From CCU to MedSurg?

Specialties Med-Surg

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Anyone ever go from ICU/CCU to MedSurg? I have been working in cardiac ICU for about 2 years now, after starting off in Tele originally. I have been night shift the entire time and all though it doesn't sound long compared to how long others work night shift, I'm just not doing well on night shift. It's wearing on me and my mental health.

Anyway, I MAY have the opportunity to go to full-time days but in MedSurg. Any thoughts on this? I feel like it's worth it for my mental health. There's pretty much no opportunity in the close future for me to transition to days in CCU.

I would like to eventually go back to school for my CRNP so being days would be ideal for this as well and I honestly only have experience in Tele/CCU. So all I really know is the heart (and pulmonary). As for all the other stuff, forget it. So in some ways MedSurg could be beneficial in seeing a large variety of patients with so many different issues.

Any thoughts/stories/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

Is there any way you can pick up a few shifts there first? I'd hate for you to get there and hate it.

I recently transitioned from MedSurg to a med ICU, and there is really no difference in patient population, so in a way it was easier than what you are describing. I agree that you will see AND do everything in MedSurg! But again, maybe you can shadow or pick up a few shifts?

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Thanks, that's a good idea! I know they're both stressful and just not sure what to do at this point. Sure night shift is quiet (at times) in CCU. Other times it's absolutely non-stop. I also may have the opportunity to go to the float team as well, but it would be nights for now. I think this would also be a good opportunity because I would learn so many different areas of the hospital, see so many diff patient populations, etc.

I will ask about shadowing.

Thanks!

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I detested med-surg.

I would never voluntarily switch from critical care to med-surg and, while I empathize with the whole NOC thing, it's hard to picture that med-surg would enhance your mental health, especially with all the baggage that day shift brings along with it.

I'd really try to float for a bit before I made such a drastic change.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'd use caution in assuming working med-surg days will be good for your mental health. I also started in tele, went to ICU, and now float back to tele on occasion. If you haven't experienced med surg in a while you might be shocked at the change since you last practiced there, I'd try it out first without making a commitment.

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Dont do med-surg!!!

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what I've heard from several ICU RN's that either floated to MedSurge or went due to a short staffing crisis is that when you're used to 2 pts (even though they may be critically ill) that taking 7 med surge patients is the hardest thing they've ever done!

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Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.

I think you'll have a hard time going from CCU to M/S. No autonomy and often M/S nurses are treated like they don't know anything (I'm ICU now, but I started as M/S so I've seen this first hand). Chasing your tail with 5+ patients isn't worth it for going to days. Go and shadow, but I think it would be a rough transition.

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

I would never go from an ICU to a med/surg floor. You are going to have trouble not needing to know every little last minute detail on a med/surg patient as you do when you're only caring for 1-3 pt's in CCU. Because really, you don't have TIME to know all those details when you're caring for 5-8 pt's on a floor. And I certainly would never want to work days. But that's me. I'd rather work nights. I LOVE night shift but hey, I'm weird like that.

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

I went from PCU to ER. We would have a lot of MS overflow patients on PCU so some nights felt like I was working on a MS floor. I hated those nights. With that said, I would never go from PCU/ER to MS, unless of course I didn't have any other options. I encourage you to pick up a few shifts there before you make any decisions.

And I'm sorry, not bashing on day shift, and I have been working nights since I became a nurse (but I have worked some days here and there) but it seems like no matter where I go, day shifters are an unhappy bunch. No one helps each other on days because everyone is so busy. On nights it is totally different...we definitely believe in TEAM WORK. A fellow nurse with 20+ years of experience also pointed out the same thing, and she has worked in various hospitals and specialities. So yes, day shift is nice because you're working "normal people hours" and your circadian rhythm will be back on track but maybe you would end up being even more unhappy on days. Especially on a crazy MS floor with 6-8+ patients each with no team work.

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And I'm sorry, not bashing on day shift, and I have been working nights since I became a nurse (but I have worked some days here and there) but it seems like no matter where I go, day shifters are an unhappy bunch. No one helps each other on days because everyone is so busy. On nights it is totally different...we definitely believe in TEAM WORK. A fellow nurse with 20+ years of experience also pointed out the same thing, and she has worked in various hospitals and specialities. So yes, day shift is nice because you're working "normal people hours" and your circadian rhythm will be back on track but maybe you would end up being even more unhappy on days. Especially on a crazy MS floor with 6-8+ patients each with no team work.

I chose nights for this reason. When I was a PCA I worked nights and I noticed the sense of team work among the nurses. I'm not bashing day nurses but I think the limited resources on night shift require more collaborative care from the nursing staff. All my clinicals were on day shift and the med surg floor I worked was full of travel nurses who were not eager to Help each other out often the nurse I shadowed wouldn't get a lunch period shed be behind and no one would help her. I wasn't sure it if was days or that most the nurses being travelers didn't have any sense of investment in the floor, hospital or a "team" because they'd be moving on soon. I felt bad for the nurses I followed and worried as a new grad if I'd be able to cut it on a shift where you're very busy trying to get everything done with little help and not too mention the other departments coming and going. I'd often have to fit in my baths between PT who seemed to always have my patient when I needed to do something. so think day nurses have an additional challenge in that sense. trying to manage your day and get things done while other people are grabbing your patient and doing their various routines as well. I just looked at it as "is this the shift where I will struggle or grow as a new nurse" and I felt like days would be sink or swim.

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