New Grad Medsurg to ER?

[DreamChas]

Hey, I'm a New grad RN and currently 8-9 months into my residency program. I work on a med-surg/ neuro floor. I like my floor and the people I work with but I don't really feel satisfied with what I do. I don't really feel like I am learning or getting the experience I could be getting especially compared to some of my peers. In nursing school I always saw myself doing ER or Peds. Right now I am seeing a bunch of open positions for ER. While I do plan to stay on my floor to complete the year. I do want to try the ER. I also don't want to say goodbye to my medsurg/neuro floor either. So I'm wondering if it would be crazy to try ER PRN for the experience while I work medsurg fulltime, especially since I don't have much experience with critical care. I did work as an ER tech while I was in nursing school if that helps. IDK if im just being delusional but I just feel a strong pull towards the ER even though I barely have experience but I am truly willing to learn and gain the experience. Also if I ever get into the ER, what are some tips to prepare myself for it so I can be helpful to the team despite my inexperience. Thank you!

[Calicokitty8]

Hey! It is very common to want to explore other options. You have done more than 6 months and if you in a enviornment you feel you don't belong, and have a drive for the ED, I would definitely look into transferring or even doing a trial period. my hospital lets us do a 2 week trial period before fully making the switch. I don't know if your hospital will let you do ER PRN, some places have strict policies in place for the areas you work in. I would have loved to do the same thing and I asked and my manager said there was no way for me to stay on my ortho floor and do ER. I do however think that starting in med/surg before going to ER was smart. I started in the ER, sadly my hospital didn't have a supportive program and I was bullied out, those nurses who came from the floor were the nurses I wanted to be and those who I looked up to. I think if you feel there is a calling to it, see if you can work with your manager or the ED manager and see if you can trial some shifts to see if this is a place you belong. I am currently going through the same thing, I want to go back but im scared. good luck! 

[DreamChas]

Thank you for replying to my post. Trying to do ER is scary especially with the high possibility of being "bullied out" as I've heard from other nurses as well. I just feel so lost as what my niche is and feel like I could be or should be doing more. I just kinda feel unfulfilled. I also don't want to make a mistake and transfer somewhere I hate or would be terrible in. IDK maybe I'm just putting too much pressure on myself to find where I belong within my career. 

[Myruby, MSN, NP]

I think your choice to finish the year is excellent, and good work!  I started in MedSurg, and it gave me such an excellent background.  I think learning a new job is difficult on a PRN basis.  I would say if you want to do ER, go for it, but do it full-time so that you can fully immerse yourself in it and not forget what you have learned between shifts.  If it doesn't work out, you can always go back.  I eventually became an NP and FORCED myself to do a year of Internal Medicine, which I truly hated and knew I would, but it gave me such a good background to spread my wings.  While you are in the ER, if you change, you will have time to look up questions about your day at night if you fully immerse yourself and learning will be so much faster.  I do wish you the best, as you seem like a committed, thoughtful nurse, which any unit would be grateful to have, and if you are bullied, it's not about you, hold your head high and carry on.  We can only do our best and as the saying goes, "you can't please everyone." If there is bullying, and it is not definite it will happen, it will end.  Don't let it rob your dream