NA's in the ED

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Specializes in PCT.

Forgive me if this isn't a good place to post this, but I'm so excited that I could just die! Today I got called to interview for a position as a nursing assistant in the emergency department. I just started nursing school and this will be my first hospital job if I get it. I have read up on what nursing assistants do, but I am wondering if there is a difference in this department. I know sometimes people wait for a long time in the ED, but are they there long enough to get bed baths, need turned or frequently toileted and cleaned? What do nursing assistants do in your ED?

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Sometimes two minutes is long enough to need a bath...you will do a lot of bathing in a variety of ways.

The goal of our ED is to have patients dispositioned within 4 hours of arrival, so not usually much turning, but note thats a goal, we have sometimes had them stay longer.

Heres what NA's do in our ED:

1. Lots of assisting with pelvic exams...

2. Transport patients all over the hospital

3. Collect Urine samples

4. Take EKGs

5. Give meals to patients

6. take vital signs (and report bad ones to the nurse, sooner than later please!!!)

7. Assist with enemas

8. Bed pans, and walking to the bathroom

9. Stocking of all the IV trays/carts

10. Blood Glucose checks

11. Sometimes run samples to the lab when our tube is broken

12. make crutches.

13. Insert foleys if level IIs

14. sit with suicidal patients/confused patients so they dont fall out of bed etc.

There will be plenty of incontinent patients for you to experience, as well as drunk vomiting ones, and very bloody ones. So if you are interested in staying very clean....probably not a good place.

The biggest thing is patient transport for us, and the NA who hides when a transport is coming is universally disliked. I started as an ED Nurse Aide, you will learn so much, keep your eyes open, do your job well, and the nurses and physicians will really appreciate you and teach you even more. (I still remember my board review- with all the ED attendings and residents all trying to answer the questions from Saunders and give rationales as well...great fun). CONGRATULATIONS, and I hope this means we have a new die hard ED nurse coming on board in the future!!!

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Pretty much exactly what she said.

Just please don't grow an attitude! I had one the other night, when I asked "when you get a chance could you get an EKG on this guy?" she said "If you give me a minute- not like you can't do it either". :rolleyes: Well, when you can start his IV and get his meds, then I'll be glad to do it. :stone Anyways- Good luck! Great place to start and LEARN!!!!

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Pretty much exactly what she said.

Just please don't grow an attitude! I had one the other night, when I asked "when you get a chance could you get an EKG on this guy?" she said "If you give me a minute- not like you can't do it either". :rolleyes: Well, when you can start his IV and get his meds, then I'll be glad to do it. :stone Anyways- Good luck! Great place to start and LEARN!!!!

Ugh ! I second the attitude thing. When an RN asks you to do something it's *not* because we don't want to do it or are too lazy,etc....it's because there is something we need done that is a higher priority that only we can do. Other than that, the first list is pretty much complete. Have fun !

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Hi, I'm also a CNA in training, and volunteer in the ER. Congrats on the ER position. Our hospital doesn't have CNAs in ER (I wish they did). At my hospital, I've never heard anyone request a bed bath in ER. Of course, I don't see everything,so I could be wrong. There probabally have been some that have gotten one in ER. Turning is a maybe, and toileting/bed pans is a yes.

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Specializes in PCT.

Wow! I didn't know it was possible, but I'm even more excited. I really hope I get this. Thanks for the great information, I really think that I have found my nitch (sp?). I'm not all that concerned with staying clean, and I've never been one to have an attitude. Thanks for confirming that I really want this job.

I never knew it could be so great to take a pay cut, loose my vacation time, give up steady day shift, weekends off, holidays and sitting on me bum all day. :balloons: :balloons:

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Heres hoping you get the job!!

You are soooo lucky, hospitals here won't hire NA's or even LPN's in the ER. I'm currently working in LTC, working on prereqs and hoping to get into the degree program very soon.

Good luck! :)

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Specializes in PCT.

I got the job!I got the job!I got the job!I got the job!I got the job!

I am so happy I could cry. She seemed excited to hire a nursing student and told me that the nurses just love to teach. She said I should make sure I see as much as I can. The interview was great.

My only problem is that my hubby is on a plane to El Paso and I won't be able to tell him until he gets there tonight.

Thanks for wishing me luck! It sure did the trick!!!

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Congratulations!

Did they give you a job description and an outline of what all you'll be doing?

I'm a nurse in the ER and we do everything we can to give our tech/nursing students a chance to do and see as much as possible. I hope you'll get a lot of opportunities.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Let your ER adventure begain :~)

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:balloons: yay!!! i was wondering if you got the call back. congratulations to you! you'll have a great job experience i'm sure. best of luck! :yelclap:

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Specializes in PCT.
Congratulations!

Did they give you a job description and an outline of what all you'll be doing?

Yes they did, and I get a week of classroom training before I start.

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