A&E Nurse Job Description

If you thrive under pressure and want to help provide immediate care to seriously ill or unstable patients, an A&E Nurse position with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde could be the ideal role for you. Every day is different, and you’ll get the satisfaction of helping many patients recover from serious illnesses and accidents. Plus, Medacs has lots of temporary positions, giving you complete flexibility on where and when you work.

What do A&E Nurses do?

Along with A&E Doctors, you’ll generally be the first point of contact for seriously ill or injured patients. It’s a fast-paced, high-pressure environment that requires you to think and act quickly to deliver the best possible care. Every day is likely to be very different, as you care for patients experiencing everything from heart attacks and strokes to broken bones or multiple injuries from traumatic events like car crashes.

Typically, A&E Nurses work in hospital emergency departments. They are part of the clinical team who help to stabilise patients who need a longer stay, or give patients the treatment they need to return home on the same day.

A&E Nurses have a number of key responsibilities, including:

• Taking over patient care from paramedics
• Carrying out patient examinations to gain quick information about their conditions
• Referring patients to the right departments
• Taking basic observations, including pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation
• Ensuring patients are comfortable
• Writing detailed patient notes
• Delivering news to patients’ loved ones
• Giving medications prescribed by doctors and applying dressings or topical medicine

You’ll work with lots of different clinical and non-clinical staff, including:

• Doctors
• Paediatricians
• Consultants
• A&E reception staff
• Specialists such as nephrologists, cardiologists, orthopaedics, toxicologists and oncologists

What qualifications and experience do A&E Nurses need?

To work as an A&E Nurse registered with Medacs, you’ll need to:

• Have completed a nursing degree or equivalent apprenticeship
• Be a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
• Have six months of relevant UK experience within the last three years
• Pass an enhanced background check

In addition to your qualifications, you’ll need key skills like:

• Staying calm under pressure
• Emotional resilience and empathy
• Strong knowledge of emergency procedures like resuscitation, taking blood and giving pain relief
• Great communication
• Strong computer skills
• Ability to make quick, considered decisions
• Great time management and multitasking ability
• Strong teamwork and the ability to work independently

Your next steps

Whether you’re looking for short-term additional shifts or temporary roles, registering with Medacs will give you access to a wide range of A&E Nurse jobs at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. You’ll enjoy lots of benefits, including support with revalidation, next-day payroll and access to our dedicated support services, Care4Carers.