How do ER nurses keep calm?

ER nurses stay calm through a combination of immediate stress-relief techniques (like deep breathing, muscle relaxation), strong teamwork and communication, thorough preparation (knowing equipment), and robust self-care practices (sleep, nutrition, setting boundaries) to manage the high-pressure environment, preventing burnout and ensuring effective care.

How do emergency responders stay calm?

How does PMR reduce stress in first responders? PMR involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to reduce tension and reset your nervous system: Tense a muscle group for 5 seconds. Release slowly for 10 seconds.

How to stay calm working in the ER?

So we asked ER doctors, nurses, and paramedics with nerves of steel their tips for staying calm in the middle of a storm.

1. Mindfully Attend to One Task at a Time. ...
2. Prioritize Your Focus and Find Time. ...
3. Make a List and Check it Twice. ...
4. Lean on Your Team. ...
5. Preparation Brings Calm. ...
6. Separate the Noise of Work from the Peace of Home.

How do ER nurses deal with stress?

Practice mindfulness and meditation: It's important to remember that your brain is a muscle and needs practice to remain calm and focused, especially in stressful situations. Mindfulness and meditation can decrease stress and burnout and improve resiliency, compassion, and emotional regulation.

What are the 3 C's of emergency response?

The 3 C's of emergency response, used in first aid and disaster preparedness, stand for Check, Call, Care, guiding bystanders to first assess the scene for safety, then call emergency services (like 911), and finally provide appropriate care until professional help arrives, ensuring their own safety first.
 

Make Your Assessments Flow Better: Tips for New ER Nurses

What are the 5 pillars of emergency response?

Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are the five steps of Emergency Management.

What is a code 3 in an emergency room?

A "Code 3" in emergency services, including hospitals and police, means an urgent, high-priority response using flashing lights and sirens, indicating immediate danger or a critical situation requiring the fastest possible arrival, often for severe injuries, immediate threats, or transporting patients needing urgent care like shock or severe bleeding. While hospitals use various codes, Code 3 signals an ambulance coming with lights/sirens (e.g., to a serious accident) or a serious internal patient need. 

How stressful is being an ER nurse?

Without a doubt. The ER is in constant motion and things move quickly. As an ER nurse, you need the ability to handle a high-stress, fast-paced environment with dignity and grace. You can never allow yourself to become too frazzled.

What is the burnout rate for nurses?

Nurse burnout rates are high and persistent, with recent studies showing over 60% of nurses experiencing burnout, stress, or exhaustion, driven by short staffing, inadequate pay, lack of support, workload, and patient violence, leading to missed care and high turnover, especially among younger nurses and those in high-demand units like ICUs and EDs, despite hope for the profession.
 

How to be a better ER nurse?

To be a good ER nurse, master rapid assessment, critical thinking, and prioritization to handle chaos; develop strong, clear communication for teamwork; stay calm under pressure with excellent stress management; and continuously build skills through asking questions, learning equipment, and practicing advanced life support certifications like ACLS/PALS, focusing on patient advocacy and whole-person care. 

What is the most relaxed type of nurse?

Examples of low-stress nursing positions include school nurse, nurse researcher, case management nurse, and more. Work-life balance benefits—such as no night shifts, weekends, or holidays—are a major factor in what makes these jobs less stressful compared to hospital bedside roles.

What are 4 things you should not do in the event of an emergency?

Don't go to a shelter without your pets. Don't go to any emergency scene. Don't have long conversations on your cell phone as it will quickly deplete your batteries and you may not be in a position to recharge your phone. Don't have predetermined evacuation routes.

What is the 5 5 5 rule for anxiety?

The "5-5-5 Rule" for anxiety is a grounding technique using your senses and time to calm your nervous system by naming 5 things you see, 5 things you hear, and 5 things you can feel/touch, bringing focus to the present moment and away from anxious thoughts, or alternatively, asking if a worry matters in 5 years, giving it only 5 minutes to process if it won't, says Psych Central, Laura Geftman, LCSW, and Cityscape Counseling. 

What are the 5 P's of emergency?

Emergency preparedness is easy when you 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟱𝗣𝘀 -- 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻, 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲, and 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲.

What are the 5 C's of stress management?

Semi-structured and structured activities designed to foster feelings of Comfort, Competence, Confidence, Control AND Communication equals the reduction of stress and abilities realized.

What is the 42% rule for burnout?

42% – that's the percentage of time your body and brain need you to spend resting. It's about 10 hours out of every 24. By prioritising rest, we can improve our ability to cope with stress, reduce the risk of burnout, and enhance our overall well-being.

What profession has the highest burnout rate?

Professions with the highest burnout rates consistently include Healthcare (nurses, ER doctors, pharmacists), Social Work, and Education (teachers), driven by high emotional demands, long hours, and life-or-death stakes, though data varies, with some sources showing Agriculture, Finance, and specific creative/tech roles also high, reflecting intense pressures across various sectors. 

Why are nurses quitting in 2025?

Burnout and Emotional Fatigue Remain Pervasive

According to the 2025 report: 79.9% of nurses say stress has increased due to staffing issues. 72.5% report heavier responsibilities but fewer resources. 69.4% cite reduced time with patients as result of short staffing.

Which is harder, ICU or ER nursing?

While the ICU might be slightly slower than an ER at times, a lot of nurses would argue that they are both very intense and require expert critical thinking skills. Both settings can see specific patients who have a variety of different illnesses, and both care for patients with life-threatening diseases.

Who do nurses mostly marry?

Female registered nurses are most likely to marry male managers or female registered nurses. Male registered nurses are most likely to marry female or male registered nurses. Nurse practitioners and midwives are most likely to marry miscellaneous managers, physicians and surgeons.

How long is a typical ER shift?

The number of days ER doctors work in a week can vary but typically falls between 3 to 5 days. Shifts often last 8 to 12 hours, and in some cases, particularly during staffing shortages or high patient volumes, shifts can extend even longer. Over a month, an ER doctor might work between 12 to 20 shifts.

What is code grey in a hospital?

In a hospital, a Code Grey (or Code Gray) usually signals a combative or violent person, meaning a patient, visitor, or staff member is aggressive or threatening, creating a safety risk, and requires a response from security and clinical staff to de-escalate and manage the situation. While definitions vary, it generally focuses on aggressive behavior from an unarmed individual, with security called to help resolve it safely, often using non-physical means.
 

What is code Adam in a hospital?

In a hospital, Code Adam (or sometimes Code Amber/Pink) signifies a missing or abducted child, triggering an immediate, coordinated search protocol by all staff to secure exits, check common hiding spots (like closets, restrooms), and locate the child quickly, named after Adam Walsh to prevent similar tragedies. This alert alerts everyone to stop, search, and look for the child, working to find them safely and reunite them with family, unlike Project ADAM, which is about preventing sudden cardiac death. 

What is code 99 in a hospital?

Code 99: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Team. Code 99 AED: Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest w/Automatic External Defibrillator. Code 99 PALS: Pediatric Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest.