Dont ever want to do critical care ... Afraid of it?

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jennycRN

71 Posts

I went to ICU after med surg because I was tired of the same old same old and wanted to learn how to take care of sicker patients. I like it but still find I am racing the clock and facing multiple interruptions. Have you thought about home care? I always thought that it might be a good change of pace one day--- focusing on one patient at a time.

mursinary

35 Posts

I was afraid of the unit as well when I first started, but I was excited and willing to learn as well.

If you don't want to be an ICU nurse, then I suggest that you don't do it. Why put yourself into another job that you won't like? It takes a certain mindset and passion to be an ICU nurse and you'd just be setting yourself up for failure if you don't want to be a unit nurse.

Look around at other possibilities, see what interests you and doesn't scare you.

Best of luck in your decision.

commonsense

442 Posts

Specializes in ICU.
I just finished my first year as an rn on a medsurg floor. I hate it of course. The next step for me is ICU I guess, but I really don't want to even go there because I am Scared of it. Did any of you feel this way before going into icu and love it now? I feel like it is my only choice... A way out of medsurg...plus gaining experience to go into all other things nursing (case mgmt, quality, administrative).

To be quite honest I'm petrified of MedSurg.

MidLifeRN2012

316 Posts

I am a new grad (May 2012) and am still looking for work. My dream job would be in the ICU. I did that in my final semester preceptorship and I loved it. Nobody wants new grads in the ICU in the Chicago area. How on earth did you all get in as new grads? I can't even get a med surg job I'm interviewing tomorrow for a skilled nursing facility with vent patients so maybe if I get it that experience will lead me to the ICU someday.

Do-over, ASN, RN

1,085 Posts

Specializes in CICU.

I did not get ICU as a new grad. I spent some time doing tele/step-down.

However, my place does hire new grads into ICU, but probably not more than one at a time. So, it is rare.

I suggest you shadow an ICU RN for a shift. See what goes on, what kind of things they do. I did that when I was ainMed-Surg and couldn't wait to make the move. You do a lot more, depending on the unit. The job itself requires a lot more critical thinking and just by the nature of the acuity level, you are afforded more autonomy. Don't get me wrong--my preceptorship was a nightmare and I went home crying almost every night. My first year I was nervous going into single shift. However, five years in and I feel like I can take care of any patient they throw at me.

Check it out first.

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