The 'look' that people give you...

Specialties Burn

Published

I just recently got a job in a Burn ICU. When I tell people I got a new job, they ask what hospital, and then which unit. When I tell them Burn ICU, I get that 'look'. The one that just screams "omg, you're crazy!" or "better you than me." I get this from my current RN coworkers as well.

I can only guess that for many nurses, Burn ICU is not something for them. I'm actually looking forward to this experience. I know it will be tough, but I want to be the best nurse I can be.

-Kevin

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
If you like doing 3-4 hr full body dressing changes, leaving the room drenched in sweat, that's great. Double kudos if you enjoy spending all that time with people who burned themselves smoking crack.

Crack's been out for a while now. Stuck in the 1990s much? Making meth is what's hot right now, no pun intended.

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.

I start my capstone on BICU next month and I am SO EXCITED. I'm scared, too, because this is a huge responsibility but I guess my CI thinks I can do it or I wouldn't have gotten the assignment. The idea of burns doesn't bother me, although if I have to suction anyone I may lose it. How odd that I don't flinch at the thought of seeing or smelling burns but phlegm squicks me out.

Aside from being willing to administer astounding quantities of pain meds, does anyone have any sage advice? I know I'll be working with a lot of fluids, although I don't know if I'll be starting many IVs (pts come to the unit with them in place, I imagine). If we have ICU overflow I may get the chance, though. I hope.

I can't wait!

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

Don't be surprised if a BICU patient isn't what you imagined. Your 20% tbsa grandma with htn and diabetes is just as much at risk for the same complications that you'll see in your 80% tbsa young guys. If you're expecting wall-to-wall Bad Burns in the BICU, you'll be sadly mistaken.

Poop. Everyone needs to poop because they might get an ileus. If they get an ileus, you'll also be doing q4 enemas.

You will have to suction and developing good trach care skills is vital to being a good burn nurse. Bad burns with even moderate airway involvement will get trached for long-term treatment. If your ER is anything like ours, anyone with soot on their toes will also get intubated.

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.

Thanks. I figure if I see a few burns it'll be a lot. Sounds like it's more ICU/med-surg, which is totally fine by me.

I am hugely pro-poop, so that's not a problem. I'm a regular poop evangelist.

Today I realized that I use the snot sucker on my kids all the time and it doesn't bother me, so maybe I can do suctioning.

Scared and excited.

You must be working in a SW hospital somewhere!

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
Thanks. I figure if I see a few burns it'll be a lot. Sounds like it's more ICU/med-surg, which is totally fine by me.

lol, you could possible be going to my unit then. Mixed bed unit at a large teaching hospital in the midwest? ;)

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.

Or me, pretty much the same?

I would kiss the ground those nurses walk on...that is how much respect I have for them.

Amen to that

I believe you are mistaking a positive for a negative. I takes a special person to work with burn patients, people in terrible pain whose lives have been changed forever. I worked PICU for 2 years and it just about killed me...I wasn't strong enough.

Kudos to you for working with this population of patients.

Lynn

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