You know you're an ICU nurse when... - Page 2

-When you respond to a code on a regular floor and the pt is white and in rigor, you ask the nurse when was the last time he/she saw the patient and the answer is always an "hour ago". In your mind your rolling your eyes and saying "suuuuuuurrrre"

-When you come in see that both your pts are intubated and sedated, you know you have hit the jackpot.

-Best pt ever is the guy in a pentobarb coma with orders to crank up sedation/analgesia drips for high ICPs and lots of PRNs for mannitol, 3% Saline, and other goodies with standing orders spelling out exactly what needs to happen when **** hits the fan. Also strict orders for the pt not to be moved in the bed unless absolutely necessary.

-When the night surgery resident keeps asking what he/she needs to order

-Frustrated when the hospitialist thinks restraints for intubated pt is not necessary

-When you have one uber-critical pt who is circling the drain, you pull a portable computer into the room with a chair and chart in the room. Also on instinct you pull the crash cart outside the room because you just know any time the post-MVC is going to go into PEA or loose their BP.

-You dread a STAT CT at 0600 and when you have EKG changes you go ahead and draw morning labs early and tell the doc after their sent

-Visiting hours and rules that are not enforced drive you up the wall

when you can change diprivan tubing quick enough to keep the OD vented pt from waking up
when less than two empty lumens make you nervous
when you can smell a DKAer from outside your unit
when you see a sedated pt with a rectal tube, aline, central line, foley, OG to suction and think, this is going to be an easy night!!
when you hear a pt ring the call light you think, they aren't sick enough for the ICU!

..when you know that the weight-based pressors start with the letter 'D'...