Emergency Nursing Information

Emergency nursing is unique among all nursing specialties. Unlike other nursing specialties, emergency nursing is not limited to specific body systems, diseases, age groups or populations. With their special blend of general and specific health care knowledge, emergency nurses rapidly assess and treat patients in the initial phases of acute illness and trauma, when every second counts.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Emergency nurses care for critically ill or injured patients, conduct research, and provide education to the public. Emergency nursing roles also include administration, management, consultation and advocacy. In the emergency room, nurses treat a diverse range of illnesses and injuries, from earaches to gunshot wounds. In their role as educators, emergency nurses lead and participate in programs to educate the public about issues such as alcohol awareness, bicycle and helmet safety and domestic violence prevention.

Education

• Emergency nurses must be Registered Nurses, or RNs, with an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree. Many emergency nurses choose to become certified in order to enhance their skillset and improve their job prospects. Common certifications for emergency nurses include trauma nursing, pediatrics, geriatrics and injury prevention. Emergency nurses with master's degrees may also become emergency nurse practitioners. To keep up to date with health care trends, current research and medical procedures, emergency nurses update their education on an ongoing basis.

Practice Settings

• There are nearly as many settings for emergency nursing as there are emergencies. Emergency nurses provide care in any place where someone may have a medical emergency or where injury prevention is a concern. They work in hospital emergency departments, ambulances, helicopters, private clinics, and urgent care centers. Emergency nurses may also be employed by cruise ships, sports arenas, universities, prisons, industries, schools, recreation centers, homeless shelters, amusement parks and government agencies.

Benefits

• Emergency nursing is a challenging and rewarding profession with lots of potential for career growth. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the U.S. is experiencing a serious shortage of nurses, including emergency nurses. Emergencies are a fact of everyday life, so emergency nurses will continue to be in demand as the shortage increases. This indicates high job security and competitive pay for emergency nurses in the foreseeable future. As an additional benefit, the diverse practice settings and unpredictable work day makes emergency nursing an exciting job. Finally, emergency nursing can be personally fulfilling, as emergency nurses often effect multiple positive patient outcomes over the course of a single day.

Professional Association

• The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) serves the emergency nursing profession through research, publications, and professional development. According to ENA, the organization's mission is to provide visionary leadership for emergency nursing and emergency care. ENA seeks to define the future of emergency nursing and emergency care through advocacy, expertise, innovation, and leadership. ENA has various branches, including the ENA Foundation (ENAF), a philanthropic group that provides support for emergency nursing scholarships, research, and injury prevention. The ENA publishes the ENA Connection, a newsletter with 10 issues yearly, and the Journal of Emergency Nursing, a bi-monthly journal.