New Nurse in the ER and Feeling Stressed

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I graduated nursing school and took my NCLEX about a year ago. I ended about getting a job in an ER in September and I've been working there for the last 9 months. I've started to feel really stressed at work. I know it's a very stressful place to work and being a new grad doesn't help either. I don't know much about other ERs, but it seems very busy. I work one of the busiest shift (11am-11pm). I feel like a quickly get overwhelmed when I start to get 5,6, or 7 patients. I don't know if I feel stressed because I'm just a slow person, a new grad, or just can't handle stress well. I need money for varies reason, and I usually hear people work extra shift to get some extra money, but it's just feels to stressful to me to take extra shift. I don't know where else to go in the nursing field. I would like to work somewhere with a slower pace and less stress. I've been thinking about getting a second career in another field, but there isn't much I could do without going back to school for 3-4 more year and racking up more debt. I would like to stay in nursing because I like the work but I feel it's just to stressful. Does anyone here have any advice on where to look in nursing for less stressful environment or did I make a huge mistake and wasted the last 8 years or my life plus some more with all the debt I now have from schooling. I really appreciate any comments. Thank you and sorry for any spelling and grammar errors.

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Wow I can only imagine how stressful the ED is as a new grad cause I work med surg since September and I'm super stressed myself. I'm looking for jobs like case management or health insurance companies. What area are you from?

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

Hi,

About 28 years ago I went into ICU directly out of school. The first year was horrible and huge blow to my self confidence. I came to terms with not knowing everything. You need to build a routine for dealing with patients. Many of your courses such as TNCC, ACLS, ENPC teach you primary and secondary surveys. It takes time to develop these skills. My first 12 yrs were in ICUs, going to ER was difficult for me. Be patient in an impatient place. Ask for additional education. Celebrate your accomplishments.

Hopefully you have someone at work you can bounce your ideas and frustrations off of.

Scott

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

7 patients in the ER?? HOLY COW! I've been a nurse for 16 years, the last 10 years in a Level I Trauma ER and that would stress me!! Why do you have so many patients in the ER?

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Specializes in ER.

I agree. Our ratio is currently 4 to each nurse. We are soon going to 3, but will be expected to triage our own pts. We are a level 3. when traumas come in we take those one to one, we get plenty of heavy trauma pts, the small city where I work doesn't have higher than level 3 hospital, so we get it all, then stabilize and transfer to the Level 1, 3 hours away.

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