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Discussion

Comparing ICUs

Hi! I'm applying for new grad RN position right now for cardiac surgical ICUs, but I am also being asked for my second choice. My priority for choosing a unit besides unit culture is opportunity to learn a lot. I don't know much about comparing the medical cardiac ICU, sicu, MICU, neuro ICU, and burn ICU. So, if you have opinions on what a good second choice would be, I would love to know!! Thank you so much!

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    I think SICU is a great choice. I spent my entire bedside career in a STICU and loved it! You get a lot of different type of surgical patients so it's not the same thing over and over again. You will get experience with a lot of drips and different vent modes. Also lots of experience with blood transfusions. You can't really go wrong with any surgical ICU. 

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    traumanightsRN said:

    I think SICU is a great choice. I spent my entire bedside career in a STICU and loved it! You get a lot of different type of surgical patients so it's not the same thing over and over again. You will get experience with a lot of drips and different vent modes. Also lots of experience with blood transfusions. You can't really go wrong with any surgical ICU. 

    Thank you so much! This is super helpful!

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    Cardiac medical ICU so you still see cardiac, I'm assuming that is a unit that doesn't do heart transplants or LVADs but probably has sicker cardiac pt like heart failure or sick waiting to get their CABG and are on drips, etc. That's a great unit. If you want a lot of learning MICU will probably see it all - neuro, AKI needing CRRT, liver, respiratory failure, sepsis, pt requiring pressors, vents, dialysis. SICU will be related to surgical procedures so you'll have drains like chest tubes, might still have drips. I'm not sure about the rest. It's always going to depend on hospital and how they run their units. But if cardiac surgical is your first choice and you love cardiac, I would go for cardiac medical surgical bc you'll probably still get some off service too to learn from.

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    I'm still deciding between CVICU vs CTICU and CCU, MICU vs Trauma ICU. 

    traumanightsRN said:

    I think SICU is a great choice. I spent my entire bedside career in a STICU and loved it! You get a lot of different type of surgical patients so it's not the same thing over and over again. You will get experience with a lot of drips and different vent modes. Also lots of experience with blood transfusions. You can't really go wrong with any surgical ICU. 

    What type of patients and surgical procedures do you usually see? Do you get patients from the PACU or straight from the OR? 

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