I need advice. Switching ERs.

[Prettyladie]

I have been a RN right around a year at another Level 1 facility in the ER. Went through an internship, 16 weeks, and all that jazz, and now I'm moving back to the City, and will be working in another Level 1 ER. I don't know what it is, but I'm nervous.

The the acuity will be different, as far as patient population, and the amount of patient's seen in a day.

My facility is right around 50 beds, and the one I am going to is 80.

The nurse patient ratio is still 4:1, but I feel like due to the patient volume, my prioritization will be slower. I don't know maybe I'm getting too worked up.

If any of you have changed facilities, what did you do to prepare, so you can be on top of the game and be able to pick up where you left off?

I'm still a fairly new nurse, and hopefully I don't freeze up. Luckily, they use the exact same charting system as the hospital I'm coming from, so that's a plus, but I've not been "precepted", except while being in the internship, so I guess my question is, what should I expect while being oriented at a new facility? What is the ideal goal of the RN that I will be with? Just showing me the workings of that hospital, and how they operate, or will she actually "precept" me, because I'm only one year out.

If any of you have taken on a new employee from another hospital, how did you go about it?

Any pointers, much appreciated.

Job starts Dec 17!

Thanks AN.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Really.....it won't be much different. You are lucky that they use the same computer. You will be precepted....but in a different manner. They will show you their way to do things and where things are there. Shoe you their things monitors, IV's, Pumps....there may be different policies and pecking order on who does what when and who gets called first...that sort of thing but....a level one is a level one.

You will be slower at first until you get the layout down...but you will be fine....Good Luck!!!!!!

[Prettyladie]

Thank you so much for that! I'm just nervous!

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Agree with Esme. I've started two new ER jobs within 2 years of working and I will was nervous both times (what if everything I know is all wrong, what if it turns out I know nothing, etc) and both times the charting and new policies have been the hardest part of orienting. Will you see new things you're not familiar with? Yes. But that would have happened even if you'd stayed at your first job.