Job Responsibilities
Provide professional nursing care for assigned patients in the
emergency department. Triages each patient and determines
priority of care based on physical, psychological and social
needs as well as factors influencing patient flow through the
emergency care system. Performs focused assessment of chif=ef
complaint on each patient in a timely manner according to
established triage guidelines, inclusive of common sense, and
really listening to what the patient is saying. Lower socio-
economic states do not always allow them to provide the right
course of terminology to relay info. Keen insight and experience
is a necessary skill. Familiar with standard concepts,
practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on
experience and judgment to pland and accomplishe goals. Performs
a variety of tasks. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is
expected. Typically reports to a manager or department head.
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Job Requirements
Preparation and research into each program available for a long
and committed desired educational field. You should enter for
the desire to do the work and not for the money. You will never
be able to be paid for the degree of work that goes into saving
lives. There is no prive for that. It must be within you. No
new nurse should ever enter into the Emergency Department without
prior experience. The technical expertise relates to saving
lives. Always remember that if that were you as a patient, you
would want to know that the nurse has experience and technical
expertise to save my life or that of my family members.
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Uppers
Number one is the satisfaction of saving a life. No one can make themselves "I
want to be an ER nurse." You either will have it or you have no business
pretending to know. Pretending will land you in a lawsuit. Secondly, the
satisfaction that I can get through to a person about the severity of their
illness and accept the truth, gives me satisfaction. When you save an infants
life who has come in not breathing, can you do it. When and elderly comes in
taking their last breaths, can you give them the comfort and respect that a human
being deserves in the dying process. You will learn everyday and you must always
read, listen and learn. Medical technology changes every day. Sometimes a
physician yelling at me.....well I can take him aside and confront the issue
currently by taking his arm an de-escalating him for may be that I will have to
talk to him later. I enjoy toughing a physicians soul. He is human too.
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Downers
Downers are the long committed hours you put in for the good of
the unit. There is a time to stay and there is a time to leave.
You don't have choices all the time. In a code, you don't say,
well my shift is over. Plans change all the time. The worse
part of my job is that I must see the new people coming on fresh
out of school and "you just hope to God, the have listening ears
and want to learn. Those that think they already know- well you
figure it out when it is your family laying on the cart. The
public has no clue. The bad part is when the nursing shortage is
so bad that anyone can get into ER.
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Lifestyle
Uniformity, professional appearance, respect, courtesty and a smile even on the
days you don't feel like it, because you have a sick child at home yourself.
Hours can be long, travel is up to you, and you should try to take turns on the
social events so that each person can alternate yearly. Be accepting of all
co-workers as to who they are and keep your personal life to a minimum. A bad
day is okay to address to co-workers, but the details of the night fight you had
with your husband...keep it low. You can love your job, but it must be the job
you want to do or nothing else will fit. Understand that you should have balance
in your life will help in any setting. Take care of your self and you can take
care of others even better. You will have more to give.
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Compensation
Compensation as mentioned earlier is a necessary evil, but you
will never have enough money for the things that you must do
that. Remember not everyone has control of their bowels,
technicians are hard to come by, vomiting is always going to be
there, equipment will not work..... you do this because it is
your hearts desire. Base salary allows me to live comfortable
and obtain the extras I need and raise a child, bonuses are
offered based on the number of years of service, benefits
(medical) of course is getting worse as the corporate world is
digging into out pockets. We are the ones who should take the
time to go to capital hill and lobby. What are you able to do to
help the health care industry!
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Advice to Jobseekers
Go where your heart takes you, and be honest with yourself. I
hear a lot of talk about the money being in the health care field.
For the staff nurse, it is not enough, and for the higher level
management, if they are doing their jobs, to give respect and
dignity to the employees, offer the needs of the staff as they
speak up, if they are heard. Business is good. I love my job.
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