I start in the ER next week!

Specialties Emergency

Published

I just have to share my excitement :) and my little bit of trepidation, of course.

I am a new grad RN with 6 years of experience as a paramedic, 2 years prior to that in EMS as an EMT while in medic school. I have worked in a variety of settings including busy 911 and interfacility ALS transfers, as well as several years as an ER Tech/Medic in a busy (100,000+ pt/yr volume) ER.

I am both excited and anxious. I feel really prepared in some ways and in other ways I feel totally not ready to be a nurse! I very much share the sentiment I have read many times that nursing school prepares you for NCLEX but not for work. I worry about not clicking with whomever I am assigned to precept with, or them thinking that I'm not nursey enough (that sounds silly but it's what I worry about). I will be on night shift which I'm excited about (it's what I worked when I used to work in the ER) but I didn't work at this ER and my manager told me that the night shift nurses have pretty much all been on night shift in this ER for years.... so I will be the outsider :(. Where I used to work I felt like it took people a while to like me, because I don't get political and I'm not overly social. I do my job and I go home.

I will be working in a smaller ER with less volume and my orientation will be 12 weeks so that's great :) I have bought some ER nursing books that I have been reading (Fast Facts for the ER Nurse, and of course Sheehy's Emergency Nursing).

Any words of wisdom for me? Tricks of the trade? Anyone want to tell me I won't be an awful nurse? LOL :)

Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
We all had to start somewhere, at the bottom, as the outsider ...you will do fine. As a fellow night nurse, night shift brings a certain level of comradary(sp) that other shifts just don't get. Stay busy, always ask your teammates if they need help (even if you know they don't) shows you are a team player. Admit that you don't know everything, even after years of experience, I will be the first one to admit that I am still learning daily. Don't be afraid to ask questions, we want you to ask before you do something that might jeopardize at patient's life.

Know that you are not alone, all nurses have these same feelings at first....they just don't admit to it.

Good Luck!

:up: Leslie

Thank you for all of this Leslie!!! You rock!

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
Good luck! Just graduated from nursing school and now looking for ED too!

Jeniffied- Did you graduate with your MSN? BSN? I'm a little confused by your credentials after your name :) I hope you can get in where you want! This is definitely a dream come true and a huge answer to prayer.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.
Anyone want to tell me I won't be an awful nurse? LOL :)
Nah, you're probably going to suck.

~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to guess that one of your biggest frustrations will be with yourself. It's never easy going from being an expert back to being a novice.

My take on the 'tight-knit group' thing is that once they see you being a hard worker and someone who reliably jumps in to help, they'll accept you into their group.

And don't be afraid to ask for help if you find it easier to start a line with someone shaking the gurney ;-)

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
Nah, you're probably going to suck.

~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to guess that one of your biggest frustrations will be with yourself. It's never easy going from being an expert back to being a novice.

My take on the 'tight-knit group' thing is that once they see you being a hard worker and someone who reliably jumps in to help, they'll accept you into their group.

And don't be afraid to ask for help if you find it easier to start a line with someone shaking the gurney ;-)

I am sure that you are right about me being one of my biggest frustrations. I will have to remember to give myself a little leeway, I am definitely my biggest critic. I am really passionate about learning and doing the best I can, its hard to remember what it was like to be a brand new medic.

I definitely may have to ask for someone to shake the bed or turn the lights off so I can get that tough line ;)

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.

Quick update: 1 week in and loving every minute of it. I adore my preceptor. She is super knowledgeable, has been nursing for 35 years. I was warned that she is "rough around the edges" but honestly our personalities jive really well. I am learning a TON about our EHR and the nuances of the flow in our department. So super excited for this opportunity :D

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

Sounds like a fantastic launching pad.

Congratulations.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I am learning a TON about our EHR and the nuances of the flow in our department.

Those things are so important! You already know how to handle true emergencies and to care for your patients, but figuring out how to best move them through the department to dispo (admit/transfer/discharge) and how to document everything are critical pieces. That is the first thing I try to learn in any ED - how do I get my patient out the door? :D

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
Those things are so important! You already know how to handle true emergencies and to care for your patients, but figuring out how to best move them through the department to dispo (admit/transfer/discharge) and how to document everything are critical pieces. That is the first thing I try to learn in any ED - how do I get my patient out the door? :D

no kidding- I learned about the charge calling the house supervisor when a patient won't leave :wideyed: we almost trespassed the patient. Some of them won't get out that door! lol

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