Anyone have NPs in their ICU?

diprifan · Sep 19, 2011

We have an FNP that works with the primary team during the day (MICU). The SICU has some FNP's and ACNP on their trauma team. Our CICU, CVICU, and NSICU have some advanced level practitioners.

detroitdano · Sep 19, 2011

Nope, have never seen a one. I think our institution uses them mostly in consulting roles; gen surgery, palliative care, transplant and so on.

PMFB-RN, RN · Sep 19, 2011

Ya lots of them. Out of the 56 RNs who work in our ICU at least 8 and maybe 9 or 10 are NPs (not sure if some if them are NPs or CNS). The work as regular RN and get paid exactly the same as an RN with an associats degree. Most say they can't take the pay cut of going to an NP job.

We have an acute care NP who actually works as an NP on the PM shift. She is pretty handy and is good at her job. She also fills the residents roll during trauma activations. The day shift midlevel is a PA, no midlevel on NOCs or weekends.

RW23RN, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2011

We have NP's that work with the hospitalists. I wish Oklahoma would give NP's more latitude, because it seems like they run back to the hospitalist on anything and everything. But sometimes I can win over the NP who the doc will listen to and get what I want instead of talking to the doc directly. Just depends. I've considered NP too...thinking of dual role-ACNP/FNP. And then moving to the Northwest.

elkpark · Oct 8, 2011

I work in a large academic medical center, and our CCM service has plenty of NPs, and some PAs. As far as I've observed, they function the same as the residents (except they don't have to work nights and weekends ).

HazelLPN, LPN · Oct 8, 2011

Never worked with on in the MICU or the PICU, but there was always an NNP in the NICU. They were the ones who you hoped were covering your kids instead of the interns.

core0 · Oct 9, 2011

We have more than 70 PAs and NPs working in 8 ICUs in two hospitals. We are moving toward 24/7 coverage (have it most of the time in 5 ICUs). This is the way of the future (IMO) given the restrictions on resident work and the Leapfrog mandates. I think that it will be similar to our current ICU nursing model where new grads will mostly be offered night positions and then move to days as positions open up. There are a few FNPs but the great majority are ACNPs with a strong preference toward hiring ACNP or PA.

heynow1313 · Oct 10, 2011

I work in a teaching hospital. We have multiple NP's that are our go-to people. Could not exist without them. They serve the unit, unlike the residents who rotate. They know our patients and our patient population.

CCRNDiva, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2011

Our trauma services has recently hired an ACNP to round on all trauma patients admitted to the hospital. She just works days though. She responds to trauma admits (she has placed a couple of chest tubes already) on the day shift as well. She's pretty good and her progress notes and orders are very thorough. The trauma docs love having her on their team. Our cardiothoracic group uses PAs and our hospitalists just added a NP to their group but I've yet to see her round in the unit.

OBigdog26, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 15, 2011

We have FNP, ACNP, and PA's that are constantly in our unit. They usually work the same shifts RN's do. We have one midlevel for day and night shift. They are our go to person. Makes our jobs a lot easier and smoother on the unit having a midlevel around.

IheartICUnursing · Oct 23, 2011

I work in Medical ICU. We have 4 NPs on our ICU team- 2 day shift, 2 night shift. During the day we have 2 intensivists and 1 NP and they split up the patients fairly evenly amongst eachother. On nights there is always 1 intensivist and 1 NP. the NP covers all patients at night and you go to them 1st for any issues and then if needed they will wake up the intensivist. All of our NPs are ACNPs, and they are all amazing at what they do!