New RN to ER

[kjcheno]

I'm a seven year RN with mostly cardiac experience. I've recently changed jobs to work in a rural hospital in their ER. I've been on orientation two days a week for almost two months now. Their ER can be very fickle only seeing sometimes very few patients a day.

Soon I will be off orientation. My problem is that I will be by myself, the only RN in ER at night. Yes I knew this when I started- but I wasn't super clear on the lack of resources and lack of willing to help from the two inpatient nurses on the floor. I won't see everything on orientation- so how do I handle things? The ER doc is kind of crazy. I guess I need reassurance I'm not going to do something stupid not knowing any better and losing my license.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I personally would not feel comfortable working in that setting. I'm not telling you to quit your job, but I honestly wouldn't feel safe being the only nurse in an ER, no matter how small or rural of an area the hospital is in.

[ERGirl83]

I wouldn't consider that safe staffing on any level. There should always be another RN no matter how low your census. I work in a small department that sometimes sees few patients in a day and other times sees a large volume. Our absolute minimum is 2 RNs. Is it overkill sometimes? Sure. But is it understaffed other times? Yep. Patient safety is going to be compromised in this facility. I would not work here personally.