Will it look bad if I...

[babychickens]

Hello, AN community,

Almost as soon as I started working in hospitals I knew I wanted to be in the ED. Now that I'm a working RN (in acute care) I'm wondering if it's too early to start applying to my local EDs. The requirements are 1 yr of experience but would it look bad if I start applying earlier. I've gotten everywhere in my nursing career (school and otherwise) by being a go-getter so I wonder if it would help me here too- you know, just start getting my name out there? Buuut, I also don't want to turn people off.

I'm still a candidate for ED at my current hospital (once I've met the time requirement) but not putting eggs in one basket has also served me well.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

How far from having 1 year of experience are you?

[babychickens]

6 months. ? Hence, my doubt. I suppose I was beginning to justify it by, "well it takes at least 3 months for the hiring process and another x amount of months for y." ....Maybe I should just let you reply.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

It kind of depends...on you as a person/learner, the current experience you are getting, the kind of ER you are applying to, etc. I think a good year of hospital experience would be very valuable to someone wanting to go into ER. It darn sure wouldn't hurt. As far as it "looking bad," my opinion is it does not, depending on how you are doing/where you currently work, etc. I think it's great you are a "go getter"-my husband is one of those types, and he has been really successful. But make sure that "go-getter" doesn't actually mean over confident or not respectful of all the things you still don't know as a very new nurse. An overconfident nurse in an ER could have fatal consequences (probably true in most disciplines, actually). A nurse who isn't aware that "you don't know what you don't know" is not just annoying as all get out, that nurse is dangerous.

Good luck to you. We need "go getters" in this profession. ?

[babychickens]

Thanks for replying. I'm definitely cool with not knowing it all. In fact, I love the team sport aspect of nursing and to me, it's amplified in the ED.