NICU RN transitioning to ER-- Looking for all the help I can get(:

Ruby Vee, BSN · May 10, 2018

SOS ER RN's!
I have been a NICU nurse for 2 years now. I recently accepted a new position in the ER! I'm super pumped to do something totally new, but also I'm super nervous! I haven't touched an adult since nursing school and feel like my brain has deleted most things from nursing school that don't relate to NICU. They hired me on as an experienced nurse and orientation is 8-12 weeks. Is this enough??
I have about 3 weeks between my last NICU shift and starting my ER job. I plan on taking that time to study (while also moving states lol). Looking for recommendations on study materials, books, podcasts, blogs, or anything else I can use to feel a little more confident starting my new job. Also open to any advice you may have!
Thanks!(:

You are an adult, right? Most of your friends are adults - your parents, your colleagues, your bosses are adults. Adults are not the "foreign territory" you're trying to make them. (Besides - I can see situations where your colleagues will be thrilled to have someone with NICU experience on the team.).

You already know how an adult relates to their environment. So if they're not relating to the environment in the normal way, you already know to go looking for reasons - are they confused? What could cause that? Are they short of breath, are they in pain? As an experienced nurse, you already know how to conduct an assessment - doing so on adults will be different, yes. But not as different as it was when you learned to do assessments in the first place. You already know how to be a NURSE. That's the toughest transition.

My advice, never having worked in ER but having switched jobs a number of times, is study the ACLS manual. Rhythms, drugs, algorithms, and normal vital sign ranges for adults. Others may have more specific ideas of what to study, but three weeks isn't a lot of time, what with moving house and all. So try to bring an eager, positive attitude to work on the new job. Get to know your new colleagues, make a good impression on them. If they like you, that will go far in being accepted on the new job and being accepted will go a long ways in your colleagues teaching you the tips and tricks of the trade. Prepare to study at home after your shift or before your shift, and ask your preceptors for suggestions on what to study. It could be that your ER gets lots of stabbing and gunshot wounds, but no middle aged men having MIs. Or vice versa. It could be that all the trauma victims go to the ER across town with the fancy new trauma ICU. Or that your newborn nursery is sub-par so the ambulance crews don't bring laboring mothers to your ER. Or that they ONLY bring them to your ER. Once you've started your new position, your new colleagues can recommend the best use of your study time.

Congratulations on your new adventure. I hope you love it.

amzyRN · May 10, 2018

Emergency Nurse Core Curriculum, you can get it on Amazon. Also start learning about ESI traige. Go to the ENA website, they also have resources. Oh, and Sheehy's Manual of Emergency Care is highly recommended. I think that's the one I have.

katenicuRN · May 11, 2018

Thank you Ruby Vee! I think I'm getting too in my head about this and your advice helps calm me down a bit!

katenicuRN · May 11, 2018

AmzyRN, thank you for the resources, I will definitely order those books on amazon(:

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · May 12, 2018

Hi,

That is kind of funny, I was a burnt out ER RN a few years ago desperately trying to get into a NICU (without success I might add). I did get an interview and shadow and realized during the shadow time that it wasn't for me.

So my advise to you is to understand that you will have MUCH more interaction with patients obviously then you may be used to, as they can actually talk to you :) Which has its pluses, but it also has its minuses when they are getting on your last nerve.

I would say buy Dale Dubans EKG book to learn your rhythms. Take ACLS once you have those mastered and do some patient care. Also PALS eventually.

Annie

kheemooy · Mar 31

katenicuRN said:

SOS ER RN's!

I have been a NICU nurse for 2 years now. I recently accepted a new position in the ER! I'm super pumped to do something totally new, but also I'm super nervous! I haven't touched an adult since nursing school and feel like my brain has deleted most things from nursing school that don't relate to NICU. They hired me on as an experienced nurse and orientation is 8-12 weeks. Is this enough??

I have about 3 weeks between my last NICU shift and starting my ER job. I plan on taking that time to study (while also moving states LOL). Looking for recommendations on study materials, books, podcasts, blogs, or anything else I can use to feel a little more confident starting my new job. Also open to any advice you may have!

Thanks!(:

Hi there, would love to know how your transition was. And if you're still working in ER. I am a NICU nurse with 15years of experience and thinking of transitioning to ER. Would love to know what helped you and how it's been. Hope to hear from you! 🙂