New Grad starting off in ICU

love The ICU Book by Marino, mentioned earlier in the thread. It is comprehesive and easy to understand, nicely formatted. I wish I had it during med surg I for some systems (alpha/beta, hemodynamic, ABGs) and really happy to have the going into m/s II, and for preceptorship in MICU. Any other texts y'all love that speak to us "newbies".

BSN and im in Charlottesville, VA working in the surgical trauma burn ICU @ UVA..awesome. day 1 i got to do leech therapy on a pt's ear that got bit off by a dog! so fun. all i did was my externship during my last 3 mo. of nursing school in the STICU in charleston, nothing more. mine is a new grad residency and they demand we do the AACN...and they teach us and pay for it.

I graduated from a BSN program and live in Pennsylvania.

Wow, I swear I saw "where" the first time -- I am applying in Spring for my ADN.

With all the feedback from different threads, including this one, as well as reading a bunch, I think I should wait and concentrate on school like I have been doing, stick with my at-home job that lets me study. Just thinking about studying for the CNA test as well as doing CPR/BLS over the next few weeks had my brain spinning! I am back to studying my upcoming chapters for next semester and always time for "fun" ICU sticky's (http:/icufaqs.org is very neat with a sense of humor).

Thanks again for the responses and not asking me what the heck I'm talking about--I was way out there.

I've been a tele nurse for one year, but will start in the unit one month from today (August 24th)! I just wanted to chime in that I am excited hehe.

Woohoo! Congrats!

Hey There!

I too am a new grad in the ICU! I graduated May 9th and passed NCLEX on June 17th! I have been working as an RN (without any kind of critical care intership or graduate nurse experience) in the ICU at a Cincinnati hospital. I was bummed at first that I was not going to be assigned to one preceptor for my orientation but was instead going to be bumped around from nurse to nurse. I was concerned about this at first because I wanted to be able to form a relationship with my preceptor. A month into this new career, I am so happy I am being bounced around! I have been able to form bonds with so many different nurses and see so many different organizational methods! But any way...

I have a book that I wouldn't go ANYWHERE without... Its called Diseases and Disorders: A Nursing Therapeutics Manual I LOVE THIS BOOK! It is so nice because it goes through all different diseases (and disorders ) covering demographics, assessment findings, diagnostic tests, medications, modes of treatment, interdisciplinary therapy, what to chart and even discharge planning/education! This book stays in my locker and is used all the time. I have found it has given me more confidence as a new grad in the ICU with a good reference book that I can always turn to!

I don't think it's a "new grad" vs "experienced non-ICU RN" type of thing. I'd hope that any nurse transitioning to the ICU would be hungry/driven enough for knowledge to spend the time needed to get & stay "on top of their game."

I'll be applying to my employer's ICU following my New Grad Residency in a couple weeks, and hope to get in.

I was reading Marino's The ICU Book for fun & interest when I was in nursing school, doing my role transition in a Level I SICU. Even as a paramedic for ~17 years, I always wanted to know WHY we did things a certain way in our standing orders.

I see it as a matter of how dedicated you are to being the best possible paramedic, OB or Peds or ER or ICU or {fill in the blank} nurse you can be. While I won't be cramming 87 hours a day, every day, I don't plan to do just enough to get by. Studying at home is all part of the process (in my humble opinion).

I am pretty excited for my preceptorship in the MICU (level 1 trauma center)
in Oct, what should I expect? I am taking ACLS and boning up on pathophys. Any suggestions?