Anyone disliked ICU?

RNbubu · Aug 7, 2017

I applied mostly because I feel stagnated in My current position. I am thinking of all the learning I will get in the ICU. and also about more doors possibly open if I have that experience in my resume.

Thank you everyone for your input!

Yorker · Aug 10, 2017

I had almost the same situation where I worked on tele on a day shift and moved to ICU and got a night shift. But this was my choice and I moved to ICU because I always wanted to work in critical care. Likeness to an unit depends on:

:What is the reason you want to move?

I wanted to work in ICU because I love knowing and assessing my patients in detail. I like taking care of them head to toe. I like critical thinking , inferring lab values, PH, looking at the scans and sitting with the family and talking to them.(that happens in some other specialties too).

But I know nurses who have left ICU for the following reasons

1."Its depressing"(termed by some people), because on tele you are sending people home, they are happy(most of time) , ICU you see more deaths and more terminal diagnosis, palliative care, calling the chaplain , family crying on your shoulders and much more.Some nurses were not able to handle the trauma.

2.Physical turmoil(its almost everywhere) , in ICU you are repositioning pts. much more often than on other floors. Most of the time they don't provide techs in ICU so the bed is your best friend.

3.Usually old and established ICUs have older and experienced nurses who have "been there done that ". I have always heard from other floors that ICU nurses have attitude, so sometimes its very hard for a new nurse to get "clicked", I know some nurses who have left because of this reason.

4."I will have only 2 patients", Yes some people move because the no. of patients is less. My fellow ICU nurses can vouch for that sometimes we had 2-3 nurses for one sick pt. Sometimes those two patients are more than 6-7 pts.

5.Critical care training. When I had to move to ICU , I had to take a critical care course . Many hospitals don't do that they just put them on orientation. Physicians rely a lot on ICU nurses and I you have to know what you are doing because you are dealing with the sickest of sickest. Some nurses felt like they were always catching up/couldn't keep up with(not their fault, lack of training).

nugspugsanddrugs · Dec 27, 2017

I worked on telly for a year before going to icu. I was amazed how much I didn't know and needed to learn to care for an icu patient. Be open to learning, I've seen that sometimes more experienced nurses who are also new to icu have the mentality (not saying you will) that "I've been a nurse for xyz years, I don't need to learn anything." ICU patients are a whole different ball game. They can't get any sicker.

I also went from days to nights, and honestly I hate working nights. You can always ask to switch when a day position becomes available. Some people love it and you won't know until you try, but it is very different from days. Although I love not having to wake up at 5 am, trying to maintain a normal sleep schedule on my days off doesn't happen without some benadryl.

CCU BSN RN · Jan 4, 2018

If you're happy where you are, and you don't have a strong desire to go the ICU, don't do it.

If you're not sure what you want to do, you should set up 1 or 2 shifts to shadow before you accept. Tell the manager you want to be 100% certain before you agree to move, because you don't want to waste her ICU's $$, time, or resources training you if it's not going to be the right fit and you're going to quit in 6 months. Shadow for the full 12 hour shift. Ask the nurses a lot of questions.

As others have said, ICU nursing requires a ridiculous knowledge base re: pharm, patho, procedures. I ask for textbooks from Santa every year and spend hours on my days off reading and looking for answers to questions that came up at work. You need to be motivated to keep up to date with several additional certifications (ACLS, IABP, ECMO, VAD, Impella, CVVH) depending on your ICU, which can involve yearly classes and online modules and tests in addition to all the regular competencies and such. It's overwhelming to me, and I love doing it. There's just so much to know and keep track of. I'd say if you're not 'all in', you're not going to be able to find the motivation to do all of this.

Finally, as others have said, remember that we need all kinds of nurses and that there are amazing nurses and crummy nurses in every patient care area/in every specialty. Think about what your strengths are, about what you love most about your job. Let us know what those things are for you, and we can probably help you make this decision a little better.

Pheebz777, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2018

Working ICU has its benefits. You learn a lot, you gain self confidence, and you become more marketable as a nurse. While you're there, get your CCRN, reap in the benefits (most hospitals have bonuses or pay differentials for the CCRN). Once you stuff yourself with critical care knowledge and experience, working any department becomes a piece of cake, even ER, the learning curve is pretty much a walk in the park. (this is my personal experience though)

allnurses Guide · Jan 26, 2018

Consider surgical ICU if you have med/surg experience. I hate medical ICU but love cardiothoracic surgical ICU. I much prefer 3 x 12's than 5x8 schedule, and like having days off during the week to get things done.

cov1dea, CNA · Aug 5, 2020

On 8/5/2017 at 8:11 PM, Emergent said:
In my opinion, it's important to be in the specialty that fits your personality. I found ICU to be claustrophobic. ER is better for a person who likes to turn on a dime, and has an attention deficit syndrome. That's the place for me!

LOL

Ms.White, BSN · Nov 22, 2020

On 12/27/2017 at 1:05 PM, nugspugsanddrugs said:

I worked on telly for a year before going to ICU. I was amazed how much I didn't know and needed to learn to care for an ICU patient. Be open to learning, I've seen that sometimes more experienced nurses who are also new to ICU have the mentality (not saying you will) that "I've been a nurse for xyz years, I don't need to learn anything." ICU patients are a whole different ball game. They can't get any sicker.

I also went from days to nights, and honestly I hate working nights. You can always ask to switch when a day position becomes available. Some people love it and you won't know until you try, but it is very different from days. Although I love not having to wake up at 5 am, trying to maintain a normal sleep schedule on my days off doesn't happen without some benadryl.

Hey was the one year on tele the time in residency or the year after residency? I am wondering if I can apply to an ICU after spending a year on a ICU stepdown?Most of the ICU residencies rejected me because I didn't do clinicals on that floor.

NurseBrittRN · Feb 6, 2021

I have only ever worked ICU but every single nurse on our unit that used to work tele says they love ICU and will never go back.

Nurse Pompom · Apr 12, 2021

On 8/5/2017 at 1:00 AM, RNbubu said:

I have just been offered a position in a medical ICU. I have worked for 3 years on a tele unit. For those of you who have worked in ICUs after working med-surg/tele: did you like it?

why I am hesitant: I will be giving up a day shift position with a set schedule for a night shift position with unpredictable schedule. 3 nights 7pm-7am but it could be any day of the week.

I feel it is time to make a move after working 3 years on my current position. So when I was approached about this position I thought it would be no harm in interviewing. But now that they have officially offered me the position I can't avoid the thought "what if I hate working in an ICU and gave up my good day shift schedule ..."

please tell me your experiences if you have worked in ICUs. Thank you!

I would not do it. I would wait for a 2nd or 1st shift position. I used to work nights in ICU, manager would have me one day, on one day off, one day on... the flip-flopping was crazy... like I'd be either working or sleeping with no time for myself. So, nope, don't do it (imo).