Have you ever wondered what being an ED Nurse means? What skills you would need? Or what a typical day in the life would look like? Make sure you’re all caught up with Specialty Nursing: What Makes a Good ED Nurse? And now let’s dive in to an interview with Jimmy, a real life emergency department nurse!
Name and Education
Hi! My name is Jimmy and I am a bachelor prepared nurse. I graduated from California Baptist University with my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).
Where Do You Work?
I am an Emergency Department (ED), also known as Emergency Room (ER), Nurse.
How Long Have You Worked This Position?
A year and a half.
What Made You Want to be an ED Nurse?
I had my rotation for my sixth semester at CBU (California Baptist University) in the ED. During my final shift, a nurse that I had grown to respect encouraged me to join an ICU and then move to the ED. I began my career on a trauma (level 2) intensive care unit. After two and a half years of ICU, I moved to the ED. I had a strong desire to move to emergency medicine due to the rapid pace of patient care. In the ED, you have to be ready to respond to the presentation. In the ICU, you already have a lot of the puzzle pieces put together, but in the ED, you have to slowly put the pieces together. I desired to be an ED nurse due to the pace, intensity, and spectrum of patient care.
What are the Most Common Skills Needed to be an ED Nurse?
I would say the number one skill for an ED nurse is prioritization. ED patients come in with a chief complaint, and it is the emergency departments goal to disassemble presentation and associated factors. I believe prioritizing vital components of patient care is also tied to this prioritization skill. You can have multiple orders, but what is the most important that could alter or affect this patients’ life in this current ‘emergency’. Would drawing a HGB A1C be the number one thing to accomplish in my order set when a patient is needing antibiotics and fluids in a septic patient? No. Which is why it is important to decipher and prioritize urgent versus emergent orders in the ED.
Another common skill for emergency department nurses would be composure. I have witnessed a lot of nurses lose their composure in intense situations which can affect patient care and patient/family rapport. I believe it is of the utmost importance to remain calm and composed on the external. Although there may be a storm on the inside, it is one of the most common skills an ER nurse must nurture.
What Personal Qualities does an ED Nurse Need to Have?
Dependability and flexibility. I would say of those two, flexibility is the most important. You are working on a unit where anything can happen. Where you can be placed on an assignment, then pulled from it in a matter of hours. It is a hugely important quality to have as an ED nurse.
What Does a Typical Day as an ED Nurse Look Like?
No two days in the ED are the same. One shift I could be taking care of a stubbed toe while on the next I could be in a code blue situation. It is always different.
What is Your Most Favorite Part About Being an ED Nurse?
I would say the broad spectrum of patients that we see and care for. As mentioned, you never know what is going to come through the ER doors. It always keeps you on your toes! Which is why I love ER nursing.
What Should Students Looking to go into Emergency Department Nursing Know about the Field?
It is fast paced and demanding! It is also a chaotic environment. Typically, emergency departments require experience before joining the unit, but now you can start out as a new grad in the emergency room. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to always focus on the bigger picture and how this disease or organ failure affects everything else.
Anything Else You Wish to Share?
My personal opinion would be the same advice that I received when I was a student. Join the ICU before the ED. When you are in the ICU, you have time to learn the pathophysiology, pharmacology, etc. You are doing rounds with ICU doctors and learning as they are also putting the pieces together. You are able to see how this organ system or disease process affects the rest of the body…. especially in illness. I would highly recommend starting in the ICU to build a stronger foundation. If your desire is to go straight into the ED, just be sure not to become a task orientated RN. I have met many ED nurses that do not take a step back and look at the bigger picture regarding patient care. Many of them are task oriented due to the pace of the ED, which is not always best for the patient. Overall, being an emergency department nurse has a certain thrill and takes a special type of nurse but it’s so fun!
Thank you Jimmy for your loving service to those in emergent situations!
Be sure to check out the entire Specialty Nursing Series, and follow along with this new Specialty Nurse Interview Series!
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- Meet Nicole, a Peds Nurse!
- Meet Jordan, an ED Nurse!
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- Meet Allison, an Oncology Nurse!
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