Best transition into ICU/CCU?

[nmpBSN]

Hi guys! I just passed my NCLEX and my dream job is to work in the ICU, preferrably CCU eventually. I have no prior ICU experience except minimal experience during my ICU clinical rotations during nursing school and I know it is harder for new grads with no experience to obtain a job in the ICU right out of nursing school. So I was wondering what would be the best area for me to work in to gain the experience and knowledge to eventually transition into ICU/CCU in a year or less, e.g. PCU or telemetry? Thanks!

[jordiRN]

A stepdown unit or a telemetry unit would both be beneficial...you'll learn a lot either place ?

[Biffbradford]

There is no cookie cutter route to the ICU. Learn as much as you can where you are now and learn more. Whats the hurry to get into the ICU? It's not all cake and ice cream there!

[delphine22]

It's not all cake and ice cream there!

Wait. . .what?? But I was told there would be punch and pie!

[iluvgusgus]

I started on M/S floor and got 15 months experience then went to ICU. I work at a large teaching hospital that hires new grads right into ICU. I still disagree that it is a good idea to do that for many reasons. Although I was eager to get into ICU, I am happy that I decided to get M/S experience first and perhaps shouldve waited longer before going to ICU. I learned A LOT in my first year of nursing such as time management, the hospital system itself, its charting system, its policies and procedures. I had time to build up my confidence with communicating with doctors. I couldnt even imagine doing all that where I am now, because there are days that tear my confidence all the way down. I kind of find it a little irritating when a new grad icu nurse gives me her " 2 cents" on things as if there are no gray areas in pt care, such as when I handed off a pt on a heparin gtt the other night. I have had tons of pts on heparin drips, and many of them were non-compliant with bleeding precautions and would go outside to the corner and smoke. What did we do about that? Write a note, CYA. This new grad nurse stops me as I am telling her the pt can ambulate to rest room with supervision and got up to the chair and yells " On a heparin drip!!!??" Yes.... she had PT 2 days so far, walks in the hall, she will live! I find that new grads are very hesitant to mobilize their pts because they treat them like a porcelain doll, when they may have floor orders, be stable, and are independent. I work with nurses who have 5, 10, 15 years experience in ICU,so my pitiful 2 years experience is nothing compared to that and in emergent situations, I feel honestly worthless as they are rushing in the room, pushing propofol while the anesthesiologist is intubating a pt and running a crash cart, etc. I had considered a tele unit, but I know nurses who said they did chest compressions everyday...sometimes in the hall, sometimes in the elevator. So I decided no to that.

[Mandy0728]

The hospitals in my area have an ICU residency program where you sign an 18 month contract and you undergo rigorous training in the ICU for about 6 months. We start out on a step down unit for 6 weeks then you move to your ICU where you were hired and get assigned to a nurse and work with them, then you move to nights and are by yourself

[dy3p]

Learn as much as you can and show your assertiveness to your senior managers. The transition doesnt happen overnight. It takes time and patience for you to be ready. It might not be cake and ice cream, but it'll sure be worth it. Goodluck!

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

The hospitals in my area have an ICU residency program where you sign an 18 month contract and you undergo rigorous training in the ICU for about 6 months. We start out on a step down unit for 6 weeks then you move to your ICU where you were hired and get assigned to a nurse and work with them, then you move to nights and are by yourself

Is this program for experienced nurses or just for new grads?

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

[Mandy0728]

PacoUSA, it's just for new grads!