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how do i become a ER nurse?

how many years of schooling does it take to become a ER nurse

nursing nurse
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Raquel’s Answer

There are several different paths you can take to become an ER nurse. First, there are two main types of licensure for nursing, you can be a Licensed Vocational Nurse or a Registered Nurse. The RN license is the higher license and allows you full scope of practice as a nurse, the LVN license is more limited in what you are able to do. Pre-COVID LVN's were only really hired by nursing homes and similar organizations, not hospitals, but since the pandemic and the nursing shortage, more hospitals have been hiring LVN's. You can find LVN programs at community colleges and vocational schools. If you want to be an RN, there are two paths to get there. You can get a two year degree at a community college or vocational school, or you can get a bachelors degree. It's the same license, just different degrees. You have to have a bachelor's if you want to get further schooling, and a lot of people do RN to BSN programs at some point anyway, so definitely think about what you want long term and if it's better for you to get the BSN straight away or if you're better off with the shorter schooling. Once you get your nursing degree, pass the NCLEX, and get your license, you'll be able to work as a nurse. As far as being an ER nurse, that varies hospital to hospital. Some allow new grads to go straight into the ER and some require 2-3 years of experience on a lower acuity floor. There have also been an increase in programs that offer nurse apprenticeships. These are a partnership with the hospitals that get nursing students working on the floors while still in school, many of these programs have apprenticeships in places like mother baby, peds ,ICU, and ER. And it's not uncommon for people who have these apprenticeships to get hired to the floor they apprenticed on. If the school you decide to go to offers a program like that, definitely try and get one in the ER, it will help you to start working there right away. But even if you can't start in the ER right away, you'll be able to go there after you gain some experience. Best of luck!
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Rachel’s Answer

Please see the following answers below. Thank you for reading my response. This has been my experience in working various trauma level designation emergency departments for the past seventeen years. Thank you.

Rachel recommends the following next steps:

Typically, an ER Nurse requires a Professional Nursing Degree. This requires a Registered Nurse License depending upon the state requirements where the facility is located in per that Board of Nursing requirements.
In addition, larger city hospital emergency departments will require no less than a bachelor’s degree along with several certifications (additional required education) within the department.
Certifications may or may not include: ACLS, BLS, TNCC, ENPC, PALS, NRP, CALS, CEN, PCEN, SANE-C, etc.
Hazmat and decontamination training is also key. Getting involved with a local chapter of an Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is an excellent resource as well.
Triage training is also a must in addition to specific critical care/stroke/cardiac/trauma training - in addition a good course on arrhythmias, EKG training, etc. I hope this is helpful to you as it isn’t everything but covers a few of the basics.
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