new to you & ER

jojotoo, RN · Sep 5, 2006

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your move to ER. It sound like you have a variety of experiences. That is really going to be an asset for you. My best advice to you is to ASK QUESTIONS! There's a lot of little tricks/ tips to learn that you won't find in any text book. Choose a mentor that is willing to show you the ropes. This will be very different from floor nursing. Expect the unexpected!

prenurse · Sep 6, 2006

:nurse: I feel that experience in the ER is going to be the best. You do have 6 years on other units - that is going to be a big plus!:wink2:

I have been in the ER as a new nurse for one year now and I feel that everyday I feel alittle bit better about my knowledge, but I am learning something new everyday :yeahthat:

Just keep your eyes open and your ears open and you will learn alot just by watching others - also you will get a feel along the way which way is best and right for you. Mentors are great - however you have to do it yourway. :biere:

I read "Nursing 06" (magazine), I joined ENA (emergency nurses association), I also take as many classes as I can - I have taken TNCC (trauma nursing core cirrculm), ACLS, ABLS (Advanced burn Life Support), Disaster training, EKG class, Triage class, etc..... :bugeyes:

Good Luck!!!!!!

neneRN, BSN, RN · Sep 6, 2006

Welcome to the ER...there's no other place like it. I've been in ER for 5 years and can't imagine ever doing anything else! Get ACLS and TNCC as soon as possible, learn to read your 12 leads, and jump in to help, esp with your codes/MIs/traumas/vents, etc., even if its just to watch and take it all in.

Trauma Columnist · Sep 6, 2006

Hi and welcome and welcome to the ER! It is the best place to be! Good luck.

ski_ER · Sep 6, 2006

thanks for your optimism! the good news is that i already have acls and tncc. being a supervisor at the pediatric hospital i just left, due to a cross-country move, it was highly recommended of course that all supervisors be well trained in the event of a crisis. i performed many stat ekgs as a supervisor, but definitely feel weak with reading abnormal ekgs accurately. hopefully an ekg course in addition to the critical care training and experience over time of course will help me feel more confident reading those darn things. i can't predict the future or anything, but i'm 99.9% sure that i'll stay in the er for years to come. every single other job i've had i always found myself doing everything i could to go into/get a glimpse of/converse with.... the hospital's er department. it's the only field of nursing that i've always said... 'i just have to do this!' i know the critical thinking skills required in the er will come with time, practice, lots of questions, watching, jumping in, training, etc. - i'm just a little nervous and sincerely hope that i'll succeed in becoming a skilled er nurse like the rest of you guys. i also agree with 'jojotoo' in that there will be a lot of tricks & tips to learn that you just don't find in a text book - that's true with floor nursing as well of course. i always said that i learned more during my first year out of nursing school in a trauma unit than i did in four years of nursing school & i'm sure you can all relate :) thanks so much for everyone's input!