In all the facilities I've worked at the pay was usually higher for specialities, or at least the same. It sounds like you have taken a demotion rather than advancing your career. Of course you did say you were Per Diem and now you have some (but not many) benefits, so that may be the reason.

If you are serious about becomming an ER nurse you may want to look elsewhere, jobs are pleantiful is most places. Take your time and find some place that will offer you the wage range you desire, the benefits and most importantly has a good orientation/preceptorship. Many nurses have turned away from ER because they were given scant orientation and had no support/resourse to turn to. It doesn't sound like this director cares one way or another, and I'd hate to see a potential great ER nurse become frustrated and leave, never to try again.

I'm not partial to ER nurses much,;) am I? If you ever come to the Balti/Wash area send me an E-mail. You sound like someone who would fit in great in our family.

Hi all! I moved this thread to Gen Nurses in the hopes of getting more responses. Just wanted to let you all know that I have decided to stay on my ortho/trauma floor and not take the pay cut (and a less desirable shift) to go to the ED. I am tired of being treated like a number. I am a good nurse and would be an asset to the ED. So funny how nurses are treated as compared to the professional world. I have done both, and the nursing profession is really treated in a disgraceful manner. So sad to see in this day and age.....

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