What is an Emergency Room Nurse?
Emergency Room Registered Nurses work in fast paced, frenetic hospital emergency departments. Their job is to provide quality emergency care to people who have experienced injury or trauma or are experiencing a sudden onset of a serious medical condition or symptoms.
What is the Typical Day as an Emergency Room Nurse?
The ER Nurse works in an unpredictable and constantly challenging environment. Due to the nature of emergency care, there is no profile of a typical patient. Any patient can be very young, or very old, or any age in between. Patients can be extremely healthy otherwise, or people with long term complex medical conditions.
What Are the Roles & Responsibilities of an Emergency Room Nurse?
- Triage: Assess and prioritize patient care based on severity
- Interview patient, gather medical data and relevant history, document all of the above
- Administer and document medications based on Physician’s instruction.
- Operate and monitor medical equipment
- Provide care and clam reassurance to patients and their advocates. Constantly communicate with them and keep them informed of the process.
- Record care plan that will accompany the patient to their next step (hospitaliation, out care clinics, release to home).
What is the Average Salary for an Emergency Room Nurse?
The average ER Nurse salary is higher than an average RN salary due to the challenging work environment and the specialized task requirements an emergency room nurse is required to fulfil.
What is the Anticipated Growth for ER Nursing Jobs?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the expected job outlook for Registered Nurses of all types is very positive. There is an expected growth rate of 12% between 2018 and 2028, which is a much faster rate than average. BLS provides the following insight:
“Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; increasing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as this group leads longer and more active lives.”
