What is it like?

BellaInBlueScrubsRN · May 5, 2012

I moved from ICU to ER. It really depends on the type of hospital. I interviewed for a very small hospital, who only have 2 nurses for night shift in the ED! Probably only like 10 bed ED though. I work in an ED with 36 beds. Moving from ICU, I was expecting for cardiopulmonary stuff and traumas. More like a walk-in clinic sometimes!

Level 1 trauma centers will be much much different.

ED is just a high turnover rate. Very busy. Very much task nursing, where the doctor gives you the order and you carry it out. Usually have around 5 patients at a time where I work. Chest pains and abdominal pains are the most common complaints. If you like to be busy and see 'em, fix 'em, ship them out... it might be for you!

FaithGurl93 · May 7, 2012

Is it anything like the what you see on TV? not trying to be funny just really want to know what I'm getting into.

R!XTER · May 7, 2012

I've been working ED for 1.5 years now, this was my dream job all through nursing school. Like anything, it has its ups and downs. It is not as glorified as what you see on TV. What you see on TV are usually the most bizarre/traumatic/high intensity cases, because of course that's dramatic. In real life you see only a smattering of that. We do not have doctors and nurses constantly in dramatic romantic relationships as you often see on Grey's Anatomy and the like, although we do have a few couples, but they are pretty low-key. A lot will also depend on where you work. Level 1 Trauma centers will have more "exciting" cases whereas a small community hospital ER is like a clinic. Where I work it's somewhere in between. We are level 2 trauma, but a very large hospital that sees a huge and very diverse population. It is very busy, lots of pressure, high stress, so you have to be able to handle that. You will meet ALL types of people some of whom will make you want to bang your head in a wall, and I am still perfecting that aspect of things...it may take a while! You need the patience of a saint to deal with alcoholics, drug addicts, non-compliant patients, who you will see over and over again with the same complaints every time... But on the other hand it is extremely rewarding to be able to reassure a person who scared for their life, and ease their pain, comfort someone who just lost a loved one, pound on someone's chest until their heart starts beating on its own... These are all the things I love about ER nursing. The "treat and release" is definately a plus for me too, because I don't know if I can handle treating the same person day after day after day espcially if they don't get better. If someone dies in the ER you usually have not had time to form a conncetion with them, and it's easier to handle than if you had treated that person for days, and have a relationship. So that is my view on ER nursing :) Good luck in school! But be open-minded. Although this is a dream now, you never know if it may change once you have had other exposures, and there is nothing wrong if it does!

on_the_move · May 7, 2012

We do not have doctors and nurses constantly in dramatic romantic relationships as you often see on Grey's Anatomy and the like

LOL I did a travel assignment at an ER on the east coast and I sometimes felt like I was stuck in an episode of Grey's Anatomy or General Hospital!

brainkandy87 · May 7, 2012

My best advice is to get a job as an ER tech. It'll be great experience for nursing school and you'll be immersed in the ER experience. Personally, I love it. I couldn't ask for a better job. Every day is different, so there's not as much monotony as you get on the floor. You have to think on your feet and each patient is like a puzzle that you're trying to put together.

Patients also seem more grateful (or more hateful, lol) in the ER than on the floor. Not saying patients aren't grateful for the floor nurses, but I think because pts come in to the ER and we (hopefully) accomplish our goal of treating the acute problem and stabilizing them, they feel grateful just for beginning to feel better

Anyway, I'm tired and rambling. Try to get in the ER as a tech or even an intern. Be a sponge when you're there.