CCU vs ER

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I received an offer for both and I like both for different reasons. Would you choose cardiac ICU or ER and why? 

 

Lipoma said:

 I thoroughly enjoyed and flourished being in the ED and it definitely made me a better CCU nurse when I made the transition. I also enjoyed working with the plethora of devices in the CCU which allowed me to grow clinically as a nurse. Both experiences were great. That said, I preferred working in the ED over the CCU because I hated having the same patients day in and day out...I also hated the documentation and struggled the most with that.


This is key.  It all depends on what kind of day YOU would like to have.  Most CCU/ICU patients are there for a while so you'll get to have all of them at some point.  ED is fast paced and exciting but not for everyone who like things kind of predictable.  That's the key to your decision.

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Lipoma said:

When I got off orientation in the CCU, the ED called up for report and I legit only asked 3 questions: patient's orientation status, location of PIVs, and current medication/gtt rates... it took less than 30 seconds. My pod mate turned to me and said "that's it?" in which I replied, yup...I knew I was getting this patient the last 2 hours so I wrote down everything I wanted to know.

Nursing would be so much better if everyone would get off their high horse and just focus on the patient instead of having a pi$$ing contest.

^^^ main reason why I am a firm believer ED nurses should work a month long in the ICU, and nurses in the ICU should work a month long in the ED.

I so agree with this!!  I'm the same, I'm not interviewing the ED nurse, I can look up most of the deets myself.  What's the cc, are they oriented, what's running... I'm good after that...... Also I appreciated my ED nurses they always have the low on the family members!

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JKL33 said:


 


I like it! Though curious ED minds want to know: is the IV thing so people can know which side of the bed to have IV poles ready or ? wanting to know whether the location could become problematic or...something else? I could understand wanting to know type of access but the importance of the location of PIVs has always eluded me a bit   🙂

 

Yes that's exactly it, to get the room prepped and ready.  Also to make sure it's a good working IV for vasoactives and also to see if it's a field IV which we'll probably have to remove.  The other thing is we get travel ED nurses who put in 22's sometimes and so that's another reason we'll ask.. 

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Specializes in Telemetry, DD, Ortho, CCU, BHU.

ED all the way.  I like the quick transitions from one patient to the next . I also like the challenges that go with being an ED nurse.  You learn so much and become quickly cemented like a team if you're a regular floor staff.  The day seems to fly right by as well.

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