CCU Back to the Floor?

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Jun 6, 2007

I spent a year in an ICU, and transferred to a MS floor. I hated the ICU personalities, the stress, the shift I was on. My father was ill and then passed away, and I needed a change from the daily drama of the ICU drama queens, tattlers, crappy manager, etc. I am much happier on MS now, my patients are often awake, there is an interesting variety, etc.

So, it can be done. Many people will raise their eyebrows and think you are "lowering yourself", but you have to decide what's more important--their approval or your happiness.

If you are going to FNP school anyway, you will be seeing lower acuity people anyhow, so this might be good experience.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Oldiebutgoodie

VivaRN · Jun 14, 2007

I am also in school to be an FNP, did a year + in ICU, and recently transferred to a floor. I wanted more experience with HIV patients (which I'm getting!), but I am also seeing a lot more things we learned about in school. It is nice to interact with the patient vs. primarily the family and not have alarms going off every which-way. Everyone is so busy with their patients there seems to be less cat-fighting. After working ICU, very few situations are a true emergency and I am commended for my "composure." It is nice to have a less stressful job while in school.

Like you, I was also worried about changing areas, but you know what? It's not my goal (or yours) to be super-ICU nurse. I want to be an FNP and do primary care! Overall the floor is a wide exposure and good experience - do what you want to do to advance your goals. Where do you want to work after you graduate? See if you can get a job in that area

All the best!

hotomalis · Jun 19, 2007

Wow, I never thought about being a super-ICU nurse or anything like that. I always admire the floor nurses for being able to carry the load of patients they carry. Now, THAT'S A SUPER NURSE! not an ICU nurse. We are more stressed out and this is why (possibly) the short fuse with other people. Please forgive them for that, is just that we care differently for our patients, but not more than any other nurse.

I do have to say that "cat-fights" and "drama queens" occur in all or any unit, no matter where you go. It is more a "personality" thing than a "floor" thing. I went to a breast cancer support group that was the same way: in one you had the drama queen (a guy) and the other, I got incredible support. It depends where you go you will have (or not have) the bull crap.

In regards to changing floors, this is not a step down or up, I also have trouble with "their approval or your happiness." Know this: it is simply a move and you have to think which one is the most appropriate for your goals. Don't sell yourself short. You are a nurse, do you know how awesome it is to be able to make that statement? How uplifting? The prestige attached to it? No matter what you do, you are a nurse. Do what you think is best for you and your career. Don't let anyone make you feel any less because no one has that right, including yourself.

Good luck in your career. You already started the good move.

shastacicuRN · Jun 3, 2008

I also work in Critical Care and will be transfering to a Medical Unit, soon. I have been in Critical Care for almost 4 years. I also worked on a busy PCU for years.. I know some of my co-workers will think that I'm crazy to go to a Medical Unit. But I look forward to the less critical patients, even tho I will have more patients to care for.

I realized, and lived my dream of working in Critical Care and did just fine, but I also discovered, that I wasn't really suited to it and didn't really like the mental stress of critical care and what was involved (Codes and complicated lines and the physical stress of pulling sheaths, and not having enough help to turn heavy patients).

For almost 4 years, at the end of day, I would thank the Lord that most of my patients survived, and that I had also survived the day too!

So, I am ready for a different kind of adventure and have no regrets. I have been a nurse for 26 years.

anurseuk · Jun 4, 2008

Good luck; I personally could never go back and work on a ward. After I qualified I worked on an acute medical ward for about 10months and then went into ICU.

I am less stressed, have more time for patient care, feel I know more about illness in general, feel supported by my team, am glad of all the equipment and resources we have... i frequently found myself with 20patients on the ward with some patients who were critcally ill but because of age and other reasons were not for the intensive care unit...this was very challenging.

I find that in ICU the staff are all very driven like myself and keen to learn and progress.

I love my job now. At the end of the day it's not for everyone and you can always go back if you find the floor is not for you.

Good luck in what you decide:)

shastacicuRN · Jun 10, 2008

Yes, my director did say I could go back anytime. So we will see how it goes....Thanks....

Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2008

I personally feel fortunate to be in ICU for the less stressful environment from those poor souls on med-surg/tele. I've worked both areas, and feel my workload is much lower than my med-surg counterparts. That's just how it's worked out for me, your mileage will vary.

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2008

I'm in tele now, and the catty / witchy ness isn't going to go away just for going to tele or med surg, sorry to say; on day shift, it's rampant, and on night shift, we actively schedule around 2 nurses who backstab and talk about everybody they work with.

I'm going to ICU at the end of the quarter, once my orientation to ICU is over. Keep in mind, I'm in a small rural hospital, and I know I'm getting opportunities I wouldn't get in a major metro area. We get a lot of "ER miracles" on our floor -- people who were supposed to go to ICU, but ICU was full or didn't have staff, so *MIRACLE HAPPENS* you're suddenly stable enough to go to telemetry instead. I'd rather look after 2-3 really sick people in a place with appropriate monitoring rather than 2 really sick people along with 2 post chole's and 2 people having DT's and a couple of COPDers / CHF exacerbationers thrown into the mix. Our unit is EBV -- everything but Vent. And we won't take certain drips, but it's a short, short list. I've had cardizem, natrecor, primacor, dilantin pretty much everything but insulin or nitro drips.

Summitk2 · Jun 14, 2008

I imagine this will be good exposure to augment your FNP education.

It seems like there are more common moves out of the ICU... IR, cath lab, ER, flight nursing, other ICUs, etc. Did you consider any of these more "lateral" changes?

Good luck!

SWEnfermera · Jun 15, 2008

I agree with other posters; you have to do what is best for you. If being on the night shift is not working out then by all means, transfer to the unit that works best for you.

Just an FYI, this month Critical Care Nurse featured an article highlighting the healthiest work environments; Telemetry scored low both in morale and job satisfaction. Don't want to rain on your parade, but it's best to go into this with your eyes wide open.

Good Luck!

Clinical Units With the Healthiest Work Environments

Schmalenberg and Kramer Crit Care Nurse.2008; 28: 65-77

http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/cgi/reprint/28/3/65