YAY!! I'm a new ER RN!!! Need suggestions!!!

Specialties Emergency

Published

I was just offered and I accepted a position in a busy level 2 39 bed trauma center and I am SOOO excited!!! Not to mention quite nervous and scared!!! Any suggestions on how to prepare for my first job as an ER RN?? I've been a nurse for a year working in a med surg setting so I've got a pretty decent grasp on a lot of the technical skills and the common chronic diseases. Any suggestions on good books, journals, etc for learning outside of the job as well?? I appreciate any and all suggestions!! Thanks!!

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?visgrp=nonfiction&N=230580&Ne=230548+230580&userid=Tt4RRftC0S

I think I have the Manual of Emergency Care- awesome book.

I joined ENA. I also get the usual magazines (JEM, Nsg2006 and AJN).

Welcome to ED nursing!

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Try to take TNCC soon. It is a nice class, specifically designed for Emergency...so there's no talk about a patient in the ICU etc. It is a good way of approaching and organizing your care for a trauma patient. If you can't get into a class, have someone lend you the book. It has all sorts of good info.

I agree about joining ENA, and also going to local chapter meetings. Here you can do a lot of resourcing.

Good Luck, you're going to love love love it. :chuckle

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I agree with joining ENA. I also have subcriptions to AJN, RN, Nursing 2006, and nursing made incedibly easy. I don't always get to read them all from cover to cover, but it is nice to have them as a reference to look things up and brush up on things. I cannot stress the importance of TNCC enough. I just took this class this week and I loved it. I also have ACLS, and PALS, and will be taking ENPC next month. Try to find the nurses that like to teach and ask questions a lot of them. Realize when you need help and if something does not feel right to you, or you feel uncomfortable doing something always double check that feeling because there is a reason for it. Always listen to your gut, it is your best assessment tool in the ED. We often don't know what is wrong with our paitents, we have to figure it out, and when you read the triage note and it tells you that so and so is here for a diabetic toe infection and you look into the room and he looks like crap, assess further. I had this happen to me the other night, and when I got into the room and checked his pulse it was 30. So just because the patient may seem like they are there for something easy don't brush anyone off. Good luck and welcome to the ER. I have been there since June and love it. You will truly find out what team nursing is all about.

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Congratulations! Your friends (non-nursing) will think you're nuts and your family won't let you talk about the gory things you see, but you will love it! In addition to the certs mentioned above, look into getting your CEN after a year or so.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Congratulations to you and good luck!

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Specializes in Nothing but ER.

remember to be realistic

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