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| No. 20 | 
Sep 24, 2006, 10:43 AM
 Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!!
What a good thread! Thank you all for your replies. I'm in a similar position to the OP, just applied for Neuro ICU/HDU job. I loved general ICU but was more than a little scared of the extra emotional charge so well described above, of the permanent disabilities of young people. I forgot to factor in the positive emotional charge of having someone get better!
I feel much more confident now. Will look forward to reading many more replies to this thread. Good luck OP!
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 21 |
Nov 30, 2006, 03:29 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!! Originally Posted by dorimar  Also, it is hard for me to understand what i perceive as callousness and a lack of compassion in the younger nurses in the field. I'm sure this is a necessarry trait one needs to develope to remain in the area, but no thank you. I would hope that I will always be disturbed by a kid who's life is forever ruined. I am shocked by the nurses who complain because the girl in the halo is so needy that it is interfering with their smoke breaks. I wonder what is wrong with me. And i know that i don't belong there. I just put in for my transfer to MS ICU and will be very happy to get back to CVVH, swans, rotorest beds,PC ventilation, and every pressor under the sun. Doris
wow. Such a NOT cool comment to make. Im a "younger" nurse and just bc i am new doesnt mean I lack compassion. What a sweeping, generalized statement! I have met far more older burnt out nurses who I perceive as callous and extremely uncompassionate. And furthermore, I would also be shocked if someone complained about a pt. being 'needy' but I don't see the connection between that and being a young nurse. I have worked in the neuro ICU for about 3.5 months and in that short time I have seen things that will bring you to your knees..its so sad but I love it! Its not for everybody. It takes a special kind of person to work neuro ICU, perhaps the kind of person who doesnt complain about a needy pt in a halo vest.
In my neuro ICU we have swans quite often, have ventillated pts and also use just about every pressor under the sun.
| | No. 22 |
Nov 30, 2006, 03:33 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!! Originally Posted by newyorknat I am a New Grad from NY and I have finished my hospitals brutal core course for critical care and have started Neuro for 3 days  )) after spending 5 weeks in a cardiac step down...i hated the cardiac stepdown...the chest tubes freaked me out...but i must say..i am fascinated by what a Neuro Assessment can provide (information wise). So far I love it!!! I cant wait to continue learning..and go in to work..since this post was written a while ago let us know how you are doing.
Take Care,
New York Nat
I HATE CARDIAC!!!!!!!!!! I agree with you. I worked for awhile on a cardiac step down and I hated hated hated it. I love neuro. I thing the brain is fascinating. I also love neuro exams, I feel like I really use my assessment skills. I love my job!
| | No. 23 |
Nov 30, 2006, 06:31 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!!
Hey Elk,
I haven't been on allnurses for awhile because i've been extremely busy between family, work, and school. However, your response to my post from several months ago just landed in my email box, and i felt I should respond. I did not mean to imply all young nurses were callous. I'm sorry, i know it did sound that way. The thing is, when i started nursing people went in to it because it was a calling. Today there are a lot more reasons to enter the profession. That's not to say many that enter today don't have a calling. There are a lot however, who lack compassion, adn from what i can see are only in it for the paycheck or flexibility, or whatever reason. I agree that neuro takes a special kind of person. After having children, seeing the devastation that happens to these kids breaks my heart. It is troubling for me to see nurses, young or old, roll thier eyes, sigh heavily, and complain when they have to help someone in such a vulnerable needy situation. If you haven't run across this yet, then you're lucky. Your unit is probably wonderful. I also wanted to add, that I still have a great deal of compassion after 20 years in the profession, and you were generalizing about older nurses just as i did about younger nurses. I am so thrilled to be back to MS ICU. Kudos the caring nurses who can to the job of neuro ICU!
| | No. 24 |
Dec 02, 2006, 09:29 AM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!! Originally Posted by dorimar Hey Elk,
I haven't been on allnurses for awhile because i've been extremely busy between family, work, and school. However, your response to my post from several months ago just landed in my email box, and i felt I should respond. I did not mean to imply all young nurses were callous. I'm sorry, i know it did sound that way. The thing is, when i started nursing people went in to it because it was a calling. Today there are a lot more reasons to enter the profession. That's not to say many that enter today don't have a calling. There are a lot however, who lack compassion, adn from what i can see are only in it for the paycheck or flexibility, or whatever reason. I agree that neuro takes a special kind of person. After having children, seeing the devastation that happens to these kids breaks my heart. It is troubling for me to see nurses, young or old, roll thier eyes, sigh heavily, and complain when they have to help someone in such a vulnerable needy situation. If you haven't run across this yet, then you're lucky. Your unit is probably wonderful. I also wanted to add, that I still have a great deal of compassion after 20 years in the profession, and you were generalizing about older nurses just as i did about younger nurses. I am so thrilled to be back to MS ICU. Kudos the caring nurses who can to the job of neuro ICU!
True, however, I didnt say that I thought all older nurses were less compassionate, I said that I had met quite a few burnt out older nurses. Im not generalizing, just responding to what I thought was an unfair generalazation. I dont think age has much to do with the lack of compassion, I just wanted to make the point that older nurses can lack compassion just as much as younger nurses. It disgusts me to see nurses young or old who say things like "well he deserves it, what did he think was going to happen if he kept smoking...etc" or "he/she is so needy, they are a pain"....young, old, doesnt matter, those types of nurses need to take a step back and reevaluate their behavior. Sometimes I feel like we, as new grads get labeled unfairly..ive heard so many times...new grads are reckless, they lack compassion, they dont know what they are doing, they are only in it for the money, immature, yada yada....Some new grads, yes, all? No. I just hate being clumped in with all those generalizations. Im sure you were speaking your mind related to your personal experiences and I dont doubt that you have seen many younger nurses that lack compassion just as I have seen many older nurses that lack compassion, but doesnt mean that age factors into that. Im glad you are able to keep that degree of compassion after 20 years, good for you:0) Too bad not everyone is like that, caring is such a big part of nursing. Oh and BTW I went into nursing bc I felt like it was a calling...not for the paycheck, all though it is nice.  | | No. 25 |
Dec 03, 2006, 04:51 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!! People go into nursing for the pay? Where do you lot work??!!
It's the worst paid professional job in England. Significantly lower than teachers, police, firefighters....
Not to mention the govt has decided we no longer need nurses  so people are losing their jobs for the first time in 15 years of short-staffing.
Maybe I'm in the right job, just in the wrong place !
Starting my new role in NICU in January - very exciting!
| | No. 26 |
Dec 03, 2006, 05:45 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!!
I know several English nurses that work in my hosp. There is a program that brings foreign nurses to the US. She says nursing in the US is quite diff. than in England. She says the pay here is much better and she has more opportunities.
| | No. 27 |
Dec 03, 2006, 10:26 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!!
My hospital went from having three ICUs (cardiac, neuro, general) to having 2 - combined surgical (cardiac/trauma) and medical (everything else). My specialty is cardiac, and I hated the traumas. I don't know anyone who LOVES both - you're either a head or a heart person in my experience!
| | No. 28 |
Dec 04, 2006, 02:25 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!!
The hospital I work at has 3 ICUs, CVICU, SICU, and CCU. The SICU and CCU get a combo of general things, but the SICU gets all the neuro and truama patients.
I work in the SICU and I really enjoy it most days. Like others have said, there is nothing better than being able to follow a patient from when they are admitted and so bad that you figure they will never survive to when they finally come out of their coma and eventually make a full recovery. It is the greatest feeling in the world to know that you played a role in their recovery.
What I don't like is that not all of your patients will make it, their families are very trying, and NEURO BREATH!!! lol
| | No. 29 |
Dec 05, 2006, 10:38 PM
Re: Neuro--tell me why you do/don't like it!! Originally Posted by hrtprncss Road trips.
I can tell you have worked in NICU!! I giggled when I read that
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