Really interested in being an er nurse but some of these topics scare me

AZQuik · Nov 12, 2015

No it's not that bad. There are jobs. But you have to stand out to get them. That means either a stellar resume, or experience. So you may get an Ed job right out of school if you have a great resume and interview well, or you may work somewhere else for a year or two before getting into the Ed. Good and bad both ways.

Very few talk about the gratitude and thanks they get. But it happens plenty. Things are quick in the Ed but the guy who chaps your hide seems to be with you all night, so you hear a lot about that here.

Madigan · Nov 12, 2015

Would my 10 years of EMT (mostly volunteer some clinical) help get into ER/ED?

Guest219794 · Nov 18, 2015

Former EMT here.

I am an ER nurse and like my job.

I am paid reasonably, and for the most part appreciated by my patients.

I work with a good team.

I make twice what used to make and have 4 days off a week.

I have a bachelors degree in another field. My Associates was inexpensive and I have no debt.

I work per diem on my own terms and earn a full time salary. Ish.

Planning on skiing my ass of this winter and might be doing a mountaineering trip in the Alps in the spring. Might spend the summer on my sailboat.

I still ski patrol so do some cool hands on pre-hospital stuff as well.

Sounds like a good deal to me. It's all what you make of it.

Madigan · Nov 19, 2015

I dont really get it, can you just leave for long periods of time and not have any ill effects? Or just full on move to new city?

Was it easy to get into the ER? I have heard its hard, that new nurses end up in less desirably locations.

As far as the job, how does it actually compare? It is more varied, more predictable? More challenging? More interesting?

Guest219794 · Nov 19, 2015

I dont really get it, can you just leave for long periods of time and not have any ill effects? Or just full on move to new city?
Was it easy to get into the ER? I have heard its hard, that new nurses end up in less desirably locations.
As far as the job, how does it actually compare? It is more varied, more predictable? More challenging? More interesting?

I work Per-diem only. I have also worked a handful of travel assignments.

The two ERs at which I work know I am a bit out of the mold, but also that I show up ready to work every time I am on the schedule, and that I know how to do my job. Also, when possible, I go out of my way to help when I know they are hurting for staff- I make sure to work difficult to fill shifts. This gives me flexibility.

As far as hard or easy to get into ER? No way to know. Depends on supply and demand. If they can fill the job with somebody who looks like they will stick around, and does not need to be trained, that is who will get the job rather than a new grad.

How willing are you to move? If a job comes up in Bismark, are you willing to move for 2 years to meet your goals?

And, if you really believe the only thing you will like is ER, you may be disappointed. OTOH, you may discover ER nursing isn't for you and you like other stuff. A good friend with a similar background to me also started in ER, but did not thrive there. (Neither did I my first year.) Turns out his skillset and personality are much better suited to cardiopulmonary rehab. He loves that job and completely rocks it.

Bottom line- It's OK to have ER as your goal, but expecting a job straight out of school might be unrealistic. Not impossible, but don't bank on it.

Good luck.

tech1000 · Nov 19, 2015

Well, use that EMT experience to get a job as an ER tech in a hospital. If you can't immediately with the experience you have, you usually qualify to get tech jobs after a semester of nursing experience. Once you're in an ER as a tech, it's pretty easy to get hired on when you finish school if you have a good record at the hospital. I had military experience, was in nursing school, and working as a tech on a med-surg floor, which was how I got in as an ED tech. Then I got hired right out of school for days in the ER residency. Almost every tech who graduates comes to work in the ED as a nurse.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2015

I was an EMT for 20. Didn't help a bit in the ER/RN arena.

Would my 10 years of EMT (mostly volunteer some clinical) help get into ER/ED?

AZQuik · Nov 23, 2015

I was an EMT for 20. Didn't help a bit in the ER/RN arena.

I bet it did. Simply the assessment skills would be a huge boom.

RNcali22 · Nov 23, 2015

I absolutely love love love my ER job! I am very outgoing and social as well as a caregiver at heart. Now the team I work with is fabulous and most of the personalities go so well together that it makes a world of difference. On top of that the management is supportive and proud to lead the department. Greatest blessing ever getting into the ER

Jennuflect · Nov 30, 2015

I've been a Paramedic for 23 years and an RN for 15. I still work in both professional fields. For me, my prehospital experience helped me immensely in adjusting to the ED dynamics. Knowing what "big sick" looks like and making clinical decisions based on hemodynamics and patient presentation were much easier with a paramedicine background. Code Blues were relatively easy since medics are primarily trained for worst-case-scenarios and critical interventions.

I would have to say that my toughest adjustment was learning how to time manage efficiently and juggle multiple patients with various needs, meds, order sets, diagnostics, etc.

Draw upon your EMS training and prioritization skills to help guide your decision making. All else will follow. Good luck!