NursingLink

The Demands and Rewards of an ER Nurse

BRICK — Annette Parker knew she wanted to be a nurse from the time she was a young girl in Jamaica.

Parker, 38, is a registered nurse working in the emergency department at Ocean Medical Center in Brick. She said she’s the first person in her family to go to college, but health care is in her family history — her mother also works in the medical profession as an aide.

“This was something I always wanted to do,” said Parker, who lives in Barnegat with her two children, Tiffany and Christopher. “When I was growing up, there was only one nurse in our entire neighborhood and (that nurse) took care of everyone.”

At the age of 13, Parker immigrated to the United States with her sisters and her mother, who came seeking better opportunities. She said the first cold New York winter was a surprise, but so was getting used to some of the cultural differences.

In particular, she said she was shocked at how American teenagers would talk back to their parents or other authority figures.

“In Jamaica, you could just not talk back to your elders,” she said.

Emergency room work can be difficult, Parker said, but also rewarding.

Nurses and doctors in that department treat people who often have serious, sometimes life-threatening injuries.

But she said that also means you can see your work having an immediate impact.

“I get to do what I love to do every day when I come to work,” Parker said. “It’s your job, and (patients) don’t have to thank you, but when they do, it feels very nice.”

Patty McLaughlin, nurse manager in the emergency department, said Parker’s enthusiasm is visible.

“Her patients love her. She’s very compassionate, very clinically competent,” she said.

Mary Ring, a patient representative at the hospital who also works frequently with Parker, said one of Parker’s strengths as a nurse is her interaction with patients.

Despite the hectic nature of emergency work, Ring said Parker maintains her composure no matter how busy the department is.

“We have been packed — packed — and Annette is still able to produce a smile and some personal interplay with her patients,” Ring said.

Parker is studying for a master’s degree at Rutgers University, a degree she said will open up more opportunities in the profession.

She said Black History Month is important as a time to think about the future, but also to reflect on the accomplishments of African Americans throughout history.

“It’s a time to look at what African Americans have contributed to society,” Parker said.

BIO IN BRIEF

AGE: 38

BORN: Jamaica

LIVES: Barnegat

OCCUPATION: Registered nurse, emergency department, Ocean Medical Center

EDUCATION: Associate degree, Borough of Manhattan Community College; bachelor’s degree, College of New Rochelle; pursuing master’s degree at Rutgers University

CHILDREN: Daughter, Tiffany, 15; Son, Christopher, 8

Courtesy of © 2008, YellowBrix, Inc.

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