[Umdsn]

Hi everyone, I will be graduating in August and am interested in ICU.

[Christie RN2006]

Have you done any rotations in the ICU? What interests you in the ICU and what type of ICU would you like to work in.... just ICU is a very broad.

[Hind12]

I will be graduating in <6mo and I'm also interested in ICU. I am currently working as an paid extern in an MSICU and will have a year of that by the time I quit.

I have noticed looking at ICU jobs they require much more than I have to offer. I am curious how to get 2-3yrs ICU experience when I cant get in the ICU in the first place.

-Will hospitals hire newgrads into ICU?
-Does the 1yr in MSICU count for anything if its not experience as an RN?

Thanks

[Christie RN2006]

I hired right into the ICU after graduation. I had a little bit of experience because I worked in home health for several years during high school and college. Working as an aide, extern is still not nursing experience, but it is experience.

You receive a lot of on the job training. I had to attend several different classes (telemetry, ACLS, critical care, etc) My orientation was about 4 months long and I learned so much during that time!! I have been working in the ICU for 8 months now, and there is still so much more to learn!

[srna2008]

If you want to start in ICU, look for hospitals that have an ICU internship for graduate nurses. Mine lasted several months where I worked with my preceptor. I worked as a tech in the SICU all during nursing school and gained much experience and confidence. Working in ICU as a tech made the transition to nursing much easier for me.

[Cat84]

I also went from school to MICU. I graduated in December, but actually got my job in September before I graduated. I would suggest making a list of questions (length of preceptorship, which classes they offer to you, what kind of ICU pt. they usually get, etc.) and start doing leg work. I called 15+ hospitals before finding one I felt comfortable with, and that would let me go ICU from school.

[Pompom]

Do yourself a favor and work at least 6 months on a med surg floor. You will need to gain the experience, become familiar with the facility, learn the doctors, labs, etc. before you take on the added stress of ICU nursing. I do realize that many ICU's hire new grads, I precept many of them but I still believe the better nurses have a few months of experience under their belts.

[SICU Queen]

I disagree.

By working on a MedSurg floor for six months, you get... 6 months of Med-Surg experience! In and of itself that is great, but it doesn't do much to teach you about ICU nursing! On Med-Surg you care for less acute patients, and learn to prioritize differently. When you do get to ICU you'll have a whole new skill set to learn.

If ICU is what you want to do, then go there out of school. It will be tough trying to learn how to organize, prioritize, and absorb the massive amount of information that you need to know, but if you're determined and open to learning, then you can do it.

[Cat84]

SICU queen, I started not to long ago and the nurses I work with said the same thing. They said the grads who go straight to ICU typically do the same or better. They said they are constantly "unteaching" things that work for med surg but not ICU. I don't know. I went straight to ICU and am satisfied with my choice. I do not feel "behind" or like I have to catch up to people with similar time on the unit.

[deeDawntee]

When I started working ICU there were 2 new grads who were hired about 3 months after I started. They both have done a great job. They received extended preceptorships and have been eased in purposely with the more stable ICU pts (when at all possible). The difficulty for them has been how "mean" some of the other ICU nurses have been to them, especially the next shift (their words). I believe it, because even as an experienced nurse there were some nurses that treated those of us who weren't new grads but new to the ICU as "beneath them". I have been able to let it roll off my back because I know there will always be that type of person, but for the new grads it was exceptionally difficult. It really angers me, because there are very bright new grads out there who already know they want to work ICU and there is no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to and be empowered to succeed.

So, if you know that is what you want, go for it, but be ready for some passive-aggressive types who will make it as hard for you as they possibly can. I really think it makes them feel less "important" or something. (Talk about "eating our young".)

Good luck and don't let the turkeys get you down!!!