Last Post - probably

Well, I realize it has been several months since my last post. In that time, I took and passed my NCLEX (with the minimum number of questions - take that whomever waitlisted me for nursing school!), moved to a new city and started my job as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department. Yes, I am a new grad in an ED. Yes, I realize this pisses off many experienced nurses who do not feel that there is a place for new grads in the ED. The hospital I am working at has a phenomenal program for new graduates. At no point will I be unleashed on patients without my preceptor, clinical leader, clinical educator, and nurse manager feeling that I am entirely well prepared. I will be taking the same 3 month classroom course as the ICU new grads at my hospital (in conjunction with supervised clinical work) so I will be well prepared to serve my patients. I will spend at least 4 months under an experienced preceptor, with the option to extend that if I (or my boss) thinks I need it.

Do I think that a new grad program in an ED is for everyone? Absolutely not. There were people I interviewed with who would have been a pile of mush after the first day. My management had the foresight to not hire them - go figure. All four of the new grads in my unit have ED experience both prior to and during nursing school, 3 of us are 2nd degree, and the one who is not is very mature. I mean heck - I have spent 11 years in the Marine Corps and been to two war zones - chaos and multi-tasking is not a stranger to me! Ok, soap box done.

I, so far, really enjoy my co-workers. I have not seen a nursing staff yet with the morale of this group of nurses. They actually like each other AND, shocker of all shockers - they like their job!!! I have yet to hear someone complain about the nursing shortage or the patients or how much they wish they had never gone into nursing. And believe me, we are busy enough to invite some complaining. At any given time, we can have up to 38 patients in our ED - not counting those in the waiting room - and oh yeah - those who are "boarding" waiting for rooms upstairs. Plus, we are a teaching hospital with like 900 residents and students milling about. I promise - I haven't forgotten my roots - I'm nice to the students (even the medical students). The nurses I work with actively seek out ways to help each other. They ask each other questions about patient care, they look up meds if they need to, they work with the doctors without that animosity that always seems to develop. Short story - I think I have found the jackpot and what a great place to start working!

So, chances are this will be the last post on this site. Who knows - I might make some more.....