Emergency Room; ER Nurse

How to Become an Emergency Room (ER) Nurse – Career Guide

There are many different specialties in nursing, ranging from special interests like labor and delivery to technical skills like surgical nursing. One exciting career choice for nurses is emergency room (ER) nursing. Learn more about how to become an ER nurse, what an ER nurse does and if this is the right career for you.

There are multiple pathways to becoming an emergency room nurse. Some common steps include:

• Apply to and attend an accredited and approved nursing program. Both an associate degree in nursing and a Bachelor of Science (BSN) in Nursing may qualify you to become a registered nurse, depending on state board requirements. A bachelor’s degree may lead to more opportunities as a nurse and for certification.
• Obtain state licensure as a registered nurse. Nursing licensure requirements vary by state, so be sure to check with your state’s board of nursing for specific requirements.
• Obtain nursing experience. Once you obtain licensure as an RN, it could be beneficial to work in an emergency room or related environment in acute care.
• Consider certification. While not required for employment, there are organizations that offer certifications for emergency room nursing.

There is no one path to becoming a nurse, let alone an ER nurse. Those interested in this career can consider different degree programs, formats and certifications. While one way to pursue this career is to attend an online nursing program, there are many options, including:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): A BSN is an undergraduate degree in nursing that typically takes four years to complete. In addition to the vocational training you would receive in an ADN program, you also gain additional education as you would traditionally in a bachelor’s program.
• RN to BSN
  :
  For registered nurses with an ADN who want to advance their education, an RN-to-BSN program may be beneficial.
  • Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
  • Complete in as few as 24 months
  • Full-time and part-time tracks available
• Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months.
  • Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
  • Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
  • Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice
• Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing. Bachelor’s in nursing and RN license required.
  • Part-time and accelerated tracks available
  • Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP

Though working as an ER nurse can be a highly rewarding career, it’s not for everyone. You may consider the following factors when deciding if this career is right for you.

According to the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), there are several ER nurse roles: trauma, code, triage, disaster response, flight, critical-care transport, pediatric ED, burn center, geriatric ED, military, and charge nurse. Each of these has specific roles that help specific populations of patients.

In a typical day, an ER nurse might:

• Triage patients as they arrive at the ER
• Assist with or perform tests like blood tests
• Collaborate with the rest of the ER team to provide comprehensive patient care
• Observe and monitor patients
• Test medical equipment and stock rooms

An ER nurse cares for patients with a variety of conditions and injuries. These patients may range from the pediatric to the geriatric. As a result, ER nurses need to have comprehensive training and be prepared for almost anything.

ER nurses have a specialized skill set that help them succeed in this challenging environment:

• Multitasking
  
  Skills:
  
  Things happen rapidly in the ER, and nurses need to be able to keep up. Multitasking is common, especially when nurses must assess and treat patients simultaneously. An ER nurse may focus on multiple priorities at once without forgetting or overlooking anything important.
• Teamwork: Many ER staff often…