Why you love/hate ER

Specialties Emergency

Published

hi everyone! i am considering a move from ortho/trauma to er but am nervous about moving and being the "new guy" all over again. so, i wanted some opinions from those of you in the er. can you tell me what you love about being an er nurse, and also what you hate about it? thanks for your help!!!

WOW!!...couldn't of said it any better guys!! Also been in the ED for 8 years...can remember wanting to do it since nursing school 13 years ago......took me a while to feel confident enough.

Sorry to repeat...but go for it!! like someone said...if it doesn't work out....at least you have some ED experience under your belt.

Along with what everyone elso said I also love the team work in the ED...I don't think a good ED can run without it.

I love the nurses and the doc's I work with.

I like the busy-ness and never knowing what could be coming through those doors...it's challenging...and it is great when a plan comes together.

I hate nurses on the floors who always complain...no matter what...good or bad.

I hate how lately the admitted patients have to wait in the busy ED for a bed . Even if it is not busy upstairs.

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Specializes in ER, PACU, OR.

i lost it all? i will try tomorrow! :crying2:

me :)

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ER is constantly entertaining. I love the crew I work with. And I love the variety of patients, and acuity.

Once you go to ER you will NEVER go back to floor nursing !

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Hi, Lately I know all to well what it is like to be the new guy. I first went to the ER out of nursing school almost three years ago. I had worked in the Fast Track area as a CNA so I knew some of the people but was nervous of the older nurses I did not know. After I got in there, it was not bad at all (their bark was worse than their bite). Then I went to nights after 1 1/2 years on days and had to get used to a new crew! Then last July I tried my hand at a travel position at one of our "local" level 1 trauma centers, not knowing anyone. It went good, I stayed there for 17 weeks. Then I went to where I am at this time, full-time, our other "local" level 1 trauma center, not knowing a sole. I have been at my new place of hire for almost four months now and I am just now really getting to where I can tolerate everyone pretty well! I don't mean to sound like that in saying tolerate them, because I work with a lot of really great people. The cool thing about the way staff turns over quickly is that you are not always the only "new guy". In doing all of these changes, I can now go to classes by myself, where is I used to only go if someone I knew was going. I hate to go on and on, but the main thing is if you want to do something, go ahead and do it. Like some others have said, at least you will have ER experience under your belt. As far as what I like and hate about the ER, a lot of what the other guys wrote, there is a poem I found on the internet, author is unknown. If you would like to read it, I can e-mail it to you, just let me know. I think I have typed so much the poem would not fit. I hope all of this helps you in some way, just know that when your the "new guy", your not the only one! :) Just a side note, I am plainning on transfering to our Trauma ICU in July, and then to our Flight program next Aug., a lot of new crews to get to know!!:p

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Specializes in Poison Center, ED.

ER nurses are a breed of their own. I started as a brand new grad in the ED 27 years ago and within a week I was working alone with another new grad on the night shift! Fortunately (or HOPEFULLY) that would not happen today, but ED nurses learn independence and resourcefullness faster than other nurses, IMHO. I have left the ED several times, but I always come back. Even 27 years later (and ESPECIALLY 27 years later), I learn something new all the time. The ED sure changed in the 7 years I was out of it, and I am SOOOOO glad to be back! It is a special kind of nursing and not everyone can do it, but if you have considered it, you must have the knack...so go for it! You won't know until you try.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Howdy yall

from deep in the heart of texas

Working ER has its own unique fascination, Its gotten where I dont even mind the drug seekers anymore, they are just people just like anybody else, they can be a pain, but so can everyone else for that matter. I dont even mind the prisoners who tell you that officer jones picked them 3 different times and threw down 6 times. I just smile and say ok sir, where are you hurting. while Thinking you still get to go back to jail. That makes even smile bigger. I try very hard to look for the humour in it all. That and I play a lot of golf

keep it in the short grass yall

teeituptom

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I don't mind the drunks as much as most people. I don't even mind the drug seekers all that much, they are so transparant, it's not even worth getting worked up over.

I do mind the people who come in for sore throats, stubbed toes, ect and expect to get back right away, and throw a fit if they have to wait. I mean stand in the middle of the waiting room and yell like there is not tomorrow. I just walk away, but geez, get a life.

Had a lady bring in her sig other the other day, we were full with people waiting. He had not been feeling well for a couple of days, but was stable and such. A few minutes later she tells the xray tech that he was having chect pain. So, we kicked someone out of a bed, got him back only to find out he was not, nor had he ever had chest pain. She comes back and starts throwing names around..give me a break. I personally don't care if you met DR.Soandso eight years ago, I will not treat your loved one any differently than any other patient. Well, I got him settled and went back to work on my REAL chest pain patients.

I don't even mind the frequent flyers that much anymore. I have found out that all the patient teaching in the world does not make a difference with these people, they will come here if they want to anyway. So, I do the teaching and do not even expect them to take my advice. They obviously have some unmet needs that are way beyond my control.

I have never had more fun at work than I do in the ER sometimes. You must have a good sense of humor and the ability to accept that sometimes things are just out of your control and there is nothing you can do about it.

I do mind parents that want us to give them tylenol, motrin or whatever OTC med, because they can't afford it, but they have money for cigarettes. I have and will tell them that they may have to skip that next pack of cigs in order to buy that Tylenol. I smoke, but give me a break.

I do mind the people who call the ambulance for a sore throat, to the waiting room they go to wait their turn like all the others.

Agree with CEN about the prisoners though. I love it when they think they have found a get out of jail free card, only to be sent back when we find out they were just faking.

Even though I can say there are things about the ER that really irritate me, I can still honestly say that there is no place I would rather be. I have never dreaded going to work in the ER as I had going to work on med/surg. I love it. There is always a new experience to be had.

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My biggest drag in the ER is the little old ladies who come in with a minor problem, drag their whole family in and put on a big show, complete with the already packed suitcase, that then becomes very hostile when they aren't put in the hospital for a UTI. I know I should be a little more compassionate---but come on!!!

But those little "granny runs" are made up for with the traumas, and the chest pains and all the other exciting things that make ER fun.

Working in ER, you truly get the meaning to "shallow end of the gene pool"

ER is alot of things, sometimes a clinic and frustrating, never boring, and always "on the edge" One of those grannies just might decide to code on you in the exam room.

The key is to be flexible, accept people for what they are, and that you are not going to change them. Drug seekers will always be drug seekers, and the gene pool will always have a shallow end (I think they all come to my ER though)

Keep the faith

Brandi

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

what about being able to see firemen all day...:eek: !

that's one of the good things!...

things I hate are: constantly telling visitors that they have to remain in the room...do not EVEN stand in the door and stare at me! If I have no orders, I can not do anything for you.

I personally, can not stand drug seekers...and have gotten very good on the computer to expose their tricks. I will print up lists of all of their visits, and put it on the chart for the docs after I triage. We've caught them in a lot of lies, and have actually had a few stay away.

The only other thing are people who are not grateful for anything, and treat us like we are there to serve them. No one likes to take care of people who have no manners, and these people abound in the er.

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The ER is just the coolest place to be in nursing! I've worked ER for 1 1/2 yrs, just started in a new job, went from a 9 bed rural ER to a 54 bed trauma center-- come home every nite w stories to tell my paramedic husband & kids! What an excellent life education! I guess you can tell I like the ER!

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Specializes in M/S, Onc, PCU, ER, ICU, Nsg Sup., Neuro.

ER is sometimes a love/hate job, Things I love is the variety of patients that we see, the ones who are truly sick and in need of our help, easing/relieving pain, the high tech end-use of variety of drugs/drips, whatever. I am one of the night charge nurses and have a very good crew to work with, I enjoy being in charge most of the time, we inherit a mess from day shift and work to together to get people seen, admitted, discharged etc. The better the ER flows the better I like it. Things I don't like are the drug seekers, the people that come in for really stupid things, or don't see their docs for what they should. I grew up as one of 5 kids and we never went to the ER for fevers, N/V, and earaches-I fear we have raised a generation of dependent (or dare I say, not too bright) parents who run to us at the drop of a hat. The PMD/PCP's aren't helping either by referring everyone to come to the ER instaed of doing their workups as outpatients. Also with the bed shortage now being more of a problem holding pt's is not fun, it's ties up ER, backs up waiting rooms and then we get grief

from people when we finally get them back to be seen. It's always tough explaining to people that what they precieve as an emergency is not life threantening and will be dealt with in order. Also hate when the police and EMS bring some drunk in that they found somewhere, another waste of an ER bed.

:cool:

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Why do i love the ER. It is never a dull moment.. You will never know what is going to come thru the doors. Unlike CCU or floor nurses once their beds are full they can't get any more patients.. NOT in the ER.. You must come up with new ways to house admitted patients or decided what drug seeker to move into the hallway waiting for their last "pain" shot... Everytime i think i have seen or heard it all a new patient comes along and proves me wrong..

I have been in the ER for 16 yrs and i wouldn't change a thing.. I'm must love it or i'm a very slow learner..

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