Want to try ER Nursing

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Specializes in L&D, Inpatient OB, Certified.

Hello everyone - I'm a 50 yr. old certified L&D nurse who's been working mostly in L&D since 1985. Before that I worked in med/surg while finishing my BSN and in step-down telemetry as a GRN. I've loved OB, and have done all the risk-levels involved (well, not pregnant patients on vents but certainly a load of critically ill moms!). I've also done a bit more med/surg as a traveler, a short stint as an RN Clinical Site Coordinator for a research project, and as a call center nurse (off-site) for the CDC.

Now, I would like to ease myself out of the L&D scene and the call I feel is from the ER side of the house. There is only one hospital in the city in which I work that offers an ER nurse internship. I've worked in their L&D and it was a really bad place to be! So, I've been looking on the internet for places that offer these.

I would like your opinions on whether you think I might be too out of touch with other specialties to consider this, and if you believe that most places want to offer internships to younger nurses &/or only graduate RN's. I just know that I definitely need a change, and this is what I am leaning towards.

Thanks for your time & a great rest of 2009 to all!

KC / almost burned out!:bugeyes:

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This might not help you, but I just wanted to give you some encouragement. I think you should try it out. I'm not a nurse yet, but I did help my friend (a new grad) get a position in ER. While they do tend to hire young graduates, you're better qualified since you have experience in other aspects of nursing (Critically ill) So go for it and best of luck!

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Specializes in O.R., Endo, Emergency, Education, Nurser.

Hello! I did OR nursing for 21 years. I am now in the ER prn. Been doing this for about a year. Love it! That is the great thing about nursing. So many open doors. Go for it! You'll be great.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

I just looked at our Hospitals web site. I noticed 1 full time eve position in EMOR and 1 part time day shift available. I did not specifically see anything for internship. PM me if you would like the link. There was also opening in NICU.

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Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

It is great to see RNs from other specialties come to the ED. It is always helpful to have their experience come to the team. Some of them do well, some do not. It has more to do with their personalities and energy rather than their background or age.

If you are pretty sure this is what you want to do I would encourage you. If you are not sure I would see if your hospital will let you shadow someone in the ED for a short time, even if it is on your own time. It will help you get a clearer picture of what life is like in the ED and maybe you will make a connection and get an "in" there. Many hospitals in our area are cutting back right now so this is not a great time to make a change. If you like your hospital you may be able to slowly make a change to the ED.

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I just switched to OB after 18 years in ED, I say go for it,. I was getting a little "cranky" in the ED, but I do love it. Change is good, gets your mind working harder again, but I am a nervous wreck in OB, Its hard to help women breath through pain awhen I am used to giving morphine untill it goes away, and not treating them as "sick patients". Only been in OB for 6 weeks. We would have loved someone with Ob experience, could teach us alot. It was amazing how fast we could move a pregnant woman up to OB lol

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

Do you mind if I ask yo what it is about ER nursing that appeals to you? Your answer may tell you whether it would be a good fit?

I think a seasoned nurse from another specialty, who can continually reprioritize, is invaluable in the ED. Since OB knowledge is usually the weakness in most ERs (even with the docs), you would become the expert in that area.

Try looking at the emergency nurses association's website http://www.ena.org to get a feel for ER nursing. If you join the association, you can get additional access to forms and documents related to assessments, protocols, triage, etc.

My favorite aspect of ER nursing is the autonomy. Don't think there is any other department that allows the nurse to make medical judgments and order the tests, of course, under set protocols, to the degree it is done in the ER. There is real teamwork and respect (most of the time) between the nurses and medical staff.

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