Factors to Consider for Emergency a Nurse Practitioner in A&E Departments

With the growing demands, the scope of emergency nurse practitioner jobs has evolved in the past few years. They offer benefits to both EDs (Emergency Depts.) and patients alike. With medical staffing, there are gaps that every A&E department in the UK is trying to fill. The unpredictable nature of the workload in EDs further increases the complexities. Hospitals and care centres are always looking to fill positions with experienced nurses having the right set of skills. They will share the workload of doctors and help to reduce the waiting times in A&E. When looking to establish ENP services within you’re A&E facility, here are some of the aspects to keep in mind.

Suitability Matters

In the A&E sector, a nurse will be confronted with patients suffering from life-threatening conditions. Here, they need the right skill sets to work safely and efficiently in their position. Apart from educational qualifications, they must possess qualities like common sense, sense of limitations, sense of responsibilities, and interpersonal communications skills. Experience will make a huge difference but this will only come with time, however this will be a main factor when looking for highly paid jobs in this industry or ED.

Well-Defined Roles

The roles to be played by emergency nurse practitioners should be agreed in advance between nurses, doctors and senior staff. They may vary from one department to another depending on individual experience. The most common conditions treated by ENP nurses in A&E speciality are bruises, abrasions, spasms, sprains, stings, bites, minor head injuries, and lacerations. Some nurses may have the ability to interpret X-rays. It all depends on the individual capabilities of the ENP.

Limitations in Roles

There are some conditions that aren’t appropriate to be treated by ENP professionals. Emergency nurse practitioner jobs, often, do not cover the responsibilities like major trauma, chest pain, and road accidents. The limitations of these roles are defined mutually by selected senior medical staff in the facility.

Effective Communications

It is important to maintain stable and consistent communication at all levels. Not only should the nurses be able to communicate well but also engage with discussions with senior medical staff. If the role of emergency nurse practitioners includes the prescription of certain medications, it is extremely important to include all the relevant staff members in the communication channels.

Specific Protocols and Guidelines

The management of emergency nurse practitioners in a clinical environment needs strict adherence guidelines and protocols. These will be defined and documented by the department.
To ensure the effective running of the ED/ A&E Dept, management must ensure the area is staffed with the appropriate staffing levels and all staff are equipped with the necessary skillsets and support to ensure they can carry out their work in a safe and controlled environment.

Soft Skills Necessary for ICU Nurses

ICU or Intensive Care Unit of any hospital or medical institute requires nurses who are proficient with offering critical care. This unit involves patients suffering from severe illnesses and injuries and those struggling with their lives. If you are looking for ICU agency nurse jobs then you must take this time to explore the most important soft skills that an ICU nurse must possess.

Commitment and Dedication

The role of an ICU nurse is incredibly challenging. You might have to work uninterrupted long hours taking care of unstable and critically ill patients.
Nurses having strong dedication and commitment to their profession are only able to file away some rewards like improvement in the health of the patient or keeping fatigue and anxiety away from the patient’s loved ones.

Critical care is an intricate job and must not be done only for financial gains. If you lack passion in your work then you will not be able to deal well with combative patients.

Strong Communication

This is essential for not only for ICU nurses but for all kinds of professions. Strong communication ensures that nurses are able to stay on the same track with their care team members and co-workers.

At the same time, nurses with good communication skills are able to consistently inform patients, convey them the healthcare condition of their patients. It also helps them to analyse data of the patient and plan the best care for the patients.

Critical Thinking

The patients today are very well-informed about the various healthcare issues, but still, a large number of them suffer from acute and serious illnesses. Some patients may have limited resources or economic challenges. An ICU nurse with strong critical thinking ability is only able to handle such situations.
Nurses must be able to handle issues and challenges as they occur. The healthcare industry is dynamic. Hence, the nurses must equally rely on their clinical knowledge and own wits.

Teamwork

Another essential soft skill for an ICU nursing professional is being a team player. The healthcare system is complicated, and a nurse is only one part of it. There are others also involved like specialists, physicians, medical experts, and more.

It is impossible to offer patients needed care and medical support without proper communication. Hence, an ICU nurse must be a strong team player.

Empathy

ICU agency nurse jobs are extremely complex. Hence, the nurses have to be very effective and can never be in a rush. They must be focused on getting the work done in a timely manner and simultaneously cater to the patient’s requirements.

The nurses must be empathetic towards patients. They must view things from the patient’s perspectives and show that they clearly understand their emotions and feelings. In addition to being empathetic, nurses must offer patients offer therapeutic and appropriate ways.

Ability to Analyse Dynamic Situations

Mental competencies are equally vital like other skills. An ICU nurse must be able to take decisions quickly. They must make rapid decisions and instant actions.

There can be situations of life and death involved. Hence, it is vital to scrutinise data and gather all possibilities in a very least timeframe.

Tips to Work as an Agency Nurse

Agency nurse jobs are a rewarding career option for many people because of the satisfaction to help others and the obvious advantage of making more money than the permanent employees.

In most cases, candidates choose Agency Nurse Jobs because of the freedom to work their own hours. It is also their prerogative to choose the assignments that they find to be fulfilling and also escape the unwanted graveyard shifts.

Nurses are no strangers to the prospect of working with nursing agencies. That being said, there is not much clarity about how to register and get work once the registration is complete.

So if you are planning to work as an agency nurse but not sure how, then the following tips will help you through the process.

Register with an Agency

The first thing you need to do is register yourself with an agency and submit all your documents, such as references, training, occupational health information and DBS Disclosure. You will also be required to sit for an interview to understand your expectations. Preparing your documents beforehand will help you expedite the registration process that will allow you to pick up work quicker.

Know Your Flexibility Levels

Agencies often work across multiple service types and facilities. Many first-timers come with a narrow experience of working within one setting only, mostly hospitals. However, you can discuss your range of placement when you apply for agency nursing jobs and tell them the areas where you are comfortable working. This is important because the consultants will help you match with your area of interest that is both good for you and your employer. Open communication is the key to find right assignments.

Determine Your Availability

You should know your availability beforehand so that you can increase the chance of working in your choice of shifts. Be honest with your agency about your work days so that they can put you in the right shifts. They will offer you shifts that will align with your availability, allowing you and your employer to manage work schedules effectively.

Discuss Your Travel Arrangements

You must discuss your travel restrictions with the consultant so that they can find you something closer to home. This is especially true when you don’t have a car and have to depend on public transport for commuting. You must discuss how you will commute to work or if relocation is a possibility. This information can be really helpful in finding you suitable placements.

Working as an agency nurse is not the same as working as a permanent employee. You get paid weekly and you will be working on a shift-to-shift basis. But if you want to be successful in your assignments, you need to know if it the right thing for you.

Simply put, even though this a promising career, you need to set your expectations correctly and be open to discuss your concerns with the agency.

How To be a Successful Agency Nurse

In most cases, there will be always be more supply than demand. This uncertainty becomes all the more distinct in agency nursing jobs where the patient census is always fluctuating. So how do you ensure that the staffing coordinator choose you over others?

There are are some characteristics that put certain Nursing Agencies on top of the contenders and you can make that list. To get regular work as an agency nurse, you not only have to impress the supervisor but also other staff members who have a say in your selection. Other than that, you can also follow some of these tips to be a successful nurse.

Walk The Talk

A nurse’s job has to be error-free. Therefore, try to do more and prove your worth by being more action oriented. It is important to build a good reputation and rapport with staff members to do your job effectively.

Be Honest About your Work Experience

As a nurse, it is your job to be completely honest with what you can or cannot handle. You should be upfront about your skills. Don’t be afraid to tell if you don’t know the procedures you are expected to perform. It is ok to ask for help and learn the process. Your error could be the difference between life and death for someone. Always be safe and ask, if you are unsure.

Be Confident

Don’t appear needy if you want to be considered for the job. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Nursing is an ongoing learning process. However, try to be more resourceful and work your way through simple things. But if you find something too complex, ask for help.

Be Helpful and Courteous

Working as a nurse can be a stressful job. However, being nice and always ready to help are a few extra skills that come in handy. Don’t hesitate to thank someone for their help and don’t step back when it comes to helping others. Your team-player attitude will help you score the job when the need arises.

Be Approachable

Don’t worry if the staff members haven’t reached out to you to talk. It is ok to take the initiative and start talking to them. You need to understand that many nurses come and go. But you could be different if you build a special rapport with the staff members.

Don’t Complain, Take Challenges in Your Stride

One thing that hurts your reputation more than anything is always complaining. In an ideal situation, you should be prepared to handle the challenge. However, if you still find your job too hard, discuss it with your supervisor rather than complaining to your colleagues.

These are some basic traits of a good agency nurse that supervisors would like to regularly hire for their requirements. A likeable personality and knowing your job well is a killer combination that will never keep you out of work.

Agency Nurses Should Beat The Flu This Winter

Nursing Personnel are advising all agency nurses and healthcare workers to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible this winter. The vaccine is widely available and is a preventative measure.

Agency Nurses Professional Responsibility

Nurses are being advised by the RCN to get the flu vaccine as they have a professional responsibility to prevent the spread of the flu to vulnerable clients and patients. The RCN are advising their members through social media.

Below is some factual information on the flu that may be of interest.

Influenza, commonly known as “the flu”, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. Symptoms can be mild to severe. The most common symptoms include: high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, sneezing, and feeling tired.

These symptoms typically begin two days after exposure to the virus and most last less than a week. The cough, however, may last for more than two weeks.

Complications of influenza may include viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, and worsening of previous health problems such as asthma or heart failure.

Frequent hand washing reduces the risk of viral spread.

Yearly vaccinations against influenza are recommended by the World Health Organization for those at high risk.

Vaccines are tailored each year to protect against the most common circulation strains

Hence the reason for requiring annual vaccination

Front line health workers are much more likely to be exposed particularly during the winter months. as they will come into contact with patients who are infected.

As many as 1:4 staff may become infected during a mild outbreak.

Three Pandemics during the 20^th Century

1918 Spanish Flu  50 million deaths

1957 Asian Flu 2 million deaths

1968 Hong Kong Flu 1 million deaths

2009 H1N1 ( Swine Flu) 17,000  deaths.

Our advice is simple, protect yourself, your family, your patients and your colleagues.

For more information or if you are concerned please contact Catherine Patterson clinical nurse manager at Nursing Personnel.