New Grad in the ER ... ADVICE PLEASE!

[Guest838984]

Well I graduated in August, took my boards in October, and just recently got hired onto the ER. I'm glad with how well and quick everything is going but I'm extremely nervous. I went to a job fair for the hospital and went to a table for each unit and talked to the director of the unit and did on the spot interviews. I am currently a waitress. When I sat at the table for the ER unit he became really interested in the fact that I was a waitress and said that he used to be a waiter himself. He said that the skill set of time management, being on your feet all day and dealing with the crazy madness in a restaurant translates very well into the ER, and I agree with him because I'm used to not peeing for 6 hours or eating on a 12 hour shift but I'm still extremely nervous and I know working in the hospital is a different world. I know it's a huge learning curve and I really saw myself starting out on a floor before even thinking about going into the ER but hey I'm not complaining and I'm not turning this job down. I don't feel really confident in my IV skills but I know that'll come with time. Any advice on books I can read to better prepare me for the cases I'll see in the ER???? Just any advice at all would be appreciated!!

[missemerge018]

Did you do any clinical placement in the ER during school?

[Guest838984]

I did quite a few rotations in the ER, atleast 5-6 of them I always liked it but felt like I didn't know much.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

First off, congratulations!! Going from new grad to RN is huge!!

Don't worry, skills will come! Starting in the E.R. is exactly the same as starting anywhere as a new grad. You feel like you don't know anything for the first 6 months, then you are completely a wreck for the next 3 or 4. By the time you get to a year you feel like you might almost be decent. Every nurse feels this way at first. Get a lot of support outside of work for a while while you are learning the ropes.

But the most important thing to know is this: You are never alone. You will never code a patient alone, you will never be expected to be in 18 places at once (even though it will feel like it). If something bad happens, just yell "HELP!" and you will have a whole team of help at your back in an instant.

[Murse1919]

As NurseOnAMotorcycle said the skills will come with time and getting a job in ER as a new nurse is great and will look great on your resume. I worked in the ER as a tech in my final year of nursing and would've stayed if I didn't move for 3 years but I did over 1000 IVs in a short amount of time so that skill plus all your others will come to you very quickly. Time management will be huge as I feel that my short time spent in the ER as a tech has made me into the nurse I am today, probably why I was able to move up to be a charge nurse quite quickly. I will say good luck to you and just hit the ground running and enjoy each day and take it all as a big learning experiance :)

[Jnurs4]

Congrats on getting hired to the ER!

Starting out as a new grad in the ER is like starting out anywhere else as a newbie. You'll feel like you don't know anything for the first several months on the job. Just remember that you won't be alone. The staff will be there for you, especially since you are new :)