Overcrowding in the emergency department is a frequent topic in the news. This results in long waiting time and dissatisfaction among patients, but also involves medical risks for the individual patient. When a high workload occurs in the emergency apartment, staff members have to work harder, which leads to reactive behavior. To improve both patient safety and the working environment, staff members and management need to be flexible, patient-focused, and proactive. Being proactive means taking control and making things happen, anticipating and preventing problems, as well as seizing opportunities. Emergency nurses perform advanced nursing interventions, a prerequisite of which is proactive behavior based on practical nursing wisdom. Being proactive requires something beyond normal work performance. However, not all staff members have sufficient knowledge and experience. Identifying proactive interventions that everyone can perform would be valuable.