Med surg to ICU

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 21, 2016

You're going to have to be a bit more specific. Are you looking for help in finding an ICU position? In acing the interview? In what to look for in a position? In the transition?

fourthtimesacharm, CRNA · Aug 25, 2016

I started in CCU as a new grad. Not something I necessarily recommend. It has been a tough, overwhelming 10 months. however it was what I wanted to do and I am very motivated to do well and learn. I ask questions. A LOT of questions. I was also in a residency program which helped. We have educators that help also. We just recently split the CCU/Single stay cardiac CCU into two units....a MICU and SICU. although I miss a lot of the peeps that went to the SICU, I really like being in the MICU and having a more definite group of pts to focus on. In my residency cohort there was one other new grad-the rest had either floor or ED experience. I think some of them had an easier transition than I did, but not by a bunch. I was also lucky to have a fantastic preceptor that was always there to help me think about the big picture. I still don't love it, I think that would take more years, but I am feeling somewhat more comfortable as the year mark comes closer.

MYSTICOOKIEBEAR · Aug 30, 2016

I started on a CVT Stepdown and wanted to quit every day for the first three months, got a hang of it, learned a lot in a short amount of time and felt like I learned everything that I could learn at about the year mark. It was at this time that I transferred down to our Cardiac/Transplant ICU.

Once again, I felt like I couldn't handle it and wanted to quit every day for the first three months or so, started to get the hang of it again and then really fell into stride at the year mark and got my first REALLY messed up patient who was a bleeding bivad straight from the OR. It was horrifying but an honor because they finally gave me the sickest patient on the unit in order to test my skills, and thankfully I passed with flying colors.

I would advise you to ask a lot of questions and ask to take very sick patients with your preceptor. I did this because I wanted to have someone with me to experience these really sick people and not have it for the first time when I was on my own. My preceptor jokingly "hated" me for doing that to him :roflmao: