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How to Perform Better in the ER as a Nurse

Emergency Room Nurse with arms crossed

In clinics and medical facilities all over the world, nurses play a crucial role. There are many different nursing careers available today, with emergency room nurses having some of the most difficult and demanding jobs in the industry.

In cases of trauma, illness, or injury, an ER nurse provides patient care. Earning a Master of Science in Nursing is a great step if you're a nurse with a BSN who is interested in career advancement, especially if you're interested in working as an ER nurse or nurse practitioner.

Learn The IV Stick Trick

Putting in IVs is a very common practice in hospitals, particularly in the emergency room. Getting stuck is a pain for patients, that much is certain. There are those who shake, cry, and even syncopate, while others tense up and turn their heads away. Ironically, the latter is typically filled with tattooed, ripped men! Because needle sticks hurt, people dislike them. What if I told you that you could lessen your pain naturally, without using any drugs or special tools?

Your IV insertions will go more smoothly if you use this ER nursing tip! Place the needle flush with the skin where you intend to poke after cleaning the IV site. Before puncturing the skin, press the needle into the freshly cleaned skin for three to five seconds with the bevel up. The longer you wait, the more their pain receptors will become desensitized, which should lessen the pain.

Be a Tough Cookie!

You will have to deal with patients who are suffering, uneasy, and unhappy. Unfortunately, nurses are the ones who experience the worst of their symptoms' attitude. Families who accompany those who are in pain to the ER are anxious and afraid. For everyone involved, the situation is stressful.  To calm down a stressful atmosphere, constructive communication is required. It has been demonstrated that training in effective communication techniques increases patient satisfaction and decreases patient complaints.

Stay Calm and Quick

An ER nurse must have quick thinking and quick reflexes when dealing with patients in emergency situations. A few minutes can frequently mean the difference between life and death in many circumstances. The ability to assess a patient quickly and provide the appropriate care without hesitation is a requirement for doctors and nurses. When caring for patients in critical condition, an ER nurse must not only be able to act quickly but also calmly. It is a nurse's responsibility to help patients feel less anxious when they are experiencing panic due to severe injuries or illnesses.

Establish priorities.

Patients will frequently visit the ER because they were unable to schedule their preferred primary care appointment. There might be someone with a small cut in the room next door. It is possible that a stroke or cardiac patient will be brought in while you are juggling these two patients. You'll need to develop your patient prioritization skills. Each patient situation should be approached using the ABCs principle by nurses. Prioritization is based on the ABC pneumonic, which prioritizes the airway before moving on to breathing and circulation. 

It's difficult to overstate how demanding working in an emergency room is. It calls for persistence, focuses on detail, and ongoing skill development. The variety and excitement of each workday force nurses to continually exercise their creative caregiving muscles and hone their ER nursing abilities. However, not every skill is used every day. This makes staying up to date on nursing procedures a constant necessity to be prepared for any circumstance.

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Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik
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