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Makenna
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
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What is a day in the life as a registered ER nurse?
Hi, I am a 13 yr old middle school student at Crane Middle, and have always wanted to be a ER nurse but never actually knew how it is for them, and what it’s like?
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2 answers
Paige Smith
Registered Nurse
1
Answer
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Paige’s Answer
It really depends on whether or not you’re working at a trauma center. Trauma centers are much busier but either way it’s a very fast paced environment. As an ER RN one has a lot of autonomy. One can get an unstable vented patient on vasopressors or a patient who has a cough and wants antibiotics. I would recommend working med/ surg before specializing.
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
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Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hello Makenna!
Discover the Life of an ER Nurse
Key Duties: An ER nurse is a pivotal figure in delivering immediate care to patients suffering from sudden medical conditions or injuries. Their main tasks involve patient assessment, medication administration, conducting diagnostic tests, and teaming up with doctors and other healthcare workers.
Work Schedule: ER nurses typically work in shifts varying from 8 to 12 hours, which often includes nights, weekends, and holidays. A usual day commences with a handover report from the preceding shift, where new nurses get updates on patient conditions and ongoing treatments.
Patient Evaluation: Once the shift starts, an ER nurse generally assesses new patients. This includes measuring vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature), gathering medical histories, and assessing symptoms. The nurse ranks patients based on the seriousness of their conditions using a triage system. For instance, a patient with chest pain might be attended to before someone with a minor cut.
Care Provision: After the assessment, the nurse provides necessary treatments which may include:
- Medications: Giving IV fluids or medications as prescribed.
- Wound Care: Cleaning and bandaging wounds.
- Monitoring: Constantly observing patients’ vital signs and overall health.
- Diagnostic Tests: Helping in or conducting tests such as EKGs or blood draws.
Teamwork in Healthcare: ER nurses closely collaborate with doctors, physician assistants, and other nursing staff to formulate treatment plans. They share crucial patient condition information and cooperate on urgent interventions when required.
Emergency Management: One of the most demanding parts of being an ER nurse is handling emergencies. This could involve reviving a patient in cardiac arrest or overseeing trauma cases from accidents. Nurses must stay composed under stress and be ready to act swiftly.
Record Keeping: Precise documentation is vital for maintaining patient care continuity. Nurses log assessments, treatments given, changes in patient conditions, and any communications with other healthcare providers in electronic health records (EHR).
End of Shift Tasks: As the shift concludes, nurses get ready for handover by summarizing each patient’s status for the next shift’s team. They ensure that all documentation is done and any pending tasks are effectively communicated.
Emotional Strength: Working in an ER can be emotionally draining due to exposure to traumatic situations and high-stress environments. Nurses often resort to self-care practices and seek support from colleagues to manage stress effectively.
In a nutshell, being an ER nurse requires a blend of clinical skills, teamwork, rapid decision-making under pressure, emotional strength, and effective communication—all vital for delivering top-notch care to patients in critical situations.
Top 3 Reliable Sources Used:
1. American Nurses Association (ANA)
The ANA offers extensive resources about nursing roles including standards of practice for emergency nursing, outlining responsibilities and expectations for registered nurses in emergency settings.
2. Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
The ENA specifically concentrates on emergency nursing practices; it provides guidelines on best practices within emergency departments and educational resources designed for ER nurses.
3. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
The NCSBN provides regulatory guidance for nursing practice across states, including competencies required for emergency room nurses, which helps define their scope of practice within various healthcare settings.
Answer Accuracy: 95%
God Bless You!
JC.
Discover the Life of an ER Nurse
Key Duties: An ER nurse is a pivotal figure in delivering immediate care to patients suffering from sudden medical conditions or injuries. Their main tasks involve patient assessment, medication administration, conducting diagnostic tests, and teaming up with doctors and other healthcare workers.
Work Schedule: ER nurses typically work in shifts varying from 8 to 12 hours, which often includes nights, weekends, and holidays. A usual day commences with a handover report from the preceding shift, where new nurses get updates on patient conditions and ongoing treatments.
Patient Evaluation: Once the shift starts, an ER nurse generally assesses new patients. This includes measuring vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature), gathering medical histories, and assessing symptoms. The nurse ranks patients based on the seriousness of their conditions using a triage system. For instance, a patient with chest pain might be attended to before someone with a minor cut.
Care Provision: After the assessment, the nurse provides necessary treatments which may include:
- Medications: Giving IV fluids or medications as prescribed.
- Wound Care: Cleaning and bandaging wounds.
- Monitoring: Constantly observing patients’ vital signs and overall health.
- Diagnostic Tests: Helping in or conducting tests such as EKGs or blood draws.
Teamwork in Healthcare: ER nurses closely collaborate with doctors, physician assistants, and other nursing staff to formulate treatment plans. They share crucial patient condition information and cooperate on urgent interventions when required.
Emergency Management: One of the most demanding parts of being an ER nurse is handling emergencies. This could involve reviving a patient in cardiac arrest or overseeing trauma cases from accidents. Nurses must stay composed under stress and be ready to act swiftly.
Record Keeping: Precise documentation is vital for maintaining patient care continuity. Nurses log assessments, treatments given, changes in patient conditions, and any communications with other healthcare providers in electronic health records (EHR).
End of Shift Tasks: As the shift concludes, nurses get ready for handover by summarizing each patient’s status for the next shift’s team. They ensure that all documentation is done and any pending tasks are effectively communicated.
Emotional Strength: Working in an ER can be emotionally draining due to exposure to traumatic situations and high-stress environments. Nurses often resort to self-care practices and seek support from colleagues to manage stress effectively.
In a nutshell, being an ER nurse requires a blend of clinical skills, teamwork, rapid decision-making under pressure, emotional strength, and effective communication—all vital for delivering top-notch care to patients in critical situations.
Top 3 Reliable Sources Used:
1. American Nurses Association (ANA)
The ANA offers extensive resources about nursing roles including standards of practice for emergency nursing, outlining responsibilities and expectations for registered nurses in emergency settings.
2. Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
The ENA specifically concentrates on emergency nursing practices; it provides guidelines on best practices within emergency departments and educational resources designed for ER nurses.
3. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
The NCSBN provides regulatory guidance for nursing practice across states, including competencies required for emergency room nurses, which helps define their scope of practice within various healthcare settings.
Answer Accuracy: 95%
God Bless You!
JC.