An Emergency Department Nurse (ED), or Emergency Room Nurse (ER), is responsible for assessing, triaging, and treating patients that come through the hospital doors every day; this could entail treating injury, trauma, or acute-onset symptoms.
Just like any other nursing specialty, ED/ER nurses must have obtained an ADN or BSN degree in nursing as well as have passed their state’s NCLEX-RN exam to practice emergency medicine. Whether an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required changes on a hospital-to-hospital basis.
One way to advance your career as an ED nurse is to take the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) — or Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) — exam following one or two years of clinical experience (most who pass have at least two-three years of ED experience). Additionally, an ED-focused RN could return to school to obtain a master’s degree as an advanced practice nurse, therefore working as an emergency nurse practitioner (ENP).
ED nurses must quickly assess and begin treatment (often in consultation with a physician) of incoming patients, prioritizing patient care based on need, available staffing, and patient acuity. In short, their job is to assess and patch up a patient as quickly as possible before sending them home or moving them to acute care or the ICU for continued monitoring.
To become an ED nurse, you must:
ED nurses must be quick on their feet, adaptable, calm, high-level thinkers that flourish in organized chaos.
The average annual salary of an ED/ER nurse in the United States is approximately $77,730. For the most up-to-date salary information, check out Salary Explorer.
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) - The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) created the CEN exam to assess and test nursing skills and knowledge.
Additional certifications:
Found in most hospitals, other facilities, and teams or units that require emergency medicine expertise
Interested in learning more about what it’s like to be an ED Nurse? We spoke to one to find out. Read What Does an Emergency Department Nurse Do?
