ER Nurse Career Guide

Want to learn how to become an ER nurse? Then you’re in the right place. Becoming a nurse is a noble endeavor in itself, but becoming an ER nurse is an incredible rewarding pursuit. As an ER nurse, you may literally save lives on a daily basis. 

Also called trauma nurses, and similar to critical care nurses, ER nurses have a demanding and stressful job. They are called to act quickly to treat patients suffering from medical emergencies ranging from car accidents and suicide attempts to strokes and heart attacks. An ER nurse needs to be trained and ready to take decisive action in any number of critical situations.  

One day, an ER nurse may provide life-saving CPR to an elderly patient. Another, they may be treating a small child with a severe head injury. In short, they will face many traumatic cases and need to be capable of handling them all.

In order to thrive as an ER nurse, you must be comfortable dealing with unpredictable and traumatic events. Emergency situations can be highly emotional. Being able to remove yourself from those emotions is critical in order to work quickly and with a clear mind. Adaptability is also important for the nurse, as the needs of ER patients change frequently, and there’s no way to predict how many patients will be admitted on a given day. 

Many refer to ER nurses as adrenaline junkies because they live for the excitement of new and constantly changing circumstances. All of this said, becoming an ER nurse is not for everyone, so before you decide to take this career path, be sure to know what you’re getting yourself into.

o become an emergency room nurse, you’ll first need to complete a nursing diploma, associate degree, or a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). You’ll then need to get your nursing licensure by taking your state's NCLEX-RN exam. This will qualify you to work as a registered nurse (RN). If you're currently an RN, earning your BSN can help you stand out and be more qualified for additional nursing roles.

If you’d like to move into a critical care role, particularly in the ER, you’ll next need to work as a nurse for at least two years and get your Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential. This nationally-accepted certification shows that you’ve attained a level of expertise in the standards and practices of emergency patient care, so you're ready for these critical situations. 

You can also certify in these CEN specializations:

• Flight emergency nursing (CFRN)

• Pediatric emergency nursing (CPEN)

• Critical care ground transport nursing (CTRN) 

Most hospitals will hire nurses to the emergency department directly after CEN licensure. They’ll then provide nurses with both didactic training and an experienced preceptor as a mentor, which will help these nurses complete the intake process.