1. Emergency nursing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Emergency Nursing is a nursing specialty in which nurses care for patients in the emergency or
critical phase of their illness or injury.
In contrast to practically every other specialty of nursing, in which a patient arrives with
a diagnosis applied by a physician and the nurse must manage the patient's care according to that
diagnosis, emergency nurses work with patients in whom a diagnosis has not yet been made and
the cause of the problem is not known. Emergency nurses frequently contact patients in
theemergency department before the patient sees a physician. In this situation, the nurse must be
skilled at rapid, accurate physical examination, early recognition of life-threatening illness or injury,
the use of advanced monitoring and treatment equipment, and in some cases, the ordering of
testing and medication according to "advance treatment guidelines" or "standing orders" set out by
the hospital's emergency physician staff. As any type of patient from newborn to elderly, from
minor injury to critical trauma or illness may present to the emergency department, emergency
nursing encompasses aspects of pediatrics, obstetrics, critical care, psychology and geriatrics.
Emergency nursing may also involve aspects of law enforcement, as in the care
ofassault or rape victims, or those involved in drunk driving or drug abuse; in these cases, the
nurse must care for the patient while simultaneously preserving and collecting evidence for future
legal use.
Emergency nurses most frequently are employed in hospital emergency departments, though they
may also work in free-standing urgent care clinics.
EMERGENCY NURSE
Background:
Emergency nurses specialize in rapid assessment and treatment when every second counts,
particularly during the initial phase of acute illness and trauma. Emergency nurses must
tackle diverse tasks with professionalism, efficiency, and above all—caring.
Emergency nursing is a specialty area of the nursing profession like no other. To provide
quality patient care for people of all ages, emergency nurses must possess both general and
specific knowledge about health care to provide quality patient care for people of all ages.
Emergency nurses must be ready to treat a wide variety of illnesses or injury situations,
ranging from a sore throat to a heart attack.
Roles:
• Patient Care—Emergency nurses care for patients and families in hospital
emergency departments, ambulances, helicopters, urgent care centers, cruise ships,
sports arenas, industry, government, and anywhere someone may have a medical
emergency or where medical advances or injury prevention is a concern.

2. • Education—Emergency nurses provide education to the public through programs to
promote wellness and prevent injuries, such as alcohol awareness, child passenger
safety, gun safety, bicycle and helmet safety, and domestic violence prevention.
• Leadership and Research—Emergency nurses also may work as administrators,
managers, and researchers who work to improve emergency health care.
Specialties:
Because emergency nurses must be prepared to provide patient care for almost any situation
they may encounter, specialization is rare. However, common areas of specialization include
trauma, pediatrics, geriatrics, and injury prevention.
Qualifications:
Emergency nurses are registered nurses. Many emergency nurses acquire additional
certifications in the areas of trauma nursing, pediatric nursing, nurse practitioner, and various
areas of injury prevention.
A. General information
1. Emergency nursing deals with human responses to any trauma or sudden illness that
requires immediate intervention to prevent imminent severe damage or death
2. Care is provided in any setting to persons of all ages with actual or perceived alterations
in physical or emotional health.
3. Initially, patients may not have a medical diagnosis.
4. Care is episodic when patients return frequently, primary when it is the initial option for
health or preventive care, or acute when patients need immediate and additional interventions.
5. Emergency nursing is a specialty area of the nursing profession like no other.
6. Emergency nurses must be ready to treat a wide variety of illnesses or injury situations,
ranging from a sore throat to a heart attack.
C. Emergency Care Environment
1. Prehospital care by emergency medical services (EMS), emergency medical technicians,
and paramedics provides initial stabilizations and transport of patients; personnel communicate
with the emergency department during patient transport
2. The national emergency telephone number 911 is the result of an effort to improve access
to EMS
3. The concept of the emergency room has expanded to that of the emergency department,
which provides various levels of care
4. Specialized electronic technology and techniques are used to monitor patient status
continuously; these may pose safety hazards to patients, such as possible exposure to electric
shock
D. Triage

3. 1. Triage classifies emergency patients for assessment and treatment priorities
2. Triage decisions require gathering objective and subjective data rapidly and effectively to
determine the type of priority situation present
3. Emergent situations are potentially life-threatening; they include such conditions as
respiratory distress or arrest, cardiac arrest, severe chest pain, seizures, hemorrhage, severe
trauma resulting in open chest or abdominal wounds, shock, poisonings, drug overdoses,
temperatures over 105°F (40.5°C), emergency childbirth, or delivery complications
4. Urgent situations are serious but not life-threatening if treatment is delayed briefly; they
include such conditions as chest pain without respiratory distress, major fractures, burns,
decreased level of consciousness, back injuries, nausea or vomiting, severe abdominal pain,
temperature between 102 and 105°F (38.9 and 40.5° C), bleeding from any orifice, acute
panic, or anxiety
5. Nonemergency situations are not acute and are considered minor to moderately severe;
they include such conditions as chronic backache or other symptoms, moderate headache,
minor burns, fractures, sprains, upper respiratory or urinary infections, or instances in which a
patient is dead on arrival
E. Roles of the Emergency Nurse
1. Care provider: provides comprehensive direct care to the patient and family.
2. Educator: provides patient and family with education based on their learning needs and
the severity of the situation and allows the patient to assume more responsibility for meeting
health care needs
3. Manager: coordinates activities of others in the multidisciplinary team to achieve the
specific goal of providing emergency care
4. Advocate: ensures protection of the patient’s rights
F. Functions of the Emergency Nurse
1. Uses triage to determine priorities based on assessment and anticipation of the patient’s
needs
2. Provides direct measures to resuscitate, if necessary
3. Provides preliminary care before the patient is transferred to the primary care area
4. Provides health education to the patient and family
5. Supervises patient care and ancillary personnel
6. Provides support and protection for the patient and family
G. Legal issues affecting the provision of emergency nursing
1. Negligence
2. Malpractice
3. Good Samaritan Laws (these statutes may protect private citizens but usually do not apply
to emergency personnel on duty or in normal emergency situations)
4. Informed consent
5. Implied consent
6. Duty to report suspected crimes to the police
7. Duty to gather evidence in criminal investigations; be aware of hospital policy and state
laws for evidence collection
8. Advanced directives, including durable power of attorney and living wills
H. Qualifications of an Emergency Nurse

4. 1. An emergency nurse is a registered nurse with specialized education and experience in
caring for emergency patients.
2. Emergency nurses continually update their education to stay informed of the latest trends,
issues, and procedures in medicine today.
3. Many take a special examination that proves their level of knowledge. After successful
completion of this exam they are certified in emergency nursing.
4. Some emergency nurses also acquire additional certifications in the areas of trauma
nursing, pediatric nursing, nurse practitioner, and various areas of injury prevention
5. Many emergency nurses acquire additional certifications in the areas of trauma nursing,
pediatric nursing, nurse practitioner, and various areas of injury prevention