er to ICU

allnurses Guide · Apr 30, 2008

I would not ask so many clinical questions if the know you're new - I'd be asking more to make sure the same thing doesn't happen. What is the nurse/patient ratio, what sort of orientation program do you have, what sort of preceptor support will you get?

RN1980 · Apr 30, 2008

I'm a new grad with less than a year experience in ED. I'm finding that my employer does not provide the training that I feel I need to manage the more critical patient's in the ED. Right now I scrape by, by asking more experienced nurses to help me out when I'm in over my head, but the trouble is they have their own assignment too, and we all know that just one critical patient can suck up your time in a flash.
Anyway, I applied for and have an interview in an ICU for a large teaching hospital. I'm nervous about the type of questions they will ask because I'm trying to get into ICU for the training!
Should I expect to get questions about drips/medications? Or how to manage certain patients?
Do you think I should try to stick in out in the ED for a year and then transfer? I love my ED, like the staff, generally feel OK at work but the nights when I'm overwhelmed I'm REALLY overwhelmed and I keep thinking to myself, "get some critical care training, then go back to the ED".
Thoughts?[/quo i understand how you feel and where you are comming from, but you do realize that critical patients leave the er and goto the unit where they might remain for days and weeks, and while they are in the unit they may still remain critical or become what i refer to as "super critical". you stated you have less than a yrs training and you feel you are lacking in the critical management of a pt, well in what area? is it skill wise or having trouble with the critical thinking thats required of a nurse in a highly acute setting such as the er or the unit.

RNFELICITY · May 2, 2008

Well, I would say that being a new grad means that you have to get out there adn get the information that you need however you need to get it.

If you love your current job as much as it sounds like, talk to them about more education. Or/and go out there and find educational opportunities for yourself.

Some hospitals are really good about spoon feeding lots of education to their staff and others aren't. We, as nurses, have to take a very proactive stance on this issue and get the information however we need to whether it be paying for seminars or mingling with others on-line or on the job or maybe getting books and articles about the areas you are deficient.

Good luck with whatever you decide but be advised that if it is the critical patients that are causing you grief, that is exactly what you will be taking care of in the ICU.

FutureRN2005 · Jun 1, 2008

I am in the same situation. After graduating I worked about a year and a half in the ED, which I love most of the time. But I never quite feel comfortable with the critical patients. Thankfully we have a good team, and you always have help with those pts. But I still feel like unless I do some time in the ICU, I will not fully understand the how's and the whys with critical patients. I have decided to get some ICU experience and am going to work prn in the ED.

DaretoDreamRN · Jun 3, 2008

Been an ED nurse for two years and also just got a job in the ICU. I love my ED job. I just believe that in the ICU i will be able to fine tune the excellent skills i learnt in the ED and learn so much more, and ive always wanted to work in the ICU..you tend to see the progress of the patients:heartbeat. I will work in the ICU full time and take a PRN position in the ED. Im so excited ..I start in about 2 months.... :nurse: