newfloridaRN

Hi all; I'm an Emergency Room RN and trying to decide what I want to do for grad school, CRNA or CRNP. Most of the CRNA programs I've looked at require 1 year CC experience. Does anyone know if ER experience counts? I don't work in a level 1 trauma center, but have taken care of many CC patients in my day and have experience with drips, vents, etc. Thanks

Hey Everyone....You guys have been so helpful in the past that I thought I'd post yet another question! I recently re-located to a new area and I'm working in a new ER. This is only my second job as an ER nurse, as I graduated from school in 2002. The ER I used to work at did not require us to draw ABG's, as respiratory did this. However, my new ER requires ABG draws.... Does anyone have a good website that teaches you how to draw? Any hints or tips for someone who hasn't done it before? Thanks so much!

my least fav pt=c diff. hands down.

What makes an ER a Level 1, Level 2 trauma center, etc....?? Thanks!!

Do any of you mind sharing how much your base pay per hour is? I just got a new job, and I feel that my rate is less than I should be making in Pennsylvania. I mentioned my two years experience to the recruiter and she said that I would be making $1 more an hour for evenings and also for taking charge. She also said that I would be getting annual raises, so my rate should go up soon. What do you all make in your state?

anyone? please? its getting close to crunch time!

im interviewing tomorrow for a new job in an ER. i have two years previous ER experience...i'm moving to a new state as well. i was trying to compile a list of questions for my interviewer/manager. can anyone add to the list i already have? i want to make sure i cover all of my bases. thank you all so much!!! *Nurse to patient ratio *Autonomy *How many patients see per year? Month? Day? *Holding hours/admissions? *Report to floor *Fast track? Hours? *How many MD's on? *Charge nurse *Triage- primary & secondary? Wait times? Triage protocols? *Bonus/moving relocation *Differential *Shift/hours *Staff Meetings *Orientation time?

And the generic name for that begins with a C... Cephalexin=Keflex. Do you think that could be it??

KEFLEX (antibiotic) smells SOO terrible! Exactly like rotten eggs.

I absolutely LOVE being in triage. Even seeing 100+ patients/day BY YOURSELF. It's rough but I love it. I guess it takes a special person, lol. I wouldn't go out to triage before being an ER nurse for at least a year...at that facility. Most of it goes by gut instint, dont ya'll think?

are you guys serious? This is scary!! At most, I have four patients. If I'm assigned to the "critical rooms" which we put most AMI's/Resp Distress pts I only have 3. If I'm in Fast Track, I have six. I cannot believe you guys have one nurse for 7-8 patients. How can you possibly give quality care? That is so dangerous!

Angie O Plasty-- No problem. I am a newer ER nurse (2 years) and I don't understand the constant 'struggle' between ER nurses and Floor nurses. Sometimes we don't understand where each other are coming from, but we're doing the same job. Our Managers tell us that when the supervisor assigns us a bed upstairs, we should have the patient up within 1 hour. So if the ER brings a patient upstairs around shift change, it's usually only because that's when we got the bed assigned to us. It's a constant arguement b/w our charge nurses and the house supervisor. If they would just give us beds earlier in the day, it would make everyone's lives a little bit easier! Hope this helps.

I'm an ER RN.... We tend to send alot of admits up around change of shift because that's when the supervisors assign us beds. We've fought w/the sups to give us beds EARLIER so ya'll do n't have to deal w/new admits at shift change. However, when this happens-- I try to have everything done so that the floor nurse doesn't have much to do for that pt except a full assessment. I have all the meds given, labs drawn..., etc. I try to do that so we avoid conflict!!

I went into the ER right out of school. They put me through a 16- week training program (even experienced LPN's go through this) it was a great program and I'm SOOO glad I didn't do med-surge. I wouldn't have been happy doing that!

Help! I am moving to PA after working here in Floida. I have 2 years experience in a 22 bed (including express care) ER. I"m looking for an ER position in a similar type ER. I am not looking for a level 1 trauma center. Anyone in Western PA have great employers? Anyone recommend their ER? Also, what is the transfer process like to transfer my liscence? Please tell me I dont have to take that dreaded test again!! Thanks in advance!!

We fax report on all patients except ICU. Sometimes I'll have a PCU or MT patient that just needs alot of explaining, and in that case I'll call report. Most of the nurses on the floors like the faxed report and when we try to call report they utter "can't you just fax it, I'm busy!" I like the faxed report.. It's just a pain to call and say "did you get the report", I sometimes forget that step! I usually try to have my faxed report ready as soon as I'm done taking admission orders...Then when I get a bed assignment, I just fill in what has happened since then, recent vitals, etc.

First off... The issue with medicine not being equally distributed. Our pharmacy tells us that this is an old school thought and not true at all. They say that it IS evenly distributed... well, according to our pharmacy. Second... we almost NEVER give phenergan to little ones under 3-- we almost always give TIGAN instead. Less side effects.

"barfing diarrhea" :chuckle

ORamar... are you in pittsburgh? where do you work, if you dont mind my asking? :)

Dont call it a Red or Yellow over the radio just so you think you're going to get a room. :)

Sorry to play devils' advocate, but I graduated from a BSN program in December 2002 and was hired right into an ER after I graduated. I have learned more in the 2 years I've been in the ER than I think I did all of nursing school. I think now I have amazing experience, although I am learning something new every day. I never would have gone to med surge (I did all those skills in nursing school!) and I'm SOOO glad I didn't. I think giving new grads a great orientation program (I spent 16 weeks with a preceptor in the ER) is a great way to start. I'm all for new grads in the ER.... I'm a great example of one who (i think) turned out well! :)

I'm from Pittsburgh also, graduated Nursing school from Pitt in 02 and then moved down to sunny Florida... now living in Orlando....BIG CHANGE!! :) lol.

I work with people who are continual call off-ers. I dont understand it. I've worked at my facility for a year and a half, and have only called off ONCE (and I called off the day before, when I was in a car accident.) I just simply don't get it. You can work with the sniffles, you can work with a stiff neck, people... Get over it! I understand calling off for legitimate reasons, but if you woke up and were sniffling, that does not justify calling off. Sorry, just my 2 cents.

I'm an ER RN and had a student who was about to enter a nursing program shadow me for about 4-5 hours. I was thrilled, I love teaching people. She didn't know much about how an ER runs, so I gave her a tour, and then told her to follow me, introduced her when I went into a room, and she had some great converstaions with the patients. She also was able to see how the ER ran. I thought it was a great idea for a student-- wish I had done this if I knew I could! :)

we usually do a case by case... but under 3 months old gets brought back RIGHT away.. no waiting in the lobby for newborns with fevers.