advice sought: preparing for new grad RN position Cardiac step-down

[towerofpower]

Greetings,

I really appreciate the practical advice and time that those of you out there take to lend a hand to others of us.

Just accepted a job offer for new grad RN program in a cardiac step-down unit (world-renowned teaching hospital) that will begin in August. I'm graduating in June and taking the NCLEX in July.

Any advice/tips on how I can best prepare myself for what I expect to be a very challenging new position?

thanks so much in advance...

[freegirl]

Congrats!! Just wondering what hospital that is

[towerofpower]

awww, no advice? well, nice of you to reply anyway. I'm very nervous about it. UCLA.

[freegirl]

Sorry, no advice as I need one myself. I'm in the same position as you. I graduate in May, got offered a job in medical step down unit in a teaching hospital, another job in the MICU/CCU in another moderate hospital and a med/surg position in another big hospital closer to me. So, am mulling over all of my current options including waiting to see if more offers will come in.

[freegirl]

However, did an externship on a CCU. As far as I can remember. It was more about patients with chest pain, MI, ventricular and atrial dysrhythmias, CABGs, valve replacements and a couple with aneurysms. Majority of the patients always came with the usual hypertensive and diabetic complications. It was in the CCU that I actually

[freegirl]

However, did an externship on a CCU. As far as I can remember. It was more about patients with chest pain, MI, ventricular and atrial dysrhythmias, CABGs, valve replacements and a couple with aneurysms. Majority of the patients always came in with the usual hypertensive and diabetic complications. It was in the CCU that I stood helplessly watching patients with DNR go through the cycle of Vfib into Asystole. One minute, they are breathing and the next minute, its just an empty body in front of you.

There were also a lot of codes going off and patients being resucitated.

Overall, the cardiac exp. desensitized me to death and dying. I still don't know if that's a good thing or bad

[towerofpower]

congrats on your job offers!

i took the acls training and found that helpful. i may go ahead and take the pre-hospital trauma course but it's expensive.

i personally feel that i don't ever want to become desensitized to death if it in anyway lessens my humanity and caring for the dignity of a human soul. even if we're not saving a life there is still a lot that we can do in attending to a patient as they transition, if even just our witness, touch, or presence.