My name is Lauren. I graduated this past December and just completed my ICU internship this month. We were precepted for 16 weeks, and were on our own for the last weeks with a preceptor or resource nurse close at hand.
Going into it (way back in January, lol) was exciting and scary and...well mostly just scary. I hated my nursing clinicals in school!! They were so awkward, and I was afraid it was always going to be that way, wondered if nursing was what I really wanted. For those of you who actually enjoyed that torture, you're going to love what's to come. I do.
The facility I work at had a great internship program in my opinion. While it was a scheduled 16 weeks with the preceptor, if you felt you weren't ready to be on your own, they let you continue at your own pace. All 3 of us ICU interns felt ready at 16 weeks, and none of us have had nervous breakdowns or killed / injured / maimed anyone yet. We were warned in the beginning about the days and weeks that we would feel inadequate, afraid to go to work, etc. That period happened for me at about week 19 (the 3rd week on my own) and I started questioning my choice of units to work in. I was convinced that working at a dr's office might be the best place, lol. At least a little less stressful than the ICU. My biggest fear was having my pt code on me and not knowing what to do. We have been taught what to do, many times. But until I've seen it, done it, and done a few more times, I will not be ready. I have yet to have a patient code on me and have only participated in 3 codes of other RN's pts.
Anywho, I'm on an "I feel really good about ICU" kick right now. Even signed up for overtime these past couple of weeks. Check out
http://www.icufaqs.org Look at it now, and go back to it after a few months worth of pt experiences. I didn't know about this site until a week ago, but I have spent hours reading through it and relating it to pts I have had and currently have (a 36 y/o woman with seriously advanced TB / sepsis, necrotic bowel, and sick sinus syndrome! Argh!)
Anyway...I just wanted to share some of my feelings about being the newbie - from a newbie with recent newbie experience, although... The new nurse interns just started this week and now I am not the newest nurse anymore. It feels kinda good. Heh.
Remember two things:
1)
http://www.icufaqs.org
2) Nothing you do to your pt is going to hurt him/her...except MEDICATIONS. No matter how much you give it or how unscary it seems (ie Pepcid = unscary and heart meds = scary), always double check your dosing/routes/infusion rates/compatibilities/allergies. Seriously, even the nurses who have been there years get this wrong, so I always just use my drug book or CALL the PHARMACIST. And check your MARS!!
Good luck everyone!!
~Lauren
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I can't wait for the whole month to be over with 
I am working in a LTC facility that I've worked at for four years as a CNA and an LPN and currently as a GN. I plan to apply at a couple hospitals nearby, but I'm waiting until August to do so. 
