Baby RN's running ICU?!!

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My particular unit has had such a huge turn over even in the last year that it is now mostly staffed with new grads on my shift (night shift). Baby, baby nurses are being thrust out and literally learning thru the trial by fire method. I have nothing against new grads in ICU, as I started out the same, but so many at once?? It scares me to death because it's a high acuity unit (level 1 trauma & teaching center) and it's the blind leading the blind! I've got 5 years ICU under my belt so I'm considered the seasoned one, but the thought of leading a unit full of babies freaks me out. It's a huge safety issue!

Are you guys having the same problems & concerns??

I must disagree with you . I was a BSN prepared nurse hired along with a hospital diploma prepared nurse right out of school in the trauma SICU. Our skill sets were very even and I was chosen to be charge nurse right after I passed boards which was two months after taking them back in the day. The old chestnut that BSN graduates are know nothings is false.

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There is nothing new about this situation. RELAX Several teaching hospitals mine included were run by nurses and doctors under the age of 25 especially on the night shift. We were smart, devoted, did our jobs , and the patients survived.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I must disagree with you . I was a BSN prepared nurse hired along with a hospital diploma prepared nurse right out of school in the trauma SICU. Our skill sets were very even and I was chosen to be charge nurse right after I passed boards which was two months after taking them back in the day. The old chestnut that BSN graduates are know nothings is false.

I'm not sure how far "back in the day" you graduated, but "that old chestnut" was VERY true when I took my brand new and shiny BSN to work in a hospital that graduated it's own diploma students. I knew absolutely nothing next to the diploma graduates who had trained to work at that very hospital. But of course, I'm sure you're much smarter and better educated than me.

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Ruby Vee- I am glad to hear your hospital has a good orientation. I started in the operating room and my orientation was horrible and then I went to the icu. I got a much better orientation but things are still lacking. I do think some high turn over has to do with orientation and the support new nurses receive during the bringing months of their career. I have also heard of many other hospitals that have poor orientations. I do agree that many new nurses take the first job they are offered and leave when the Job they want opens up, but that is not always the case. Some really leave because of the lack of support on the unit, poor orientation, and others staff treating the newbie poorly.

My opinion

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Specializes in OB, Women’s health, Educator, Leadership.

However, had to show the "charge" how to hang blood (her first time), & troubleshoot a few minor issues for them because they simply DO NOT KNOW.

:eek::bored::no:

Same here. And you get no respect as a senior nurse even as you put your license on the line because you are looking over the newbie charge nurse. There used to be standards as to when someone was safe to step into certain roles but not any longer.

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I'm not sure how far "back in the day" you graduated, but "that old chestnut" was VERY true when I took my brand new and shiny BSN to work in a hospital that graduated it's own diploma students. I knew absolutely nothing next to the diploma graduates who had trained to work at that very hospital.

Ruby Vee, I have been told that by many, many BSN grads, especially those who graduated 20+ years ago. They said that the "diploma girls" ran rings around them for quite some time. We have an excellent diploma school in our city. I am glad that I have a BSN. But I have pointed out to people that the diploma school has the best NCLEX pass rate, hands down, of all the nursing schools in the area. I work with a couple of their grads.

My own comment is on nurses eating their young. In orienting to ICU, I found that the most senior, most experienced nurses were willing to help with even minor inquiries. Sometimes I was only looking for confirmation that I was doing the right thing. The eye rolling and sighs came from nurses with more than two but less than about ten years of experience.

The first time I gave D50 for a critical blood sugar, I said to another nurse, "I've never given D50 before." She shrugged and said, "Well, you just get it out of the pyxis and give it." I pulled it and I stuck my head into a room where I knew there was another nurse with 30 years of ICU experience. I said, "I have to give my new admit D50 and I've never given it before." Her response was, "I'll be right there." I assembled the syringe as she watched and she commented about how to decide which IV line would be best to give it through. She talked about how fast to push it and what sort of response I should expect. She also reminded me how to find the hypoglycemia protocol in Epic. All of that took just a few minutes. I am sure I could have managed it on my own, but I appreciated her guidance, her judgement, and her perspective. It wasn't just about the moment but about bringing things together to fill out the bigger picture, which affected my patient management over the next few hours. That is the kind of support a new practitioner wants.

I definitely have a thick skin and it doesn't bother me if one of the 29 year olds who has worked there for 7 years blows me off. I will just ask somebody else. (One of the older nurses said to me later that she would rather have someone like me, who asked stuff, than someone who didn't ask.) I know however that some of the newbies will feel like there are certain people who it isn't safe to ask. That's disappointing because part of learning ICU is learning teamwork.

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Well... They didn't even have Pyxis back when I started in the SICU... And some of my best mentors way...back had 30 years of experience in the unit. They only hired 2 of us newbies (babies)...the rest were super experienced. I don't use the word seasoned , it sounds like a steak!

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Also, just for clarification " Ruby Vee" , my BSN program replaced the diploma program at our university hospital. I had the bonus of rotating through all the units and the experience of working "charge" on several of them while in school. The diploma graduate hired with me was from a hospital across town. I truly believe every nurse wishes for more experience on their first job. I know I did.

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Thank you icuRNmaggie for bringing up the issue on the terms "baby" and "seasoned", I too find them highly offensive. I guess I would be considered this "baby" nurse, as I am a new grad that started in the ICU in September. I don't think it's fair to assume "baby" nurses are so incompetent . For one we aren't babies, we are men and women highly educated with a bachelors degree. My hospital also puts both "baby" and "seasoned" RNs through a critical care fellowship whether they are transferring from the floor or a brand new grad. The trend I saw honestly was that the new RNs in my fellowship shined beyond the "seasoned" RNs coming from a different floor, due to their motivation and clean slate available for learning. It's your units management that does the hiring and organizing of staff, have some faith that they know what they are doing, and also have some faith in your new RNs. The whole "Nurses eat their prey" attitude and stereotype is becoming real old. We are all coworkers and sisters of the same profession trying to achieve the same purpose and performing Gods work.

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Specializes in ER.

When I was introduced to the term "baby" nurse it was to communicate the extra care and patience they deserve as they learn about their new profession. But if people want to be offended I suppose they'll find a way no matter what term is used.

In our ER we hire new grads, but in "the City" they don't. So we get a new group of 6 or so every year, they get their certifications and their orientation, and 80% quit and go to the City. Then the old hags like me start again. Constant orientation without getting any benefit from it gets old. We produce some amazing and knowledgeable ER nurses, and just as they start to get good, they leave.

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Specializes in MICU.

Once again, I wasn't intending to offend anyone using the terms "baby" or "seasoned" nurses. I was just curious if other units were having the same issues with staffing. I enjoy teaching new grad nurses because 5 years ago I started out in the ICU as well. If they're willing to learn, I'm more than happy to share my experiences. Case and point... this weekend one of my coworkers in the same pod was a new grad. His pt was initially ok, but starting to decline.. I don't know all of the specifics, but I saw that he was busy so I asked if he needed help and to just let me know if he needed anything (my list was pretty chill). The pt was tachycardic and hypotensive on a levo gtt, so I gave some suggestions (to ask MD for). They ended adding vaso gtt to try to get the levo down to help the HR (150s) and either doubled or quad strengthed the levo gtt (HD pt as well). The RN changed the bag without switching the tubing and the pt's BP bottomed out and he couldn't figure out why. I offered help as soon as I saw the BP, and after I walked into the room and quickly assessed the pt I figured out the pt had gone into PEA. This pt was DNR so we didn't code, but I feel like the outcome may of been hastened by the lack of knowledge. Everybody has to learn... I get that, but when you don't know what you don't know.... what happens to patient safety? The experienced RNs can't always be there every single minute.

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Specializes in Rehabilitation,Critical Care.

Give new nurses chances to experience nursing

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