What do emergency nurses do

Although not required, there are postgraduate courses that can further help you with improving your knowledge and skills as an emergency nurse.

These courses can be taken either in class or online and include. As with most other nusing specialisms, the more experience you gain, the higher the pay rate. Further, because of the high demand, and stressful environment, emergency nurses often earn a higher salary than the average Registered Nurse RN.

As most ER roles are based within public hospital emergency departments, there are fewer opportunities to work at private healthcare facilities, where the wages of a registered nurse are typically higher.

You will hear a lot of people say that being an emergency nurse is not for everyone. This is because the emergency department is a highly stressful and dynamic environment. You will be exposed to patients in critical conditions, such as victims of car accidents and those suffering from life-threatening disease or illness.

In this respect, dealing with patient death can be a frequent occurrence, and so this role requires someone with a resilient and strong mind. Most emergency nurses work in the ED of hospitals or healthcare clinics.

However, you will also find emergency nurses working in a myriad of other places such as schools, cruise ships, and remote areas. Join ENA, and you will have access to all kinds of resources to help you figure out what kind of Emergency Nurse you want to be. My Account. ENA University. Advanced Practice. Government Relations. Quality and Safety.

Path to the ED Scrubin. In Case of Emergency. ICOE Study. No Silence on ED Violence. My Account Welcome, useremail domain. Emergency Nursing — Is it right for you? Let's find out what type of Emergency Nursing is right for you? Different settings for Emergency Departments: Critical Access Remote settings with very few resources Rural Areas Moderately remote areas with more resources within a few hours by road or air Community Settings Mid-size cities with a moderate amount of resources Urban Areas Major metropolitan areas, usually a lot of resources Teaching Hospital Large facilities associated with a university or two, many resources available Stand-Alone Emergency Department Available in only certain states, not physically connected with a hospital Disaster Settings Extreme environments after a disaster, few resources, often associated with federal or military response programs Emergency Nurse Roles Just like the wide variation that exists in emergency medicine and emergency departments, there are so many different types of Emergency Nurses.

Descriptions of a few Emergency Nurse roles: Trauma Nurse Trauma Nurses work in Trauma Centers and run the show when trauma patients come in by ambulance, helicopter, or personal vehicle it totally happens.

This role requires specialized training and usually two years of experience. No pulse, not breathing? Different settings for emergency departments include:. Related Articles. ICU vs. Types of Emergency Nurses. Trauma Nurse. Trauma Nurses are generally found in Trauma Centers, though they do sometimes work in Emergency Departments that are designated trauma centers.

These nurses are frequently the first to see a patient who has sustained traumatic injuries, and they provide initial care for the trauma victim before the patient is transferred to the care of a Trauma Surgeon. In some settings, there may be a nurse or Paramedic assigned to stabilize victims of trauma, but the Trauma Nurse has the most comprehensive training in this area. Triage Nurse. Flight Nurse. Pediatric ED Nurse. Pediatric ED Nurses work in Emergency Departments that have a designated focus for treating children.

They are responsible for assessing and treating children under the age of ED Float Nurse. ED Floaters may work in multiple departments within an Emergency Department or they may rotate among different shifts. Because their primary focus is to fill gaps in coverage for other nurses, their job duties will vary widely depending on the needs of each department they are covering.

Geriatric ED Nurse. Geriatric ED Nurses are responsible for the care of the elderly in an Emergency Department, or for those who are chronically discharged to nursing homes. If they are working in the Emergency Department, they help triage patients, assess their condition, and provide necessary treatments. If they have a patient that is being cared for on a long-term basis, they also contribute to overall care planning and facilitate communication between nursing centers and physician offices.

Burn Center Nurse. Burn Centers are a fairly specialized subset of Emergency Departments, and the qualifications for a Burn Center Nurse can vary greatly.

Some hospitals have a full-time nurse dedicated to burn care, while others may have nurses from other departments who perform this function on an as needed basis. In either case, the Burn Center Nurse is responsible for caring for patients with traumatic burns and are specially trained in burn care and burn victim resuscitation.

ER Nurse Salary. Helpful Organizations for ER Nurses. How many years does it take to become an ER nurse? How do I become an ER nurse?