NEW GRAD in ER!!! Tips?! Advice?!

[LittleNurse15]

Hello!

I'm a new grad who got her first and only (sad face) offer as an RN in an adult emergency dept. Luckily for me I've been given a chance - I guess my interview didn't go as bad as I thought. Besides clinical experience, a medical mission, and preceptorship on a pediatric med-surg floor - I have no other experience and especially no experience in a fast pace environment. Although I do love and have always been interested in the ER.I've been reading up on different forums and posts - and seen quite a few videos and links about what to expect as a new grad in the ER. We are a level 1 trauma center and have about ~76,000 visits per year in the ER and about ~450,000 outpatient visits. My orientation will approximately be 5 months - which includes classroom and clinical time as well as a one-to-one with a preceptor.

What can I expect? Please send over any tips and advice that might help me! Any books to read up on, what to carry, etc?

Please and thank you in advance!!!

Congratulations.

What to expect? A little of everything... and a lot of some things... but probably introduced very slowly.

What to carry: A little notebook, a black ball point pen, a Sharpie, trauma shears, and a stethoscope.

I cannot recommend more highly two books:

1) Emergency Nursing Procedures, 4th Edition: Jean A. Proehl: 9781416040989: Amazon.com: Books

2) Sheehy's Manual of Emergency Care, 7e (Newberry, Sheehy's Manual of Emergency Care): ENA, Belinda B Hammond, Polly Gerber Zimmermann RN MS MBA CEN: 9780323078276: Amazon.com: Books

Go easy on yourself... it's a steep learning curve

[Cobweb]

Why sadface? You got a job! That's awesome. All you got to do is one thing at a time. My tip--buy the best, most comfortable shoes you can afford :)

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

My orientation will approximately be 5 months - which includes classroom and clinical time as well as a one-to-one with a preceptor.

Wow, that is wonderful! My advice is to get in and buckle up, because you're in for quite a ride. Also agree with "Song in my Heart's" advice.

[sandseaandstone]

I was a new grad in the ER in a level one trauma center.....get ACLS if you haven't. Try to start looking at the material for TNS cerification---a lot of the "whys" are explained. Ask ask ask questions and for demonstrations-- OBSERVE EVERYTHING. Keep your eyes peeled. Listen to what everyone is saying and watch how they go about it. Learn what you need to do for specific presentations:: STEMI, stroke, diabetic, sutures---start to think about what you need in the room for those diagnoses so u can begin to anticipate. Get to learn what certain docs will ask for......you're going to learn so much.....Good luck!!!