Graduate nursing job in emergency

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jan 18, 2015

Check out the threads in allnurses Emergency Nursing FAQ section:

https://allnurses.com/emergency-nursing/show-faqs/ for valuable advice.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 20, 2015

All I can say is lots of luck! I'm an RN with 2 years of experience, who just switched to ED. It is a great learning experience, but sometimes things happen so quick that you don't have a chance to be taught. I think it would have been very challenging as a new grad. Eyes and ears open, chin up, and ask lots of questions and jump at every opportunity.

lovintheed · Jan 21, 2015

Congrats on your new job. My first job out of nursing school (I graduated December, 2013) was in an ED. A year later, I am still there and found my calling. With the ED, you will either love it or hate it. It is fast paced and orientees can often get lost in the chaos. Stick to your preceptor and make sure you ask lots of questions. Good luck and keep us posted :)

Guest838984 · Jan 23, 2015

I'm a new orientee in the ER I started in December and will hopefully finish my internship in a month or so. But let me tell you something, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS, you'll never know if you don't ask, and if you don't ask then you risk making a mistake which could potentially cause you to lose your license. One big thing that my preceptor and everyone in the ED have been focusing on is C.Y.A (cover your orifice) When you receive a patient, make a note of when you received that patient so if they were sitting in triage for 3 hours it doesn't look like you didn't do anything for 3 hours. Make notes of almost everything you do. Group your tasks as much as you can. When you visit a patients room go ahead and get a set of vitals and do a reassessment even if it hasn't been an hour yet, it'll save you from having to go back in there 15-20 mins later and you have another hour to get other things done and see other patients until you have to go back and do vitals again if you don't already have to get blood draws done or urine samples on that patient. It's truly a crazy environment. I'm working nights and I literally don't ever sit down, it's absolutely insane but I love it. like my boss said "it's not a hard job but it's a tedious job" he was exactly right but yea one last thing

document! document! document! especially when patients leave AMA without signing paperwork or leave with an IV in their arm

cover your own butt and protect your license as much as you can.

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Jan 23, 2015

Even if they don't have a urine test ordered, always get a sample with their name on it as soon as they have to pee because it's guaranteed that the provider will ask for a sample the second a pt flushes the toilet. :facepalm:

Congratulations on the new job!