transitioning from med surg to ER

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Hi

I have been a med surg nurse for 3 years at a major city hospital and am trying to get an ER job. The problem is that every ER job I have seen asks for prior experience--and has rejected my application-- and when I have also tried applying for ER jobs where they offer the critical care course for new grads/nurses with no prior ER experience, I have not gotten any responses. Does anyone have any insights and/or suggestions? I have my heart set on the ER. At the time that I took this job, I thought med surg would be a good foundation for my nursing career (as we were taught in nursing school) but I am ready for change.

Thx Sharon

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Specializes in ICU Surgical Trauma.

go directly to the ER nurse manager!

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have been trying getting through to the ER manager but real hard to get them to answer back!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Yeah, talk directly to the nm. Bypass hr, they're not on your side.

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In the hospital I work in, ED positions are highly desirable, and transfers from another unit into the ED are handled as internal transfers. Internal transfers are based on seniority, if 2 different nurses are applying for the same ED slot, the one with more hospital seniority gets it. Could that be what is happening to you? If so, you just have to keep applying any time there is an opening. Eventually, you will be the one with seniority.

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I have been trying in other hospitals, because I want a different experience (would prefer a level 1 trauma center) and was thinking of relocating closer to my family and not in the hospital where I am at, although now I have started the process of looking into that here (very small ER though). Have been trying for two years now with no success. Know several of the nurse recruiters at these other hospitals because of this already. One nurse recruiter told me that when they start hiring for the ED critical care course for new grads and those RNs with no prior experience, they get 800 applications in one week and supposedly first come first served, which seems weird to me if you can get someone with prior nursing experience vs. a new grad.....

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Pediatrics, Cath/EP.

I love when ER's get picky about who they hire. Sure, I get that you don't want some moron working in your ER but 3 years experience is a year or two more than some people have in the ED I work at. We're also so short staffed that anybody with a pulse would be a welcomed addition to the team.

It could be new grads are getting the slots instead of you because they can mold them from scratch since they have no prior experience. My ED takes about 7-8 new grads every year into it's year long ED RN intern program.

It sounds like there's some heavy competition for ED nurses where you come from. Wish I could say the same...

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Specializes in ER.
I love when ER's get picky about who they hire. Sure, I get that you don't want some moron working in your ER but 3 years experience is a year or two more than some people have in the ED I work at. We're also so short staffed that anybody with a pulse would be a welcomed addition to the team.

It could be new grads are getting the slots instead of you because they can mold them from scratch since they have no prior experience. My ED takes about 7-8 new grads every year into it's year long ED RN intern program.

It sounds like there's some heavy competition for ED nurses where you come from. Wish I could say the same...

Be careful what you wish for... You may get that extra person that doesnt know the difference between an IM and a MI! :eek: Then youre stuck looking over your shoulder and running around double checking for the safety sake of the patient that warm body is taking care of. Believe me I know... Worked with two that I wouldnt want to assess my pup!

Good luck with the job hunt!

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