If you like pediatrics and emergency medicine , set your sights on being a pediatric emergency nurse and go for it . It is important to have strong pediatric nurses in the ED in order to recognize and stabilize sick kids . I know nursing school is busy , but I always recommend nursing students interested in pediatric emergency nursing get a part-time job as an ED technician or student nurse assistant ( SNA ). This will help you get your foot in the door , and you will learn basic skills as well as how to recognize and manage sick patients . Communication is a key part of being a successful pediatric ED nurse . This includes communicating with parents because you are taking care of their child . It is also important to learn how to communicate with children , keeping in mind their age and level of development , as well as how to communicate with the staff to close any loops on the care of children . Do not let people steer you away by talking about difficult parents ; I promise parents are not that difficult . Parents know their kids best . They are a great resource for you . Some children ’ s chronic medical histories are so complex , it is important to rely on parents to provide information and let you know what their child is like at baseline . If parents are concerned , believe them .
The biggest aspect of pediatric emergency nursing is taking charge of your own education . Always ask questions . Look up what you do not know , learn your ED algorithms and clinical care pathways , and become a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse ( CPEN ) to show you are specialized in pediatric emergency care . It is a little overwhelming at first , but you will be amazed at how fast you are able to learn .
Pre-Emergency Nursing Career Preparation
— Owen Duff , BSN , RN , Staff Nurse , McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center Emergency Department , Springfield , Oregon
As a new nurse , I knew getting interviewed for the ED , much less hired , would be a challenge . I sought ways to ensure my resume would stand out and show my commitment to learning outside of the nursing school curriculum . I also felt it was important to double down on extracurricular learning given the restrictions COVID-19 had on nursing school programs .
I started by attaining my Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ( ACLS ), Pediatric Advanced Life Support ( PALS ), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ( NIHSS ) certifications , which are requirements for placement in the ED . I also joined ENA so I could read case studies and current issues emergency nurses were facing . Obtaining these technical certifications and reading journals early in nursing school helped display my maturity and focus on my goals .
As potential employers reviewed my resume , they could clearly see my progression from Basic Life Support ( BLS ), to ACLS and PALS , and ultimately to earning the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing ( BCEN ) EDvantage certificate . The BCEN EDvantage program — a combination of in person , online , and written activities — appealed to me because many of the courses and technical certifications I had already been working on were compiled within this one program . Having a self-paced program that I could complete on my own timeline was a stress-free way to work towards my goals .
Many of the requirements to complete the certificate were requirements of employment that helped set me apart from other applicants and hit the ground running . Having a good understanding of the Emergency Severity Index ( ESI ) and the triage process has probably been the most helpful as a new nurse in the ED for prioritizing tasks and patients .
Trauma Nursing
— Nicki Roberts , MS , MSN , RN , TCRN , CPEN , CCRN , CEN , NREMT-P , Emergency Department , Nemours / Alfred I . duPont Hospital for Children , in Wilmington , Delaware
Trauma nursing is a challenging but rewarding specialty . A trauma nurse must always be aware of the constant change in environment and patient conditions , navigate an extreme range of emotions each shift , and stay current with the always evolving policies and practice .
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