How to Become an ER Nurse

Becoming an emergency room (ER) nurse is not for the faint of heart, but it can be a deeply rewarding career. 

As an ER nurse, you are expected to think quickly and have a tough stomach. The emergency medicine field also comes with certain challenges, as it is an intense environment where you’ll be tasked with providing care to a wide range of patients and conditions. 

Interested in working in a fast-paced environment where each workday is different than the next? Below, career experts at Soliant break down everything you need to know about how to become an ER nurse, including insights into the role’s responsibilities and benefits as well as must-have ER nurse requirements.

What Do ER Nurses Do? 

Emergency room nurses are registered nurses who work alongside doctors to provide immediate care for potentially life-threatening conditions. This may include treating trauma patients, patients with acute ailments, or those with serious illnesses. 

The duties of an ER nurse vary and cover a lot of ground. Typical job responsibilities include:

• Completing patient assessments and stabilization
• Logging vital signs
• Administering medications
• Overseeing follow-through on doctor’s orders for X-rays and diagnostic tests
• Charting patients’ medical history and updating electronic medical records
• Assisting physicians with procedures
• Relocating critical patients
• Discharging patients or arranging for longer hospital stays
• Providing support to family members who may be present

Contrary to popular belief, ER nurses work in settings beyond hospital emergency departments. Urgent care centers, poison control clinics, and triage facilities are other settings you can find ER nurses working in. In addition, some ER nurses work in prisons, the military, or travel-based facilities, such as airports, cruise ships, and trains. Flight or transport ER nurses specialize in moving patients from one treatment area to another. 

ER Nurse Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for registered nurses is $81,220 in May 2022. The lowest 10% earned less than $61,250, and the highest 10% earned more than $129,400. The median annual wage for registered nurses who work in hospitals is $82,250, and the median annual wage for registered nurses who work in the ambulatory healthcare services industry is $78,670.

Benefits of Becoming an ER Nurse

If you’re a life-long learner who craves constant challenges, then a career as an ER nurse may be perfect for you. Here are a few advantages to becoming an ER nurse:

1. Diversified Skill Set: In the emergency medicine lifestyle, no two shifts are ever the same. You’ll have the opportunity to treat a wide range of injuries and ailments, from broken bones to stomach pains and everything in between. Exposure to new tasks is a surefire way to stay sharp, expand your skill set, and become a better nurse.
2. Serve on the Front Lines of Patient Care: As an ER nurse, you’ll be one of the first people patients encounter when they come to the hospital. It can be incredibly rewarding to help save lives, but it also takes emotional strength.
3. Autonomy: Autonomy is part of the ER nurse job description. You’ll have more freedom to decide how to treat patients and can create strong relationships with physicians as a result. You’ll also get the chance to administer treatments that nurses in other specializations won’t because the ER is often an “all hands on deck” atmosphere. 

How to Become an ER Nurse

The path to becoming an ER nurse starts with earning a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited nursing program. You must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to begin working as a registered nurse (RN). 

After meeting the educational requirements and becoming a registered nurse, it’s time to pursue hands-on field experience. Working in the emergency room is the best way to acquire skills. 

After working as an ER nurse for two years, you can get a certificate from the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN). A BCEN certification isn’t mandatory, but it can greatly improve your chances of getting hired. Many ER nurse managers look for candidates with additional certifications in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Phlebotomy, and Trauma Nursing. 

ER Nurse Requirements

There are a few important qualities you will need to become a successful ER nurse. These include:

1. Stamina: The work hours of an ER nurse are long, and the ER is a very fast-paced environment, so you need stamina to avoid burnout. As a result of the unpredictable nature of the emergency room, there’s little downtime and you’ll be on your feet a lot. On-call shifts are common, so be prepared to go to work at a moment’s notice.
2. Empathy: Patients don’t always survive, and you’ll have to learn to deal with death. Family members who are under stress may treat you like a punching bag. Therefore, empathy and a caring nature are a must. 
3. Quick-Thinking Capabilities: The best emergency room nurses are quick thinkers who get a rush from solving problems under pressure. They get excited by the prospect of going into situations with little to no information and thinking on their feet. The emergency room lifestyle is great for nurses who consider themselves natural-born leaders and action-takers because it requires treating patients of all ages and acuity levels. If you’re someone who prefers consistency and quiet time to contemplate, then it’s wise to explore a different nursing specialty. 

Become an ER Nurse

Every nurse isn’t cut out to be an emergency room nurse, but it may be right for you if you’re looking for a challenging, fast-paced career that helps save lives. Emergency room nurses have a tough job, but it’s one of the most critical positions in a hospital environment.

If this deeply rewarding and exciting career path interests you, we invite you to explore Soliant’s wide range of available jobs for ER nurses today!