Is ER Nursing for Me?

NO50FRANNY · May 31, 2012

Hello there,

I was thinking about your background and how you've described yourself and I honestly believe a great deal of nurses do underestimate themselves. It is in our nature to be very mindful of our limitations but not our attributes. You have a substantial amount of experience, you know what a sick person looks like and how to look after them which is half the battle in Emergency, prioritising. Changing pace is something you will learn quickly and thorough and meticulous nursing care is never a bad thing. I was talking with my father recently about the distinct personality changes that gradually took place the longer I worked in ED. I started with a similar background to yourself. The art of remaining calm in chaos did not come easily to me but my mentors and fellow ED nurses gave me great strategies to deal with the stress. Initially, in critical situations, I used to experience such a huge adrenaline dump that I lost my fine motor skills and my hands would shake, one of a few things that over the years, I've learned to control. There will always be too much work to do, but there is a team element at play that ensures that everyone is taken care of, which subsequently means you don't stress as much, we back each other up. Also, I used to be a doormat, not anymore. I would say go for it, but I will never discourage anyone from working in Emergency because I love it. Like any work environment, you will figure out if it is not for you only by doing it. For the record, I think ED is a great cure for the highly strung (fellow type A) :bugeyes:

westieluv · May 31, 2012

Thanks so much for your reply. I think that's what I'm trying to ask, is if ER is a good fit for someone who is high strung, or would it be the most stressful job I ever had and I would end up hating it. I do find the hospice intake job very stressful at times, even though it doesn't seem like it would be, because we are often short staffed and if an emergency situation or an admission comes up it is up to me to find the staff to do it. I also often get several referrals at once and have to keep that all straight, and it seems like everyone wants help NOW, so I end up triaging who gets seen first.

Part of my personality, personal convictions, or whatever, is that I want everyone to get excellent care all the time, even when it isn't always possible due to time limitations, being short staffed, etc. That's why I'm trying to picture myself in the ER, every room is full, and people are griping about how long they've been there, where IS that doctor???, etc. and more are walking in the door...could I handle the stress of it?

Thanks again. I appreciate the support and you're right, so many of us do underestimate our value, don't we? Your comments give me a lot to think about, and you have helped me to gain some insight.

sauconyrunner · May 31, 2012

You might want to ask to shadow someone on the shift you are looking at doing. Med Surg nurses usually do really well in the Emergency Setting if they want to because they have experience taking care of most of the conditions ER patients are admitted for. (YES, we love to talk about all the critical ER patients, but indeed the majority of our admitted patients go to Med Surg, not the ICU.) In addition, as a MS nurse, you have had experience juggling multiple patients throughout the day. When I moved from ICU to ED, it took me a while to get the hang of having more than 2 patients...

All that said, if you get upset or stressed out every time you feel you are being asked to do too much, it might be a very very difficult transition for you. I do not think that patients are given less than excellent care in an Emergency setting because of the setting, and the feeling of being constantly busy so you should be able to continue to give good care.

If they offer your the job, I would shadow on the shift you want and see how you feel towards the end of the shift. You can totally do this....but in the end you may not want to.

westieluv · May 31, 2012

Thanks for your reply also.

The idea of shadowing someone is a good one! Our ER also has a contingent position open, so I'm considering asking about that one instead of the part-time, so that I can set my own schedule. I work with a nurse in hospice who worked ER for over 30 years, so I am going to talk to her too. Our personalities are very similar, so she will be able to give me some more insight.

Thanks again. Your response has given me a bit more confidence, just as the PP's response did. : )

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

Wikipedia says type A loves to multitask which contradicts your statement that you might be to high strung to handle the pace. ER is not stressful if you have the attitude to take it as it comes and do your best. If you need to cross every T and dot every I it won't work. You must be flexible and work with what you have. You can't always do everything for every patient. You must be able to get over this. Can you send a nursing home patient to the ICU without checking their butt? This happens sometimes. If you can't accept this you won't make it. I had a shift with a confirmed stroke patient, MI, kidney stone, and a child who had seized all at the same time. There is no way I could fully get every nursing assessment and invention done. Everyone lived and got the care they needed but if you get hung up on what you didn't do you will drive yourself crazy. The chaos is what I love about it but that doesn't work for everyone. I don't know you so I can't judge. Do you like a challenge? Are you ready to work intensely at times? In my experience most nurses with your years under their belt are ready to step back and there is nothing wrong with that. I applaud you if you are ready to shake up your world and sometimes save a life. Good luck.

brainkandy87 · Jun 1, 2012

There are a whole variety of personalities in the ER, but the good ER nurses do share some common traits, such as being able to prioritize, think on their feet, and stay focused on what needs to be done. I think if you're a nurse who feels the need to perform in-depth head to toe assessments on every patient (and 11 years of M/S will definitely have that idea pounded in your head), you might have a problem with keeping up with the pace of the ER.

I've been with an orientee lately who is really good at getting information and doing deep assessments, but because she feels like she has to do this with every patient, she is always trying to catch up. In the ER, we need focused assessments and questions relevant to the problem, as we are trying to treat whatever complaint it is that brought them to the ER. Our job is to stabilize them and dispo them as fast as we can, whether it's out the door or to the floor.

NO50FRANNY · Jun 2, 2012

........
Part of my personality, personal convictions, or whatever, is that I want everyone to get excellent care all the time, even when it isn't always possible due to time limitations, being short staffed, etc. That's why I'm trying to picture myself in the ER, every room is full, and people are griping about how long they've been there, where IS that doctor???, etc. and more are walking in the door...could I handle the stress of it?
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I totally understand where you are coming from and my background was Haematology and BMT- this perfectly clean, meticulous, intensive and controlled nursing environment. What you will learn in Emergency is that there is only so much that you can do. Once you accept that the patients never stop coming and that there will always be something that needs to be done, you let go a little. Your priorities change and the things that used to stress you out become less important. If it has truly kicked off in ED, your only focus will be Airway, Breathing, Circulation and Pain the other stuff won't matter anymore. The privelege of helping save someone's life, immediately easing someone's pain, or even telling someone they have the flu are the reason you can let the other stuff go. Don't over think it, just give it a shot.

westieluv · Jun 2, 2012

Thanks for all of the good advice. :)

I am thinking more and more about just going for it. It will be a learning experience, and we're never too old to learn, right? And it seems that I would be considered more useful the more types of nursing I have under my belt.

Thanks again for all of the responses.

schwester23 · Oct 8, 2017

Hi, I just came across this thread. Did you end up taking the job and liking it?