Emergency Room Nursing: How Many Years Does It Take to be an ER Nurse?
How many years does it take to become an ER nurse? It’s no secret that nursing is an in-demand job and you must have a lot of questions and you don’t know where you start. Do ER nurses make good money? Is it worth it? How do I begin and where do I begin? Here are a few things an er nurse should know
How to Prepare to be an ER nurse?
- Education
Education is the most important thing that you should prepare for. You are going to have to earn your associate’s or bachelor’s degree then pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). You are going to be spending a good amount of money on your education, especially if you want to get additional certifications, but it’s going to be worth it in the end. Education is basically an investment for your future.
- Skills
The emergency room is fast-paced, with nurses, doctors, and patients going in and out of the room so it is crucial that the nurses would be able to act quickly and efficiently.
- You should be ready for anything and everything but also be able to handle smaller and simpler jobs like switching out bed sheets and checking the vitals of the patients.
- You should know how to start an intravenous line, transfuse blood, set bones and stitch wounds.
- As a nurse, it is also vital that you should know basic first aid and CPR.
- Effective and compassionate communication is also something that an emergency nurse should master.
- Stamina
Working in the Emergency Room could be very intense. You will probably work three 12-hour shifts a week with potential overtime pay and you are going to be on your feet the whole time. So being an Emergency Nurse is your thing if you do not like desk work since you are going to be running around most of the time.
How do you become an ER Nurse?
Step 1: Attend Nursing School
The first step that you need in order for you to become an Emergency Nurse is, you are going to need to earn your Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited nursing program.
Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-RN
After you graduate and get your degree, you are going to take the National Council Licensure Examination Exam. It is to determine if it is safe for you to begin practice as an entry-level nurse and to test if you have enough knowledge to be a registered nurse.
Step 3: Gain Experience
Though it is possible to be an ER Nurse directly out of nursing school with no experience, not all emergency rooms do that. Some require 2 or 3 years of prior bedside nursing.
Step 4: Earn Your Certifications
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Eligibility Certification:
- Current US territories or Canadian RN licensure
- 2 years of experience in the emergency room
CEN Exam Information:
- $370 examination fee
- Computerized examination
- Three-hour times exam
- 175 items (150 scores and 25 unscored pretest items)
- Passing: 106 correct answers
How much does it cost to become an ER nurse?
In the United States of America, there are 6 colleges and universities that are offering Emergency Room and Trauma Nursing programs:
- Emory University
Found in Atlanta, GA, the tuition fee for the 2020-2021 school year was $53,868.
- Loyola University Chicago
Found in Chicago, IL, the tuition fee for the 2020-2021 school year was $46,060.
- Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a University found in Bowling Green, KY. Their tuition fee as of last school year was $10,802 in state and $26,496 out of state.
- University of Pennsylvania
Found in Philadelphia, as of this school year, their tuition fee is $60,042.
- Widener University
This university is located in Chester, PA with the tuition fee as of 2020-2021 is $48,575.
- Vanderbilt University
This university is found in Nashville, TN. Their tuition fee as of last school year is an average of $54,158.
Average prices:
- Undergraduate Programs: $48,200
- Graduate Programs: $32,977
Average Annual Wages:
- Nursing instructor, teachers, and postsecondary: $83,160
- Registered Nurses: $77,460
- Nurse Practitioners: $111,840
Highest Paying States for ER Nurses:
- Los Angeles, California: $47.98/hr
- New York, New York: $44.04/hr
- Houston, Texas: $37.52/hr
- Phoenix, Arizona: $35.52/hr
The salary and benefits as an ER travel nurse depend on your background, depending on your experience and where you accept contracts, and the state that you work in. So it is important that you continue on with your education even while you are working to keep you up to date on possible techniques and technologies.
