Medical Surgical Nursing vs. Emergency Room Nursing

Take it from someone who has had experience in both fields of nursing! Which is better? Which do I like best? What are the responsibilities in each field? Check out this video to find out!

#ILoveNursing #NurseLife

INSTAGRAM: @Nursekatherinehere

[lifewiththefaulkners]

This was a super helpful video! I am about to graduate and many hospitals around me off PCU, MED SURG, and ER ... This gave me a great comparison! Thank you !

[mirandaalexis]

ER is just fast paced more critical version of med surg

[Lisa_RNHealthHub]

I worked 20 yrs med/surg peds, then case management. I still love to learn from you.

[heidievans]

As someone who was trained in paramediscience 10 +/- years ago, who is now coming into the nursing field and have served 2 shifts on med surg... yes. I would agree with the information stated here. Different kind of nursing in both locations, but neither one is better than the other, just different. :-) Good job. I'm enjoying your videos thus far!

[fatimadia]

This was very informative! Thank you! I'm a first year nursing student who just started clinicals in the hospital! I think I want to start off in Med-Surg and get a good foundation/experience before I possibly switch over to something else. But time will tell lol. Thanks for the great video!

[TheOsandraO]

First video I’ve watched and obsessed!! Love your bubbly personality!! I am currently finishing up my nursing pre requisites! Subscribed 💕

[mykaylamoeschen]

I have an ED interview tomorrow. Thanks for the great video :)

[gunchief]

The 1st gig I want to apply for is to be an E.R. Nurse upon graduating from my ASN/LVN school.

[gunchief]

I love hearing this information because It's my desire to work in an Emergency department of a Hospital when I graduate from the LVN course I'm in. so this information helps a lot.
my school is 17 month's so that will go by Very fast overall.

[gunchief]

Seems to me that E.R. Nurses are a team for several reasons, it's sort of like the show M.A.S.H.
they had to deal with some serious stuff every time those helicopters flew in it was some serious serious serious stuff... explosions and etc. so they had to have their leadership and teamwork caps on and their Ego's in their Locker. the lives mattered. Organized chaos in the E.R. sounds like the Norm. from Nurses I've spoken to there seems to be so many moving parts' Charge Nurse, trauma Nurse Triage Nurse, Clinical supervisor, etc..etc..etc..

[vivianaelizabeth]

I'm a cna and seeing my rns in med surg is like a nightmare but now its getting a little better since covid is going down. I just know that if one day i become a rn, i will not work med surg hahah

[lizzytan]

Former ER and PACU...going back to acute care... hired for med surg...afraid time management

[codycleveland]

Hi, I have a question regarding new grad nurses. Seeing how you’ve been in both med/surg and the ED, which floor do you feel as though a new grad nurse could or should start in?..Could they survive in the ED without med/surg experience?

[erinnorwood]

Is the charting the same in the er? Or do you still have to chart everything for the assessment?

[nicklam]

u keep saying its a different way of thinking several times yet the best u can tell me is that we just check their acute problem and not do head to toe assessent. expand more . im sure theres alot more going on in the ER than just taking care of the fracture!!

[ichita]

How many patients aprox u see in a 12 hrs shift? I mean...along the whole shift, and how many patients simultanously...hope u understand my question my english is not the best 😅

[derek]

I have zero trouble claiming that ER nursing is better than Med-Surg nursing, but concede the two are vastly different. It’s usually painful for me to witness a Med-Surg nurse, but I recognize their necessary existence. The only way I’d ever work Med-Surg is if I wanted less stress, time to study, do homework, or watch Netflix on the clock (which I’d never do). I cannot count the number of times I’ve seen Med-Surg nurses surfing the internet, on social media, or sleeping at the nurses station when I go up on the floor. It’s disgusting. There is no comparison. I’m still waiting for the day that a Med-Surg float nurse is actually able to do anything helpful in my ED other than walk slowly in the hallway and stand in the way. I could go on and on, but think it unlikely to do any good. With that said, I have met some quality Med-Surg nurses that I would let nurse my loved one. I’ve also known some ER nurses who were pretty terrible. As with anything where humans are involved, you’ll find good and bad.

It is possible to provide quality education to your patients in the ED. I’ve had countless patients and/or their loved ones compliment my teachings and/or ask me why no one taught them the last 10 times they were admitted. You just have to shed the Med-Surg mentality and become more efficient. You’ll be delivering quality discharge teaching in the ED in little time. Just takes some time and practice. If you have a passion for teaching and selflessly serving others, you’ll get there. Congrats on making the switch.