How long have you been in ER?

CamelliaER · Sep 5, 2001

I've been in ER the past 6 years of a 25 year career, and kind of ended up there by default. The hospital decided to close the pediatric unit I was working on, and rather than lose my seniority by changing hospitals, I decided to change specialties. To my surprise, I found myself falling in love with nursing all over again!

It certainly has it's challenges, and I agree with the previous postings that it is the unrealistic demands of patients and families that burns us out. We all want to do the best we can for them, but resources are always so limited..............

I think the thing I love the most, is that I have never worked a shift where I haven't learned something. I'm now teaching the Emerg Specialty Certification as well, and the enthusiasm my students bring to the course is very contagious!

Couldn't tear me away from ER with a crowbar :)

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2001

Ive been a nurse for well over twenty years, and a tech and orderlie before that, and a medic in the service before that. the last 14 years have been in a fairly large er that sees 60 k a year. Im an assistant nurse manager for about 12 of those years. And more than likely I will die at work. Hopefully someone will just put me out of the way somewhere and let me pass on peacefully. I dont think I would want to be resuscitated, just so I could go back to work.

Ive seen a lot of changes over the years. Been there when Ers were staffed with surgeons and family practioners wanting to make an extra buck or too. Now emergency medicine and nursing are a specialty. And look at the technology advances in that time. also the different medicines. And lets talk about the pay. yes it sure has grown. needs to grow more but its better than when I started.Ive seen what it was and whats its become.And I still get to see what its going to.If i live long enough.

One thing that is always hard to impress on these new young nurses,is that they need to remember to look at the patient and not just at the technology associated with their care. You can still tell more by just looking, examining, and talking to the patient. That is hard to get thru to these technology oriented youngsters.well thats about all

thats enough ramblng on

teeituptom

plano. texass

NurseNancy · Sep 28, 2001

I have to smile when i think about when i came to the ER. I applied to the ER 6 mos out of school. The head nurse was going to take a "chance" on me because i was a new grad with no experience. 15 yrs later i am a clinical educator... and my head nurse is glad she took a chance on me....

Trauma Columnist · Mar 22, 2002

I've been an RN for ten years and ER nurse for six of those ten years. Love it, can't think of anything else I'd rather do. I went into nursing in my 30's and now am 43 and I still keep up. (Am very healthy and type A personality). I'm one of the night charge nurses.

massEDgirl · Mar 22, 2002

I have been an ER nurse for 8 out of my 13 years nursing. Work in a busy Level II Trauma Center.

I have always wanted to work in the ER but can remember never really feeling ready in the begining of my carreer. So I sharpened my skills..... mostly tele...and then the day came.

We have a lot of veteran ER nurses where I work. I am glad for the opportunity to learn everthing they know.

l.rae · Apr 7, 2002

I have been an er nurse 4 years out of my 21 year nursing career. I've heard it said that er is where old nurses go to die. True for me! Primarily, stupidity is the job security of health care, and no one knows this as intimately as the er nurse. However, no matter how bad my day is, how sad/stupid/ill (you fill in the adjective), the patients are, Or how impossible the family members are, I know tomarrow I'm not very likely to have to deal with them again. Floor nursing can be a

groundhog day in hell! At best, I only deal with these problems a few hours, at worst a whole shift. The real bonus, I'm never bored.

JE1RN · Apr 9, 2002

Originally posted by KRVRN
Just an observation. Jessica Vets, I think you just explained your own frustration with the public... "the public has no idea what we deal with..." I agree, the toe pain for a year certainly doesn't belong in the ER. But just because someone comes in with what they believe to be an emergency (we're the ones with the medical/physiology/assessment knowledge, you know), doesn't mean they're out of line.

I did a rotation in the ER and volunteered in the ER (different hospital) while in school and I was dismayed by how some of the ER nurses behaved. They became truly offended if a patient asked how long the wait was. Just asking, not complaining. I'm not talking about the crabby-I-was-here-first toe pain x1 year people, just someone with a hand lac that is wondering. Another thing I noticed is that the nurses became upset if a pt in the waiting room was concerned about having to wait. Okay sure, their toe pain x1 year or hand lac or ear pain or whatever isn't as important as the chest pain pt that just came in...but does that toe pain person even KNOW that you guys are coding an MI pt while they're waiting? They don't know what's in the back. A lot of times we would merely tell them that "we're taking care of more critical pts now." Well, apparently that toe pain person thought their problem was emergent enough to come in so maybe they don't understand what critical means.

Actually I do agree with you to an extent. You're right, there are way too many people that come to the ER for no reason, then expect preferential treatment over critical pts. THEY are the ones that the ER nurses are complaining about, and I remember agreeing with them. But they also spoke a lot of s**t about a lot of pts that weren't really that out of line. It honestly made me really uncomfortable and ended up deterring me from ER nursing. Which is fine because I discovered NICU nursing and will never change. :-)

No offense to ER nurses, you guys deal with a lot of non acute problems amongst your traumas. Just an observation though... the public probably doesn't know what you deal with.

Guys please tell me I just had 2 bad experiences and that you're not all mean!

Tommydboy · Apr 22, 2002

To: JE1RN..... it's too bad you had 2 bad experiences lately, but as you asked... we are not all bad! I've been at it in the ER for a little over 7 years and I too see what you mentioned about staff getting "upset" at the pt's complaining of wait times... but I also see a lot of patients leaving my department very thankful that someone was there to help them in their time of need. I wouldn't trade it for any other area in nursing. It takes a special (and sometimes a little twisted) person to work in an Emergency Room.

traumajunkee · May 5, 2002

I've been in the ER 17 yrs out of 22 in nursing. I starting working with the volunteer ambulance service in our local parish(county) and have been hooked ever since. Have bad days and good but it only takes a good save to make me remember why I love it. I got a card and a box of candy last day I worked from a teen's mom telling me I was "awesome" .....wow that really made me feel great. I can see the face of that 5 year old that realizes that the things I am doing made him feel better and I get that first tremelous smile. By the end of the shift that 5 year old is probably demolishing the ER room and I made it all happen...lol.

I coud go on and on, get really sappy, but you all know what I mean.....But if I win the lottery I might have to take a LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG vacation...lol

Debs

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · May 9, 2002

Been in the ED twelve and half years out of fifteen. I don't think I could work anywhere else. Treat 'em and street 'em :)

zudy · May 14, 2002

Been in er 16 years, I'll probably die there. But I'm a no code, so it's ok.