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
