cauru

Take the job! Its free training and you will learn a lot more! I also started off in LTC and then got hired at a local hospital with no prior phlebotomy or EKG training. The hospital setting has completely changed how I feel about working in health care. Also, at least where I live hospitals tend to pay a lot better. Good luck!

I would highly recommend the ICU. At least at my hospital its far easier then working as a floor tech, but you'll get to see/learn a lot and work closely with the nurses. While a great experience, Med/surg is back breaking and very stressful. The ICU is a bit more conducive to working/being a full time student. Responsibilities in the ICU at my hospital include: Helping with turns/doing incontinence care. (this is the bulk of the job) Empty foleys every hour Draw blood as ordered Finger Sticks 12 lead EKGS (only if you work 2nd or 3rd shift) When I float down to our ICU its a breeze compared to med/surg. All of the tubes/drains can be a little overwhelming at first, but you get used to it. Every hospital is different though!

As I mentioned in the other thread, your best bet is to just try to get into a hospital anyway you can and go from there. They can be tricky to get in to initially. Be willing to take any job(clinical) you can in the hospital, then just transition down to the ED after a period of time. A lot of people start out by being a Patient Observer (or "Sitter") per diem, and then get jobs as techs in my hospital. Our Techs can draw blood and do 12 lead ekgs on the floors and in the ED, but in the ED your scope of practice is a bit more fuzzy just because of the nature of the environment. The regular techs down there can do a bit more then we do on the floors. As someone mentioned earlier, its a whole of of gophering, and transportation and keeping the crazies/drunks from falling all over the floor. Get ready to run! I generally enjoy it when I get floated there, but a lot of that has to do with the people working down there. They are a fun bunch!

Hospitals can be hard to get into in general so I would just focus on that first. Do whatever it takes to get your foot in the door (work as a floor tech or patient observer or even volunteer if necessary) and then transition down to the ED. If you prove that you are are hard worker, I'm pretty sure it would be an easy switch.

I (as a floor tech) also got floated to the ED never having been oriented there...I was probably just as confused as you, but thankfully everyone was really nice. Now I actually love working there. Don't let your first experience deter you!

The CNA's on the floors at my hospital do 12 lead EKG's and draw blood. We frequently get floated to the ED if the census is low or if the ED is slammed. The first time I got floated it was a little scary because I wasn't acclimated to the environment, but in general I find it easier then the floors. Lots of blood cultures and ekgs, way less patient care stuff. The ED techs have always been really good to work with.

Litchfield County Connecticut. No acute care experience, came from a 6 month stint in a Nursing Home. Hospital trained in phleb and 12 lead EKGS's. If you work in the ED as a tech you can do a bit more (take out IV's/Foleys ect., but its a bit of a gray area. Base pay $15 per hour. 2nd shift $2.00 per hour differential. 3rd shift $5.00 per hour. Additional weekend differential is $5.00 per hour on top of shift diff. I work on a small 7 bed unit and also perform unit secretaries responsibilities (answering phones, entering doctors orders, putting in dept requisitions), though this is specific to only this unit. Love it so far.