is CRNA depressing like ICU?

[sweetcindylou51]

Hi there,

I have worked in a major medical ICU for a few years now, and I find this work to be very depressing. The chronically ill patients, the patients who have little to no quality of life but family refuses to let go. These things, plus my general dislike of code browns, cleaning patients, turning q2h, all the little things that nurses are responsible for... have turned me off from medicine in general. But I wonder if this is because the ICU is such a depressing place, and maybe I would like anesthesia? Is working as a CRNA less depressing than working as an ICU nurse, I guess mostly in term of patient population?

I really don't enjoy being a direct caregiver. I think I would enjoy more being the brains behind the care, i.e. like a doctor understanding the physiology, pharmacology, etc etc to care for patients but less hands on interaction. I enjoy learning and knowledge, not so much interacting with patients. I know this may not be the right profession for me, which is why I am looking to hear from others for insight/advice. I have shadowed CRNAs but don't feel it was enough to know whether or not it's for me. Thanks in advance.

[micurn0126]

Seems to me like nursing anesthesia, although less direct patient interaction than a typical ICU nurse would have, is not completely free from it. The CRNAs still do pre-op interviews with the patients, and work with them post-operatively as well.

To know if anesthesia is the way to go for you, I would focus on what you DO like about ICU (titrating drips, interpreting hemodynamic values and making decisions based on that data, achieving balanced sedation). If those are thing that make you excited to go into work then anesthesia is likely something you will enjoy.

No one particularly loves code browns or dealing with difficult patients and families. You will certainly deal with less of those as a CRNA but doubtful that you will avoid it completely. If you have a hard time seeing the positives in working with difficult situations then you may want to pursue another career path.

[gazpaz]

While I cannot fix stupid, I can sedate it!

Being a CRNA is a complete 180 from being in the ICU. Shadow someone and see if you like it. i will tell you though, I still help clean up code Browns if they happen in the OR and have been puked on several times - goes with the territory. At the end of the day, it is your patient and you do whatever needs to be done to ensure the best for them.