New nursing graduate - Question about ER

[LSUGIRL, RN]

new member and new to web site:

have some questions for anyone that can offer some advice.

i am waiting on my sc license before i can go interview for a job. i know i want to work in er. i did my 3 week preceptorship in er and loved it. never thought i would until then. since then that is the only area that interests me. i have a few fellow classmates that i keep in touch with who after graduation went directly to er and is loving every bit of it. there are a few job openings in the er at the hospital in downtown columbia that i would like to apply for. no experience needed. job description says will hire new rn graduate or rn with experience. my question is do i need to go to med-surg floor first for a few months to get basic skills down or should i go to er because that is where my heart is. my fellow classmates said they had no problem adapting to er. i felt like i adapted well in school during the 3 weeks i was there and my preceptor gave me a great report on how well i did. i just don't want to get the position and then be thrown out to the dogs (if you know what i mean). some have said go to where you want to be but others say go get your basic skills down first before going to a specialized area. i just wanted to be prepared before taking on something. eventually my goal is to get on with a traveling company working er. i have a friend who has her own traveling company out of jackson, ms and was told in order to work er with a traveling company i have to have 1 year experience in er first. so why not go ahead and apply for the er position and get my 1 year over with?

if anyone has any advice please let me know.

thanks,

lsugirl

[mom23RN]

Go for it!!!!! I (and 2 of my good friends) went right into the ER and loved it!!!!!

[TJRN]

I am a recent grad who went straight to the medical intensive care unit. I also heard conflicting advice from people, some saying get med-surg experience and others saying follow your heart. The thought of doing med-surg depressed me because I really do not enjoy or feel passionate about that field of nursing. I decided to follow my heart and what felt right. I have to be honest...it has been very difficult and somewhat overwhelming but what wouldn't at this point? I am soooo glad that I decided to follow my heart. I had an instructor during my last 5 weeks of school (we were doing a preceptorship/mentorship) who told me that you have to follow where your heart and your gut tell you to go, she was so right. I say if the job is available and you are excited about giving it a shot then go for it! If you don't like it you can go somewhere else. Good luck!

[LSUGIRL, RN]

Thank you for the advice!!!!!

I have to agree with you on the thought of going to a med-surg floor. That thought depresses me also. I didn't like it during clinicals. Same thing day after day. I like experiencing different challanges. Guess that's why I came to love ER so much. Also, the fact of treating them and getting them out of there and not as much paperwork.

My opinion is: I worked my butt off for too many years to get something I had wanted for so long so why shouldn't I go to the area that interests me the most. I want to do something that I enjoy doing everyday.

I know it will be hard at first but I made it through nursing school, I can make it through this.

Thanks again,

[NYCRN16]

Hi there,

I went straight into ER after graduation, I am now 3 years out of school and glad that I didnt go to a floor first. I also did a preceptorship and knew that I wanted to go into ER. I definitely think you should go for the job where they are willing to train new grads. However, I think you should wait a little longer before you start to travel. A year ago, I left my staff job to do a local travel assignment, and let me tell you, if you are not fully ready to be on your own its very difficult. I only had one day orientation and that was just to figure out the paperwork and to see where everything is. You have to be able to do everything yourself. I know that 1 year seems like a long time, but you will see, one year is just at the point when you start to feel comfortable doing things and you really start to know what you are doing. To then get thrown into a new environment where you really cant ask for help with clinical things that much, is going to be very hard. I would wait at least 2 years before you start to travel, just to protect yourself if anything. I stopped traveling after that one assignment and went back to my staff job. Maybe I would consider traveling in the future, but for now I am staying where I am. Good luck to you, and I hope that you get your ER position!

[LSUGIRL, RN]

thanks!!!!!

since i did my preceptorship in er, i knew then that was the area that i wanted to go into. i had made my mind up then. but when it comes down to getting a job it all starts to become a little confussing on making the right decision.

i think by following my heart i can't go wrong. to me, i would be making the wrong mistake by going into an area that i just didn't care for or that my heart wasn't in. i don't want to start my career off by dreading to go to work everyday.

thanks for the advice on the traveling also. i was just told that i had to have 1 year to get on. not for sure if that is what i want to do yet. just a future thought. i know the pay is great. but yes, i agreee, by no means am i ready to be thrown out there on my own, even after just 1 year.

thanks again!!!!!!!!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

i just don't want to get the position and then be thrown out to the dogs (if you know what i mean).

this is the key ... make sure the position you take has a thorough, structured new grad orientation.

last year i was in your shoes. as a new grad i went directly to a level i er and i have (almost) never regretted it. the most frequent advice i received, which i believe whole-heartedly, is that it will take up to 2 years to feel fully acclimated & comfortable in an er setting. there will be rough spots, some very rough, but if the er truly suits you then go for it.

good luck to you! :balloons:

[PANurseRN1]

One year is definitely not enough time to be ready to become a traveler.

[veronica butterfly, ADN, RN]

As long as the department has a good, long, thorough orientation, go for it. I just finished a preceptorship at a county level 1 trauma center ED and really enjoyed it to. My preceptor said they have a year long orientation and they orient a section at a time (they have four different areas A,B,C, peds, psych/detox).

If you're committed, you can do it. No one ever regretted taking a chance, it's the opportunities they turned down and never knowing if it worked out...