[StarGirl]

Hi all,

At the end of this week I am starting a 96 hour preceptorship in the ICU and I am nervous like never before. I want to be on top of my skills and knowledge.....can anyone suggest some things that I NEED to know (or things that would be helpful) that I can study before I go into it. I am a senior BSN student with some clinical background but I have never been in the ICU. Any advice or recommendations are welcomed with open arms!

[montieICURN]

Stargirl, you are still a student, don't worry so much. You aren't expected to know already, you are expected to learn!! We expect students to want to learn, and ask a million questions, and look things up, seek out new experiences. "Can you let me put that foley in, or start that IV? What is that drip for? How do you titrate it?" Make sure your preceptor knows that you want to see any procedures taking palce in the unit. Offer to help the nurses change ETT holders, suction or turn their patients so that you become comfortable with the patients. Ask questions while helping!! That will give you a well rounded experience. Good luck in your preceptorship!! Hope you like critical care!!

[deeDawntee]

Wow! I am truly impressed by your enthusiasm! I would carry a note pad or paper in your pocket where you could jot things down that you wanted to look up later, or ask later. And, I would get one of those little ICU pocket guides, to have in your pocket, so that as you see things, perhaps you could make check marks or make little notes to remember what drips are running etc with which pathophysiology. The best way to learn (at least for me) is to see the drugs, or the therapies in action! (I've seen those little ICU pocket guides in Barnes and Noble, they are spiral bound on the top...quite useful..) They also have examples of heart rhythms and if you can actually see a fib or flutter on the monitor on one of your patients, you can make that connection as well. (or other rhythms too)
My biggest recommendation though, is to have fun. You ARE still a student and you can go in there and observe to your hearts content...
Very exciting!!!

[Burnt2]

Soak it all in, learn from mistakes (everyone makes them; while I was in my preceptorship I accidentally gave 5ml instead of 5mg of cardizem IVP during a code.....), and get involved; get your hands dirty.

lastly:
icufaqs.org

[jsteele99]

Ask questions and get involved, it drives me crazy when a student comes to our unit and just stands back and asks no questions. There is so much to learn in ICU. I was fortunate to tech in the unit prior to becoming a nurse and I had a few friends that took me under their wing and they still teach me so much.

Have fun in the ICU

[StarGirl]

Thanks SO much to all that replied! I plan on learning and asking as many questions as I possibly can...god bless my instructor in advance!

Thanks again.