Accident and Emergency Nurse Jobs

Accident and Emergency Nurse jobs: frequently asked questions

(Updated Dec 2024)

Welcome to our Accident and Emergency Nurse jobs page, featuring all the latest Accident and Emergency nursing jobs throughout the UK, as well as some frequently asked questions below.

What does an Accident and Emergency Nurse do?

Accident & Emergency Nurses work in the emergency department of hospitals and are typically the first point of contact when a patient enters. As a consequence, Accident and Emergency nurses deal with a wide variety of patients in very different states of physical and mental health.

In general, it is an Accident and Emergency Nurse’s job to make an initial assessment and to take patients’ vital measurements like blood pressure and temperature. This can help ensure the patient receives the correct treatment.

Ultimately it is the duty of an Accident and Emergency Nurse to make sure patients feel calm and comfortable while they wait to be transferred for treatment or discharged.

What are the daily responsibilities of an Accident and Emergency Nurse?

As anyone who has visited one will know, emergency wards can be unpredictable. Every kind of person with any possible of ailment can show up, and their conditions can differ widely in their severity. Accident and Emergency Nurses need to be at the centre of this, skilfully balancing it all.

Typically, their daily duties include:

• Recording patients’ vital signs

• Observing and noting the condition of patients

• Monitoring and administering medication and injections

• Making assessments and planning transfers

• Working with and supporting patients’ families and friends

• Mentoring students and junior nurses

You will work in a shift pattern, which could involve night shifts and unsociable hours.

What qualifications do you need to become an Accident and Emergency Nurse?

To become an Accident and Emergency Nurse you need to be registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC). And to be eligible to register you need to have completed a nursing degree. You can complete a degree in any of these four core areas: adult, child, mental health and learning disabilities.

Courses are typically three years in duration and are offered at universities and institutions throughout the country. Half of your course will involve clinical practice, where you will gain a first-hand understanding of what being a Nurse actually involves.

In terms of experience, your degree should provide a foundation that helps you to land your first role. A nursing degree will allow you to become a Nurse within a variety of settings, not just Accident and Emergency departments. It will also allow you to work in the private sector settings if you wish.

How much do Accident and Emergency Nurses get paid?

Accident and Emergency Nurses earn a Band 5 salary on the official NHS pay-scale. This means that, once qualified, you’ll be earning approximately £29,969 a year – rising incrementally every year until you reach the top of your banding. From there, more experience and qualifications can help you to work your way up into higher bandings. Band 6 salaries can reach as high as £44,962 and Band 7 salaries peak above £52,809.

Beyond this, there are many avenues your career could go down. You could end up becoming a ward matron, a consultant, or even a researcher or lecturer depending on the extra-curricular studying you undertake. Any of these careers could see you earn as much as £80,000 a year or more.

The NHS is the major employer of Accident and Emergency Nurses, but your skills will be welcome in the private sector too. In the private sector pay is unregulated so it’s difficult to gauge whether your pay will be better or not. Also, it is important to note that private sector work does not normally offer a benefits package equivalent to that of the NHS.

Your other option will be bank or agency work, which can become lucrative once you have enough experience. As you’ll undoubtedly be aware, Accident and Emergency departments are getting busier every year, with more patients and longer waiting times. As a result, qualified Nurses are in high demand.

Find your next Accident and Emergency Nurse job today

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