Your One Best Piece Of Advice Please.

Published

Hi everyone...just got my job in the ER after doing pretty much the last 13yrs in medical. Sooo excited but of course nervous, heaps to learn and want to do well! I'd really like some morsels of great advice to get me started...you know those wonderful bits of knowledge that you just know will help someone on their way!! Thanks heaps all you wonderful hard working nurses.:yeah::nurse:

Specializes in E.R. Peds, PICU, CCU,.

All of the above advise and more...

Take care of the ones with breathing troubles first, then chest pain or bleeding, you'll have to assess which one of those is worse. Put the rash X's 2 weeks in the waiting room, they may itch for a while but it's fun to watch on the security monitors.

Go buy a big bag of marbles...

Every time you learn something new, throw out a marble.

Every time a drunk or drug addict wants pain meds, throw out a marble.

Every time you get called a ***** throw out a marble.

Every time you get written up by the ancillary staff for wanting them to do their job and actually care for the patient, throw out a marble.

When you look in your bag and find that you have lost all your marbles.... Laugh hystericly so people think you need a mental health eval, and welcome yourself to our club.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry and ER.
Be willing to admit when you don't know the med, treatment, procedure etc.

Be ready to act quickly, get used to assessing fast.

Welcome to the wild wierd whacky wonderful world of ER.

This pretty much sums it all up. The best advice a very experienced charge nurse gave me on my last day prior to going to my true love ER

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medical and agency, Emergency last 3yrs.

Hey there how long ago was all that, iv'e been on medical inbetween babies for the last 10yrs, also neat to hear from across the ditch.!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

The ONE best piece of advise I can add to all the other great ones already given is: Always follow your gut instinct.

Be it, asking a question, second guessing an order or a doc, getting an EKG on a patient, telling another nurse you need help, checking a med, etc. Never allow yourself to become too busy where you don't allow your gut feeling to take over and protect you or the patient.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

1. the more hostile the patient, the sweeter you should be. a patient can't maintain hatefulness for long in the face of real kindness. works every time.

2. the hideously bad attitudes of the poverty-stricken patients reflect a fine line between rage and humiliation. respect the fact that many people have no education and really don't know how to act. their parents and schools forgot to issue them the bootstraps they are supposed to use to elevate their station in life.

3. even frequent fliers can dissect aortic aneurysms. assume nothing.

4. you can never have too many pillows.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in emergency.

don't tick off the ems crews. they can make your life he** and bring every pt they pick up to your er.

practice stretching out your bladder for the time where you don't get to pee for the entire shift.

learn to appreciate pizza and other foods you can eat quickly and while standing up.

most of the er nurses i work with are overbearing and can be abrasive. don't take what they say personally

enjoy the periods where you get to sit down and NEVER EVER say the

q word.

most important bring your sense of humor :chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My best advice? Never date a girl whose father called her "Princess"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

Most things aren't what they seem to be . Here are some examples of what may be :

anxiety = MI, fall in the nursing home = urosepsis, etc.

Remain positive even when thing are bad - the shift will end!

ER nurses are a great bunch of people, love them and they will love you back.

congrats~

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Wow, this is an awesome thread and some terrific advice. I have worked in my first ER job for about 5 months and I will take the advice offered here.

As a new person, I have found that the nurses in the ER are as tough as nails and can be down and dirty (in a good way), they often have very strong personalities, especially those who have done ER nursing for many years. I honestly believe the new people go through almost a "hazing", where you are tested to see if you have what it takes. Can you take it? Will you last? Are you strong enough to be there? Don't let yourself be pushed around, be as strong as you are back, this may cause some waves and discomfort at first, but believe me setting your boundaries and being strong yourself from the get go will serve you well. I am not talking about pride here.... does anyone else know what I mean?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medical and agency, Emergency last 3yrs.

To the above...YES i totally agree... they are all fantastic to work with and yup tested is the word. Eg. I say sorry if im in the way and they say move your ass...ha ha ha. Great people in the ER and I think I'll like it, boy oh boy is it busy though and I'm having to learn very fast!!! THANKS for all the fantastic advice, I remind myself of some of the advice on a daily basis, so very helpful! Have a great day!, from down under.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER.

Laugh when you can, cry when you have to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maintain healthy coping mechanisms

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion