recent LPN what do I need to do to get into ER?

TazziRN, RN · May 19, 2007

Definitely cardiac would help. All the LVNs I knew who worked ER were used as float staff....they were not assigned to a room but helped out wherever needed.

mtruland · May 19, 2007

As far as I know, here in Northern NH most of the ER postions are covered by RN staff with critical care certifications. It's not that they don't want to use LPNs and such, it's that the nurses here need to be able to handle a lot of the trauma of the calls we get.

Sometimes it's two nurses and a doctor, and they need to be able to handle the worst case scenario. I also believe that they need to have ACLS, PALS, and a slue of other certifications. Some of them are also CENs to cover the shifts.

It really differs where you live. Emergency departments differ from place to place, I've seen LPNs in EDs before from my experience on the ambulance. It's just a matter of how many people they need, and whatnot.

It wouldn't hurt to try to get the foot in the door as an LPN, but I'd personally go for another year of school to get your RN. It's only one year... right?

msdobson · May 19, 2007

It wouldn't hurt to try to get the foot in the door as an LPN, but I'd personally go for another year of school to get your RN. It's only one year... right?

I have to agree with MT here. While your chances of getting on an ER team as an LPN is not outside the realm of reality, you would most likely need a heapin' helping of specialty certs backed up by YEARS of experience in a med/surg unit first.

If an ER slot is your dream, best to appraoch it as an RN.

Buckyxj · May 19, 2007

so do you think a mixture of cardiac and med/surg would be best to help me to get there? I am starting for my RN regardless

rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN · May 19, 2007

We hire Lpns here in Missouri in our ER's but they have to have Bls, Acls, Iv-cert, and an Ekg class it also helps to get your pharmacology certification from napnes. I know Im getting ready to move to salt lake city Ut and they have alot of Lpn openings in the er and med-surg and peds units in the community hospitals in the sub-burbs and they have 6 openings right now at my hospital Pioneer Valley hospital where Im getting ready to start at, they have a couple in er, some in womens health center, some in med-surg, 1 in pacu, a couple in ortho, 1 in nursery, 1 in peds, and a couple in med-surg but it helps to get the extra certs for any specialty not just the er. Oh and congrats on getting your Lpn and Good luck welcome to the profession of helping people, assisting in saving lives, helping bring newborns into this world, and holding the hand and comforting the dying.

______________________________________________________________

"My awesome wonderful is the holy cross." :balloons:

msdobson · May 19, 2007

so do you think a mixture of cardiac and med/surg would be best to help me to get there? I am starting for my RN regardless

Certs or no, you will still need the experience. No hospital is going to hire a just graduated LPN for the ER. By the time you DO have the experience necessary, you will probably have completed your RN.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 20, 2007

My hospital in NYC will take in any nurse that is breathing. In fact, I was offered (almost cajoled into) a position in the ER, but my circumstances were a bit different. I worked in my hospital as an aide and they paid my way to become an LPN. I chose not to begin working in the ER because I knew that the nurses that worked there were witches, and they would bring in the new lambs to slaughter, plus, I had other personal reasons why it was best not to. But, their LPNs are IV certified, had ACLS (for what, not sure, because we cannot push IV meds) and are also certified to hang bloods (something I would never really want to do, personally).

I just say to apply and see what happens. You will get to see what is going on and if you can hang in the ER, your chances at working anywhere will heighten immensely. Good luck and congrats on getting your first nursing license.

Buckyxj · May 20, 2007

I have lots of certifications from my past years as an EMT and all that stuff. But yeah I think I will just wait til I get some more experience and probably start on the cardiac unit soon.

msdobson · May 20, 2007

I have lots of certifications from my past years as an EMT and all that stuff. But yeah I think I will just wait til I get some more experience and probably start on the cardiac unit soon.

Cardiac's good...those people have a lotta heart!

Get it..."a lotta heart!"

It's a gift.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 20, 2007

I have lots of certifications from my past years as an EMT and all that stuff. But yeah I think I will just wait til I get some more experience and probably start on the cardiac unit soon.

Actually, I think that transitioning from EMT to ER nurse may be easier for you since you have had to respond to such situations. Best of luck to you, and I think you'll have an easier time and be a better candidate during an interview for the ER.

Trauma Columnist · May 20, 2007

Good luck!