Good reading material for new ER GN

Trauma Columnist · Dec 20, 2010

First, congrats on your new job.

Second, look at the ENA website: ENA Homepage

- they have the best and most up to date info for ER nurses.

Third - good luck and have a wonderful time.

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Dec 20, 2010

Congrats! Equipment: Good stethescope. I like Littman in $60 to $80 range. Never needed a 2 bell scope, and Littmans warranty is great. Trauma shears, $4 or $5, no more, maybe less. Waterproof watch, good pen, pocket size spiral notebook for phone numbers, which rooms are for which patient, etc. You'll need it for about 6 months. Get the best footwear you can. Podiatrist told me NuBalance 587's. Been wearing them for 10 years now. Won't work without them. Get a personal coffee mug, preferably with gallows humor on it, mine says "Just another ****** day in paradise." Good luck, enjoy.

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Dec 20, 2010

And remeber, the ER is where chaos is turned into order. Feeling out of control will be frequent, but that's why there's other staff there to help.

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Dec 20, 2010

Experienced ER staff can have a lot of lattitude because ER nursing is backwards. On the floor you get an assignment and then look at their diagnosis. In the ER you'll give lots of nursing care based on chief complaint, and the patient doesn't get a diagnosis until he's ready for discharge or addmission. Make sure the job is exciting to you. If it's just stressful, over time, do yourself a favor and change jobs. AND NEVER SAY THE WORD "QUIET" IN AN ER OR YOU'LL BRING THE WRATH OF OBSCURE EGYPTION GODS AND YOUR COWORKERS DOWN UPON YOU ALL! :up:

mkblakley07 · Dec 20, 2010

First, congrats on your new job.
Second, look at the ENA website: ENA Homepage
- they have the best and most up to date info for ER nurses.
Third - good luck and have a wonderful time.

Thank you. I'm really excited about this job. I looked at the ENA website, and I saw that they have some online learning opportunities that I might take advantage of. :nurse: I thought the triage one looked especially beneficial.

mkblakley07 · Dec 20, 2010

Congrats! Equipment: Good stethescope. I like Littman in $60 to $80 range. Never needed a 2 bell scope, and Littmans warranty is great. Trauma shears, $4 or $5, no more, maybe less. Waterproof watch, good pen, pocket size spiral notebook for phone numbers, which rooms are for which patient, etc. You'll need it for about 6 months. Get the best footwear you can. Podiatrist told me NuBalance 587's. Been wearing them for 10 years now. Won't work without them. Get a personal coffee mug, preferably with gallows humor on it, mine says "Just another ****** day in paradise." Good luck, enjoy.

Experienced ER staff can have a lot of lattitude because ER nursing is backwards. On the floor you get an assignment and then look at their diagnosis. In the ER you'll give lots of nursing care based on chief complaint, and the patient doesn't get a diagnosis until he's ready for discharge or addmission. Make sure the job is exciting to you. If it's just stressful, over time, do yourself a favor and change jobs. AND NEVER SAY THE WORD "QUIET" IN AN ER OR YOU'LL BRING THE WRATH OF OBSCURE EGYPTION GODS AND YOUR COWORKERS DOWN UPON YOU ALL!

Thank you for all the great advice. I agree that littman makes a great stethoscope. I bought one after the one I got with my lab kit disappeared during clinicals one day. I've never had Nubalance shoes before, are they good but expensive or are they cost effective too? I remember when I rotated through the ER during clinicals and I said that it was awfully quiet: the staff just about had kittens! At first I didn't think I was interested in working in the Emergency Department at all, I wanted to work in peds, but after rotating through both I found that I absolutely loved the atmosphere of the ER. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to get to start out there. :)

Trauma Columnist · Dec 20, 2010

The ER was the best 10 years of my nursing career!

Have a great time - you will learn so much, meet so many interesting patients/families and work with some interesting characters.

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Dec 20, 2010

In the ER we refer to it as "the Q word." NuBalance 587's recomended by podiatrist to ALL his patients because the give great support. Whatever works for your feet is fine. Once had a problem with an old worn Littman. I sent it for repair. They sent me a new one free! Put your initials on it, a clth cover will prevent the tubing from becoming brittle. A pocket calculator comes in handy if you don't do math in your head well after 12 hours. Something personal like a thermal mug really helps. Spent most of my life in emergency medicine, now disabled, going from doc to doc looking for a fix so I can return to the ER. I wanna be you so bad!!!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Dec 20, 2010

Get a personal coffee mug, preferably with gallows humor on it, mine says "Just another ****** day in paradise."

Hahaha ... mine says, "I Don't Do Perky."

Editorial Team / Moderator · Dec 20, 2010

My favorite ED book: Sheehy's Emergency Nursing: Principles and Practice. Fabulous book, worth the investment.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 20, 2010

"The Complete Far-Side Collection" by Gary Larson. Must have for anyone in the ER.

Check out Ultrascopes. ultrascope.com. Excellent acoustics and hundreds of graphics available. I went with the monkey. Goes over great with kids and seniors.