An ER nurse triages patients, provides stabilizing care, administers medications, provides wound care and handles other patient care tasks in a fast-paced setting. Becoming an ER nurse requires a nursing degree, such as a BSN, and an RN license. Professional certification is optional.
Emergency departments throughout the U.S. handle about 140 million patient visits each year. While not all those visits are for life-threatening emergencies, an ER nurse needs to be prepared to rapidly triage and stabilize critical patients who are indeed experiencing medical emergencies. If a high level of responsibility appeals to you, you might consider learning how to become an emergency room nurse.
If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or college credits, you might be able to begin working as an ER nurse faster than you think. Northeastern University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to leverage your prior education toward earning a BSN in as few as 16 months after completing any prerequisites. You’ll build a solid foundation for pursuing any type of nursing career, including emergency room nursing.
Before getting started with your nursing education, discover the answers to common questions like, “What does an ER nurse do?” and “How long does it take to become an ER nurse?” Then, dive into the career pathway.
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What Does an ER Nurse Do?
The purpose of the emergency department is to treat severe and life-threatening injuries and illnesses. These can include allergic reactions, stroke, heart attack, overdoses, traumatic amputation, diabetic ketoacidosis and other conditions. Not every patient who arrives at the ER will have a severe condition, however.
It’s the ER nurse’s job to rapidly triage patients, determine which are experiencing a medical emergency and provide stabilizing, life-saving care. These RNs work as part of a collaborative team that cares for patients from triage to admission or discharge.
Some of an emergency room nurse’s job responsibilities include:
- Documentation
- IV line placement
- Medication administration
- Patient monitoring
- Patient triage and assessment
- Wound care
ER nurses also provide emotional support to patients and their family members, as well as patient education, including discharge instructions.
Reasons to Choose ER Nursing
ER nursing can be compelling to those interested in a fast-paced setting that offers something different each shift and provides the opportunity to make a life-saving impact. As a future ER nurse, you can expect:
- Variety: You’ll work with patients across the lifespan and encounter a diverse range of health problems, including complex cases.
- High impact: You’ll have opportunities to save lives and provide emotional support when patients need it most.
- Professional development: The ER offers the chance to refine key nursing skills, ranging from emergency interventions to soft skills such as teamwork, communication, collaboration and leadership.
If you’re the type of person who stays calm and thinks well under pressure, the ER might be the ideal nursing specialty for you.
How Long Does It Take to Become an ER Nurse?
Not everyone follows the same career pathway toward ER nursing. One of the most common ways to become an ER nurse is to enroll in a traditional BSN program after high school. A traditional program takes about four years to complete. Then, it may take a couple of months to pass the NCLEX-RN and obtain licensure, assuming you pass the exam on your first attempt. After that, you can apply for ER nursing roles.
If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or a minimum number of non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible for an ABSN program. ABSN programs differ in eligibility requirements and timeline. At Northeastern University, you can expect to graduate with a BSN in as few as 16 months after completing any needed prerequisites. This will prepare you to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and become a registered nurse.
An ABSN offers a fast pathway toward a career in the ER, but you’ll earn the same quality BSN as a student in a traditional program. Plus, you’ll complete clinical rotations in areas that will be helpful for an ER nursing career, such as acute care, critical care, adult health or pediatrics.
There is a pathway for transitioning from EMT to RN.
ER Nurse Salary Expectations and Job Outlook
Nurses generally earn a competitive salary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which tracks employment data, does not offer ER-specific employment projections or ER nurse salary information. However, the BLS states that all types of RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024.
The projected job growth rate for all RNs is 5% from 2024 through 2034, faster than average for all professions.
How to Become an Emergency Room Nurse
If you’ve decided that a fast-paced nursing career appeals to you, you’ll want to take a closer look at how to become an emergency room nurse. If you’re eligible for our ABSN program, your career pathway will likely follow these steps:
- Contact an admissions counselor. Northeastern’s dedicated ABSN admissions counselors will discuss your eligibility for the program, answer all your questions and put together a plan to help you meet the admissions requirements on track for your target start date.
- Complete admissions requirements. Along with a completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 college credits, the admissions requirements at Northeastern include fulfillment of all prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better and submission of two academic or professional references.
- Earn a BSN. If admitted to the program, you’ll earn a BSN in as few as 16 months by completing online coursework, in-person nursing skills and simulation labs and in-person clinical rotations. You’ll learn skills you need to become a successful nurse, from triaging patients to placing IV lines.
- Pass the NCLEX-RN. After graduating, you’ll need to pass the licensure exam to obtain your RN license.
- Apply to ER nursing jobs. Start applying to ER nursing jobs once you have a license. If you don’t find an ER role right away, look for a job in a similar specialty, such as critical care.
- Obtain professional certification. You may decide to enhance your career qualifications with a professional certification, such as the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN).
Essential Skills and Qualities for Emergency Room Nursing
An ER nurse needs to draw from a diverse skill set that includes both hard and soft skills. Some examples of essential clinical skills include:
- Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
- Basic life support (BLS)
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Emergency procedures, such as airway management
- Nursing diagnostics
- Pain management
- Patient triage and assessment
- Wound care
Soft skills are also crucial for an emergency room nurse. To be effective in this care setting, it’s helpful to work on developing the following:
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Decision-making
- Delegation
- Emotional resilience
- Physical stamina
- Prioritization
Teamwork, compassion and an ability to stay calm under pressure are also important.
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Earn a Nursing Degree Faster at Northeastern
Northeastern University is a nonprofit school that prioritizes academic quality. The Bouvé College of Health Sciences supports cross-disciplinary collaboration for greater innovation, teamwork and academic success. We prepare our nursing students to thrive in complex healthcare settings like emergency departments by teaching critical thinking and clinical judgment as well as nursing knowledge.
At Northeastern’s ABSN program, you could earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months. Enjoy hybrid learning with small class sizes and knowledgeable, supportive faculty.
Contact an admissions counselor today and start developing your admission plan.