How to Be a Nurse in an Emergency Room
Nursing can be a rewarding profession and nurses are in very high demand now, due to a sizable nursing shortage. Hospitals all across the nation need more qualified nurses to handle the quantity of patients coming into their emergency rooms. If you are considering becoming an ER nurse, there are some things you should do to have a successful career.
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Instructions
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Being a Good Emergency Room Nurse
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Be sure that you really want to become an emergency room nurse. It can be a hectic job with long, stressful hours. You will also have to deal with a large number of patients, which means you have to be able to deal with all kinds of personalities and circumstances. You need to have patience, compassion and a genuine desire to help other people, if you want to be an emergency room nurse.
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Go to nursing school. There are certain prerequisites you have to take first, so find out from the nursing school you want to attend what classes they require you to take prior to applying for entrance into their program. You will be in nursing school for a good 3-4 years.
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After graduation from a nursing program, study for your NCLEX-RN, a national licensure examination you have to take and pass in order to become a registered nurse.
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Once you have obtained your RN license, start sending out your resume and application to different hospitals. The larger the area of the country, the more pressing need there will be for emergency room nurses.
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When you are hired by a hospital, you will need to be knowledgeable about the rules, policies and standards that have been set by the facility you are working in. This prevents you from getting into hot water with those in authority over you and helps to cut down on the possibility of errors.
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Manage your time well. Emergency room nursing requires a great deal of organization and you need to know exactly what your specific duties are for a specific time,what individual patient needs are and the like. Your ability to coordinate your time well can literally mean the difference between life and death for some of your patients.
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Make sure you give an accurate assessment of each individual patient in your care. Get a detailed medical history, ask for a list of any prescription drugs and/or supplements and herbs they are currently taking, find out what physical symptoms they are experiencing and any other information pertinent to getting them the best treatment in the emergency room. Avoid getting hurried or distracted and always double check to make sure you have the correct information for each patient you are assigned to.
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Strive to communicate well with those you will be working with, such as the physicians, surgeons and other nurses. It is also imperative that you learn how to communicate with patients and their families. Use terms they can understand, instead of complicated medical terms, and be sensitive to their feelings and needs.
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