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Registered nurse med/surg vs emergency department registered nurse

The differences between registered nurse med/surgs and emergency department registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a registered nurse med/surg and an emergency department registered nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse med/surg has an average salary of $84,812, which is higher than the $81,260 average annual salary of an emergency department registered nurse.

The top three skills for a registered nurse med/surg include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for an emergency department registered nurse are patients, acls, and acute care.

Registered nurse med/surg vs emergency department registered nurse overview

Registered Nurse Med/SurgEmergency Department Registered Nurse
Yearly salary$84,812$81,260
Hourly rate$40.77$39.07
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs515,200661,518
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a registered nurse med/surg do?

The job of registered medical-surgical nurses is to care for patients with either surgical or non-surgical conditions. They are responsible for aiding patients to cope with their illness, prevent diseases, and promote good health. Entry-level registered nurses often rely on standardized care plans and medical procedures and make scientific-based nursing judgments. On the other hand, intermediate level nurses are more skilled in developing care plans that meet client needs. Requirements to become a medical-surgical nurse include a college degree in nursing, excellent assessment and observation skills, and patient education skills.

What does an emergency department registered nurse do?

An emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries. They assist doctors and other medical staff in emergency medical care. It is their responsibility to always provide high-quality standards for nursing. The skills they should possess include diligence, attention to detail, levelheadedness, and strong communication. They also need to be knowledgeable about emergency care.

Registered nurse med/surg vs emergency department registered nurse salary

Registered nurse med/surgs and emergency department registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Registered Nurse Med/SurgEmergency Department Registered Nurse
Average salary$84,812$81,260
Salary rangeBetween $49,000 And $145,000Between $48,000 And $135,000
Highest paying CityLancaster, CALos Angeles, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandHawaii
Best paying companyDignity HealthWhidbey General Hospital
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between registered nurse med/surg and emergency department registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a registered nurse med/surg and an emergency department registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Registered Nurse Med/SurgEmergency Department Registered Nurse
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Registered nurse med/surg vs emergency department registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between registered nurse med/surgs' and emergency department registered nurses' demographics:

Registered Nurse Med/SurgEmergency Department Registered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 10.9% Female, 89.1%Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between registered nurse med/surg and emergency department registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Registered nurse med/surg example responsibilities.

  • Manage respiratory ventilator, EKG equipment, intravenous and oral medication, intravenous pump machine, and blood products transfusion.
  • Achieve telemetry and BLS certification.
  • Interact with professionalism and compassion to consistently achieve confidence in care.
  • Manage and care for medical-surgical ICU patients including neurology and plastic surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide compassion to patients and family members ensuring optimal levels of comfort and privacy
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Emergency department registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Monitor and manage chest tubes and various drainage devices along with pacer wires, epidural lines, and PCA pumps.
  • Stabilize critical patients through the use of BLS and ACLS protocols.
  • Assess patients and prioritize care: stabilize multiple critical patients using ACLS and BLS protocols.
  • Provide direct patient care including triage evaluation and treatment of patients presenting for care for medical/trauma/psychiatric care.
  • Perform triage, assessments, complete MD orders assist in treatment and admit or discharge patients requiring/receiving emergency care
  • Provide comprehensive care to patients that addressed the physical, social, spiritual and mental aspects of care and rehabilitation.
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Registered nurse med/surg vs emergency department registered nurse skills

Common registered nurse med/surg skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • BLS, 16%
  • Acute Care, 8%
  • Acls, 6%
  • Direct Patient Care, 3%
  • Discharge Planning, 2%
Common emergency department registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Acls, 9%
  • Acute Care, 6%
  • Life Support, 4%
  • Patient Outcomes, 4%
  • Advanced Life Support, 3%

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