Emergency room nurses care for patients with urgent medical concerns, assessing the severity of their condition, providing first aid, administering medication, and arranging follow-up care. They work long shifts under hectic conditions and need to complete an associate’s or bachelor’s program and pass a licensing exam to become a registered nurse.
An emergency room nurse is a hospital worker who cares for patients with urgent medical concerns. A professional helps doctors assess the severity of a patient’s injury or illness, sets up diagnostic equipment, and provides post-treatment assistance and counseling. Skilled nurses also perform first aid procedures, administer medications and build models to reduce some of the physicians’ workload. Because patients come to the emergency room with all different types of health issues, the nurse needs to have a very broad understanding of trauma and illness.
A primary duty of an emergency room nurse is to assess the severity of patients’ conditions in order to prioritize the use of limited emergency room facilities. Patients who are in severe pain or appear to be suffering from life-threatening problems are given attention first. However, determining the urgency of a situation is not always straightforward, and a nurse must be able to look for subtle indicators that a patient needs immediate care.
Once a patient is admitted to a room, a nurse obtains information about symptoms, checks vital signs, and provides first aid care if necessary. An emergency room nurse needs to know how to stop bleeding, immobilize extremities, clean wounds and administer intravenous fluids. When the physician is available, the nurse explains the patient’s condition and offers her professional opinion on diagnostic and treatment measures. The nurse provides physical and emotional care to patients during procedures to maximize their comfort. After treatment, a nurse can arrange follow-up medical care and explain the correct way to take medication and care for an injury at home.
It is common for an emergency room nurse to work long shifts under hectic conditions. A calm and confident demeanor is essential to ensure that patients receive the best possible care in a timely manner. Most emergency rooms are always open, and nurses are often required to work day, night, and weekend shifts. Additionally, nurses often assume on-call status when not in the hospital to make themselves available in the event of a disaster or epidemic.
A person who wants to become an emergency room nurse usually needs to complete an associate’s or bachelor’s program and pass a licensing exam to obtain registered nurse credentials. After gaining one to two years of experience, a registered nurse can take an additional test to become a certified emergency nurse. Many professionals pursue continuing education while working in hospitals to earn a master’s degree in the specialty. With an advanced degree and the appropriate training, an individual has the opportunity to become a registered nurse and take on an administrative position in a hospital.
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