What does an Emergency Nurse do?

ER nurses treat patients who require immediate medical attention, such as those with severe injury, trauma, or acute-onset symptoms. As most patients in the emergency room are experiencing life-threatening situations, an ER nurse must be able to think and act quickly, to identify the patient’s problem and begin stabilising them.

General Responsibilities

An emergency nurse is usually the first medical practitioner a patient will see when entering the emergency ward. Their duties will include:

• Assess patient symptoms and prioritise based on triage principles
• Identify the medical problem and refer to appropriate medical services.
• Document medical history, medication and allergies.
• Administer medication, take blood samples, and insert IV’s
• Clean and bandage wounds
• Provide support to patients’ families regarding treatment, recovery, or end of life.

When attending to patients and assisting the medical team, you are expected to maintain safety for yourself and others in a high-stress environment.

Required skills and experience

Being in an emergency ward requires a sharp eye and fast critical thinking. As an emergency nurse, you are expected to have a broad spectrum of knowledge and skill when it comes to effectively assessing patients. While working as part of a multidisciplinary team, an ER nurse is expected to act calmly and efficiently in challenging situations.

An emergency nurse needs a unique mix of skillset specific to handling the fast influx of patients. These include:

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Attention to detail
• Organisational skills
• Grace under pressure
• Communication skills
• Ability to build rapport to assist in conflict resolution

Qualifications

Before you become an emergency nurse, you must complete a 4-year Bachelor of Nursing. Once completed, you can apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to become a Registered Nurse. Prior to being admitted to the ER, you will then need at least 1-2 years of experience as a nurse.

You will be performing resuscitation techniques which makes an ALS Certificate a must. A Triage Certificate is also necessary to help you make an educated decision on which patient to prioritise, and which to treat later. Competency in health information technology is also essential if you wish to work in modern hospitals.

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

• Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing (Emergency)
• Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Emergency Nursing
• Master of Nursing (Emergency)

Emergency Nurse Salary and Wages

The salary of an emergency nurse can range between $49,000-$96,000 a year, with the average salary being $64,000. This equates to an hourly wage of $35 per hour. 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.

Who should become an emergency nurse?

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.

The ER department is open 24/7, and this demanding profession means you may need to work long duty hours, overnight, and even during holidays and weekends. There will be instances when you are expected to be on-call due to short staffing even if you’re off-duty.

Career prospects

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.

Emergency nurses will always be in demand in hospitals. If you wish to advance your career as an emergency nurse further, you need to make sure that you are updated on the current trends by studying a postgraduate qualification.

The number of patients requiring emergency care rise every year, which is partly due to the growing ageing population. The increasing demand has made it necessary for emergency nurses to remain knowledgeable and proficient. The opportunity to earn more progress as you advance in your career.

Being an emergency nurse is exciting and exhilarating. You have to be on your toes and be alert at all times. Sharpen your skills and take the necessary courses to help you become the best in the industry.