Help ! New grad in icu as a first rotation!!

[aussienewgrad]

Help !

I am a new grad RN who has just finished uni and I am doing a new graduate program in a large private hospital with my first rotation in a cardiothoracic ICU. I am into my 2nd week and it's starting to feel a bit too much ! I know that this is normal and everybody keeps telling me this, and It will start to 'make sense' after awhile but I still feel like maybe this is something above my knowledge and skill base.

At uni we did not spend very long on critical care nursing , and although I have had experence as an undergrad AIN for 2 years in a medical ward it is NOTHING like ICU!!

I am just starting to get used to the idea of even being able to give medications on my own, let along the idea of giving 4-5 extremely dangerous IV meds all at the same time through multiple lines and the need to titrate according to rapidly dropping and rising blood pressure once a patient has arrived back from a tripple bypass surgery, ventilated and sedated !

does anyone have an similar expereiences and advice ? I am thinking of asking my educator if I can swap with someone else working on a surgical ward instead..

[luvRNs, BSN, MSN, RN]

New grads in the ICU is a fairly recent trend born of the nursing shortage. This setting often can overwhelming to a new grad. There are two things you can do to protect yourself. One is to NEVER be afraid to ask questions when you are unsure how to proceed.

The second one is a little more difficult. If you truly feel like you are in over your head, seek re-assignment to an area more suited to you. There is NO failure to being pro-active in doing this. As a former CVCU manager, I had several new grads in this situation. Some couldn't sleep, and began exhibitng symptoms of acute stress.With one or two, I had to identify the options for them. With others, they identified the issue themselves. Importantly, MOST of them called me within 3 months of re-assignment or a new job elsewhere, and thanked me for helping to set them up for future success as they worked through this important new grad transition.

good luck in your decision, and in having the INSIGHT to question your 'fit' in the area