Why Be an ER Nurse?
Emergency rooms, by their very nature, are chaotic locations, and, because of that, we know that working in the ER can be tough. Emergency nurses (ER Nurses) are on the front lines with repeat visitors, the angry and intoxicated, and all the complainers. The hours can be long, and the work is rarely predictable. So why would anyone choose to be an ER Nurse? The answer? So much of what makes it tough also makes it rewarding!
In honor of National ER Nurse’s Day observed on October 10, 2018, here are the top 5 reasons to become an ER Nurse:
LIKE VARIETY
When it comes to the ER, there is no such thing as predictable, and that’s what ER Nurses love. The fact is that you never know what is going to come through the doors of the ER with patients of varying ages and acuity levels. The types of patients and cases ER Nurses deal with aren’t the only things that fluctuate; the number of patients does as well. One day you might be trying to manage 12 patients and 2 hours later you only have 1 patient. The unpredictability is just part of the adventure!
WANT AUTONOMY
In the hustle and bustle of the emergency room, it is often an all-hands-on-deck situation. In this environment, ER Nurses have more freedom to decide how to treat their patients than in other units. Having to work with critical patients, you learn quickly how to adapt to urgent situations and work autonomously. This not only allows for more room to make clinical decisions, it also builds a strong partnership between doctors and nurses.
ABILITY TO THINK ON THEIR FEET
In the ER, there may be no time to pause and contemplate the best course of action. Instead, ER Nurses learn to think on their feet. These nurses are great problem-solvers. Most of the time they do not know what is wrong with a patient when he/she arrives but must figure it out and treat it before they leave. It is like a team of detectives, but with the human body.
LOVE TO LEARN
Doing all this detective work, seeing a wide variety of patients, and having the authority to make choices about their care, ER Nurses get a constant education. In addition, due to rapid patient turnover, ER Nurses also work across several medical disciplines gaining valuable knowledge in different areas of the nursing field, from trauma to pediatrics.
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Working in the ER teaches nurse about the bigger picture. You may feel like you are really making a difference for critically ill patients. It can be rejuvenating to see what difference you have made.
If you’re a nurse with experience in the emergency room and you want to grow within that role, consider becoming a traveling nurse who takes on ER assignments. Traveling as an ER Nurse just adds to many of these 5 elements listed above. You get more change, more autonomy, and more learning.
Ready to head to your next ER adventure? Call MedPro Staffing and speak with a recruiter today!
