Would I be a good fit?

Hey all. I currently work as a nursing assistant in an ICU. I enjoy parts of my job, but am starting to get tired of the routine. I've considered transferring to the ER, but I'm not sure I'd fit in well. What are your assistant/tech's job responsibilities? I think I would learn more in the ER than in the ICU. My job now is pretty much all AM care. Either way, I just want to get the best experience possible to help me finish nursing school. Thanks all.

[quirkieone]

alot is expected but there is always help...

vitals

transports

restocking

cpr

showers

ekg's

blood draws

some places use techs to do orthopedic procedures like splints.

[needsmore$]

ED specific:

• phlebotomy
  
• ECGs
  
• dressings
  
• wound care
  
• OGL splints
  
• crutch training
  
• assist at triage with RN
  
• pt registration, order entry
  
• assist with MD/RN with other procedures as needed
  
• assist with dept stocking supplies

and general NA duties

[needsmore$]

Why not 'cross train' to see if you like it-- pick up as a 'casual' or perdiem and if you find you like it, then transfer FT

Cross training looks great on a performance appraisal....

[Irish Nurse 89]

ed specific:

• assist with md/rn with other procedures as needed

• will also be assisting the lpn in certain hospital er's.

[CainRN]

Thanks for the replies all. The job does seem a bit more my speed. I'm hoping to pick up a couple shifts as resource and see how it goes. Thanks!

[needsmore$]

• will also be assisting the lpn in certain hospital er's.

we have lpns in our ed-- thank god. what a treat when they're on!

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

I am an ER tech and I do;

transports; to xray, lab, vascular lab, admitted pts, CBG test, HCG testing, running things to the lab, vitals, allround gopher. Collecting urine samples, EKG, splints, stocking, stocking, stocking, cleaning rooms, walking pts back to exam rooms, we get crossed trained for unit secertarys, so putting orders in. If there is a code CPR, and getting whatever it is that they need. Oh and stocking

[MassED, BSN, RN]

Hey all. I currently work as a nursing assistant in an ICU. I enjoy parts of my job, but am starting to get tired of the routine. I've considered transferring to the ER, but I'm not sure I'd fit in well. What are your assistant/tech's job responsibilities? I think I would learn more in the ER than in the ICU. My job now is pretty much all AM care. Either way, I just want to get the best experience possible to help me finish nursing school. Thanks all.

go, you'd learn a lot and do more than AM care....LOTS more than AM care, actually you may never do AM care again!!! Seriously, though, it'll prepare you for nursing. You'll absorb from the nurses and docs as you are there doing an EKG, chest compressions, setting up pelvics... there's so much more work for a CNA (different places have different levels), sometimes foleys. Work is definitely not mundane in the ER.