What Kind of Experiences before ER

[xSoCaLRNx]

I was just wondering what kind of experiences and for how long before you went to the ER. Also, what made you transition to ER nursing. Thank You!

[gmsc11]

I graduated from Nursing School on a Friday and went to work as a Graduate Nurse in the ER the following Monday. You'll learn everything you need to know in the unit.

I am currently volunteering in the emergency dept (trauma level II), I have been told that the job will be given to me there when I finish nursing school which will be this May, I am super excited but scared at the same time... As a nursing student right now, I feel like I can't really function like a nurse yet but I haven't started preceptorship yet, hoping that I will feel more confident at time of graduation... Did any books help u in particular? any other suggestions on what to prepare for?

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

I graduated from nursing school on a Friday and was in the ER of our busiest hospital on Monday. I had the required one week of classroom for the hospital and then spent one week on orientation on days then went to nights. Stayed there for 9 years 5 months and 17 days until I had a violent reaction to latex. I would not have worked anywhere else. I went to school to go to the ER. If you are excited to be there and are willing to learn everything then you will do just fine. Ask questions, watch the more experienced nurses and you can soak up what you need.

All hospitals and states are different. In my state and hospital ER nurses had the most autonomy of all the units. We had protocols and the latitude to start most anything if our patients needed it. In my 9+ years not one nurse that floated from upstairs units even finished a night in the ER. We had one nurse "moonlight" from surgery but she was not really interested in being in the ER(thats another story). In my state RN's in surgery do not really do anything but start IV's and chart. We use scrub techs that actually do the job of assisting the Doc's.

One bit of information - debriefing after a rough shift can really help you deal with all the stress and upheaval. You will lose patients and sometimes you will save them so having a couple of close friends on your shift to talk out the previous nights/days shift will be very helpful. Good luck and as one of my favorite Doc's was fond of saying Keep on Keeping on.