How do I become an ER Nurse

AnewNur · Jun 25, 2011

If you are absolutely sure that you want to move to GA then your best bet would be to start looking for schools in that area. You dont want to take a class and find out later you have to take it over cause it did not transfer. LVN sometimes takes the same amount of time as an RN so it is really your preference. I also believe you would have to meet the state licensing requirements even if you are a LVN

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Jun 28, 2011

As for becoming an ED nurse... don't go the LPN route. ED nurses have to be able to think critically and assess on the fly, the latter of which is expressly outside the scope of practice of an LPN.

If you want to become an ED nurse straight out of school, I would suggest getting a prehospital certification and experience (EMT-B at least, if not EMT-I or EMT-Paramedic) before you start nursing school - or during, if you're a masochist like me. You'll be able to see if you like the field, and also will show prospective hiring managers that you're familiar with the conditions and demands of emergent health care.

Also, in your role-transition clinical/senior internship (or whatever they call it at your school), make sure you get placed into an ED. You'll be able to get a feel for the flow of how an ED nurse works (which is not like the floor at all) and start getting practice with skills like IV placement, foley insertion, etc.

Lastly, keep an eye out for EDs that like to train their own new grads (rather than retrain nurses from the floor). These exist - I was hired by one.

Good luck!

tex42cares · Jun 28, 2011

As for becoming an ED nurse... don't go the LPN route. ED nurses have to be able to think critically and assess on the fly, the latter of which is expressly outside the scope of practice of an LPN.
If you want to become an ED nurse straight out of school, I would suggest getting a prehospital certification and experience (EMT-B at least, if not EMT-I or EMT-Paramedic) before you start nursing school - or during, if you're a masochist like me. You'll be able to see if you like the field, and also will show prospective hiring managers that you're familiar with the conditions and demands of emergent health care.
Also, in your role-transition clinical/senior internship (or whatever they call it at your school), make sure you get placed into an ED. You'll be able to get a feel for the flow of how an ED nurse works (which is not like the floor at all) and start getting practice with skills like IV placement, foley insertion, etc.
Lastly, keep an eye out for EDs that like to train their own new grads (rather than retrain nurses from the floor). These exist - I was hired by one.
Good luck!

would it be safe to say also to upgrading certifications such as Pals,acls and entb???

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Jun 28, 2011

would it be safe to say also to upgrading certifications such as Pals,acls and entb???

Those are good too, but I'd suggest getting those after you pass the NCLEX and are waiting for employers to hire you as part of the whole doing things to continually improve your resume bit. However, if you're in your final year of nursing school, are offered the opportunity to take those classes, and feel up to them, by all means go ahead - ACLS, PALS, etc. are courses that are usually more expensive than the basic BLS cert and as such it's better for your wallet if you can get someone else (like an employer) to pay for them.