I am a new graduate nurse whose ultimate goal is to go into critical care nursing. Currently, I have only my RN licensure and will be continuing to take classes for the next 18 months to finish my BSN, and am looking for some guidance on what you guys have seen best prepare nurses to *eventually* be successful and competent ICU nurses!
I feel lucky that I have had quite a few job offers despite being a new grad, but most hospitals here in MN will only hire BSNs, so I wasn't able to get a med-surg position that had any regularity in schedule (float, on call, flexible hours) that just wouldn't work with me still being a student. I know no one can tell me what I 'should' do without having a crystal ball, but these are the two very different offers I am considering, and would love your input on what you seasoned CCNs think would be the most beneficial:
1. A position where I would be working at a skilled nursing long-term care facility, with an overwhelming resident population suffering from dementia from August until February, cross train me in their TCU, and then move me to have my own "wing" at a brand new TCU facility literally connected to the hospital I would eventually like to work at. I feel getting my foot in the door with the company is a smart move, but the position would be considerably more stressful, and I am having a hard time swallowing the time spent in LTC, since my passion is more "medical" than "nurturing" if that makes sense?
2. A position at an ambulatory surgery center (ophthalmology, so nothing to extreme- lots of cataracts!) doing pre-op, post-op, IVs, conscious sedation, and the possibility to work a circulating nurse role. This position pays a LOT more than the LTC/TCU position, but is not affiliated with any hospital systems, and would probably not give me the same scope of "direct patient care" experience the other position would as it is an ambulatory clinic.
THANK YOU in advance for any insights or recommendations on what paths you have seen others (or yourselves) take to get into critical care and be awesome at it. I appreciate any thoughts!!
The dementia wing in LTC would be Hades on earth for any nurse, let alone a new grad. Fail to see what skills you would obtain that would make you more desirable in critical care.
IV's, administration of conscious sedation, and monitoring and teaching those patients.. will be very valuable in critical care. " This position pays a LOT more". Good! Money is the reason we all work.
Speaking of Hades on Earth... stay away from the MAYO.
Just spent the last week and a half there and you could not have been more right about this. Although I have tremendous respect for nurses who are able to remain compassionate and maintain high-quality care in such a setting, I didn't see a lot of either of those things going on in the facility I was hired at. Additionally, the job only really entails a ridiculous amount of med passes and calming agitated residents, neither of which help my critical thinking or assessment skills that I would like to hone for a future in acute and eventually critical care. Thanks for the advice!
burk0282
7 Posts
Just spent the last week and a half there and you could not have been more right about this. Although I have tremendous respect for nurses who are able to remain compassionate and maintain high-quality care in such a setting, I didn't see a lot of either of those things going on in the facility I was hired at. Additionally, the job only really entails a ridiculous amount of med passes and calming agitated residents, neither of which help my critical thinking or assessment skills that I would like to hone for a future in acute and eventually critical care. Thanks for the advice!