Aspiring nurses can choose from a variety of specializations, each of which is distinctive and fulfilling.
You may personalize most parts of your job, from working with newborns to working as a telemedicine nurse or as a Flight RN.
Emergency nursing remains one of the most in-demand and rewarding among the many career paths available to nurses.
You save a life every day by going to work. However, the ER has its own set of difficulties.
Every day, you aid people, but you also see a lot of misery and suffering.
You should know exactly what you’re getting into before starting your career as an RN in the emergency room, and since it is a tough job, you might wonder how much do ER nurses make?
According to Incredible Health, California pays ER Nurses 51% more salary than the national average. So what about other states? What is the national average salary for ER nurses? Keep reading to find out!
Summary
| Guide | How Much Do ER Nurses Make? |
|---|---|
| Average Income | $80,000 to $90,000 per year |
| Highest Income | More than 100,000 annually |
| Education Qualification | Needed |
| Training | Needed |
Who Are ER Nurses?
Emergency nurses work in hospital emergency rooms, and their jobs are challenging and different.
Caring for people’s emergency healthcare requirements requires an entire team of professionals, and ER nurses are the backbone that keeps the ER functioning smoothly.
Because ER RNs deal with a lot of unpredictability, a lot of particular cases, and a lot of dynamic circumstances, their work description is vast and complicated.
Nurses in this sector must have a lot of stamina as well as the ability to stay calm under duress.
Long stretches of idleness can change by a series of high-priority situations that all require rapid action.
Also Read: How Much Do LVNs Make In Texas?
How Much Do ER Nurses Make?
An ER nurse may expect to earn $45.01 per hour on average. This equates to a yearly salary of $80,000 to $90,000.
This varies based on your degree of expertise and where you work.
This could be exponentially higher or lower depending on what you actually do, what your experience is, and in which state you work.
However, the majority of ER nurses earn between these numbers in general.
1. How Much Do ER Nurses Make an Hour?
ER Nurses make a minimum of $5.53 an hour and a maximum of $111.30 an hour.
2. How Much Do ER Nurses Make a Month?
ER Nurses make a minimum of $958 a month and a maximum of $19,292 a month.
3. How Much Do ER Nurses Make a Year?
ER Nurses make a minimum of $11,500 a year and a maximum of $231,500 a year.
Highest Salary of ER Nurses In 2023
The more experience you gain, you will have more opportunities to earn more with ER nurses because more experience brings more knowledge on what to do in certain situations where you need to be extremely calm.
ER is a stressful area of the hospital, and you need to be calm and know what to do.
Pros and Cons of Being an ER Nurse
Pros
- Handsome salary
- Rewarding career
- Less paperwork
- Every day is new
Cons
- Stressful job
- Physically & emotionally draining
Is being an ER Nurse Good or Bad?
Being an ER nurse is extremely tough because of the load and the type of work.
You need to be extremely cool, whatever comes in your way, and you need to be able to stand up to everything.
That is why this job is not for everyone, but if you like to handle stressful situations and stay calm, it could be a good opportunity for you.
How Many Hours Does ER Nurse Work?
ER Nurses work in 12-hour shifts, and they can be given morning or even night or evening shifts.
In a week, ER nurses work for a minimum of 40 hours, and due to high demand, they end up working for more than 60 hours sometimes.
What is the Starting Pay of ER Nurse?
The starting pay of an ER Nurse is $5.53 an hour or $958 a month. Being an ER nurse comes with stress, but it is a very rewarding career option.
With years of experience, you can make as much as $231,500 a year, which is good money.
How to Become an ER Nurse?
Here’s how you can become an ER Nurse:
- First, applicants must complete an authorized nursing program.
- Depending on the curriculum chosen, which might be a certificate, an associate degree in nursing, or a bachelor of science degree in nursing, this could take up to four years (BSN). While either of these degrees is suitable for entry into the sector, a BSN is sometimes necessary for higher-level roles with more responsibilities.
- Before being licensed, applicants must complete an authorized nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination Emergency Room Nurse Training.
- After passing the training program and obtaining the license, you can get started as an ER Nurse.
ER Nurses Training Programs
According to the Emergency Nurses Association, while some hospitals prefer licensed emergency room nurses, emergency rooms increasingly recruit new nurses and give on-the-job training (ENA).
Outside of a hospital emergency department, there are alternative ways to get relevant training.
The ENA regularly conducts an Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) and a Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) to teach the requisite theoretical and physical skills.
An Emergency Department Nursing Certificate is now available from institutions such as the University of California at San Diego Extension Program.
This is a combination of an online course and 60 clinical hours in an emergency room.
You May Also Read: How Much Do Heart Surgeons Make?
Conclusion
ER nurses do a lot of things; most of them require a lot of resistance to stressful situations and things that not many people can do.
That is why this profession is not for everyone, but the salary is exceptionally well, and there is very big room for growth.
FAQ
How much do ER nurses make when they first start off?
When you first start off as an ER nurse, you make a starting salary that is lower than the average.
How much do ER nurses make after a decade of experience?
Once you have at least a decade of experience, you can expect to earn six figures just like those in the top 10%.
How much do ER nurses make in overnight shifts?
There are generally no extra payments for overnight shifts since your salary includes all the things that you must do with the work.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
ARTICLE SOURCES
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