CSICU same as CVICU? Interview HELP!

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Hello!

I received some pretty disheartening news about a month ago that my hospital was closing. :( I have worked on a med surg/telemetry floor with the occasional float to our small ICU for about a year now. I have my ACLS and hospice experience also. Of course I was very saddened by the closing and still am, but I am delighted that I am now being presented with the opportunity to interview in a CSICU.. And even more they want me to shadow for a few hours after! Scary but exciting!

The floor is titled CSICU and not CVSICU or CVICU.. I know from the recruiter it's a cardiac ICU floor.. But I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if there is any difference between these acronyms? And from my understanding of CVICU (if it in fact is like one) I will be dealing with fresh hearts/CABGs. Could anyone who maybe has more insight elaborate on what a CSICU nurse would do and share any interview tips? I have reallllllly gotten to love cardiac and I want this job so I'm researching on here and the internet as much as I can! Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU.

Sounds like it might be cardio-surgical, not cardio-vascular. Same? Different? I dunno.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

^^^ That's what I'd think. The CVICU I worked in years ago had medical cardiac as well as cardio-thoracic surgical (we had lots of lung transplants and the occasional pneumonectomy, plus AAA repairs on the CVTS service, so not just hearts on the surgical side).

Or it could be just what this hospital chooses to call it. I've seen CICU and CCU applied to critical cardiac units as well.

Congrats on the interview! Let us know how everything goes

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Specializes in ICU.

You'll just have to ask what kind of cases they do, what kind of admissions to expect.

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Thanks for the insight, guys. It's a level two trauma center so I don't know if that would matter at all with deciding what kind of cases they would handle. I will definitely post how it goes!

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Specializes in CVSICU.

CVSICU not only does open heart cases, but also (V)ascular cases.

So your "typical" cabg, valve, transplant with the addition of AAAs, TAAs, carotid endarterectomies, etc... I'm sure individual units will vary slightly in the types of cases they take.

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Specializes in ICU.
CVSICU not only does open heart cases, but also (V)ascular cases.

So your "typical" cabg, valve, transplant with the addition of AAAs, TAAs, carotid endarterectomies, etc... I'm sure individual units will vary slightly in the types of cases they take.

That was our CVICU. Carotids to heart transplants, lobe resections to lung transplant, LVAD - RVAD - BiVAD - TAH to the occasional heroin addict. Don't read too much into the initials, you've just gotta ask the manager what you would expect to see.

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When my MIL had cardiac surgery, the hospital she was in had a cardiac surgery ICU and a separate cardiac ICU. One took all the surgical patients (CABG, valve replacements) and the other took nonsurgical patients (MI, CHF). And that's not counting the transplants, who were on a separate floor!

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Specializes in ICU.

One hospital I worked at had a separate thoracic transplant ICU (TTICU) for pre and post heart transplants. One room would have someone on FULL life support, and another someone pre-op waiting for an organ up walking around and getting their own pills. I think it was 10 beds or so. Medicare reimbursement put an end to that, but it was a cool unit to work.

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Well I had my interview. I left feeling pretty happy. The HR manager said she felt I interview very well and exemplified the qualities of the organization. I went to next interview with the nurse manager and the nurse manager for the CCU (medically managed heart floor) was there too because they said I was a very qualified candidate so they were interviewing me to place me where they think I would fit best and where I would like best. I loved both managers and really what they try to do individually and together. I really would be happy with either floor, but see myself drawn toward a surgically managed patient.

At the end of the interview, the manager for the CCU thanked me for my time and said I'm going to excuse myself now and let you finish talking with the nurse manager of CV and shadow in the CVSICU (by the way it is CVSICU) since that's the position you applied for. I talked to the nurse manager more for CV and she did ask me which floor I would like to work on. I really do have I love for the surgical side so I said CVSICU. I loved the shadowing experience too! Such an awesome place to be. I was trying to contain myself the entire time and be professional and not stare at anything with too big of a smile lol!! I am confused though if this means they see me as a better fit for CV than CCU? I don't understand why I wasn't asked to come shadow or see her unit.

So basically I'm a little confused. I left feeling pleased, but now I'm not sure the longer I analyze everything. I'm worried because I wasn't asked to see both units that this means I may not be a good match. I felt like my interviews had great ebb and flow. We related well, I genuinely like what the hospital offers and the units. The managers are incredible. I'm nervous because I have no experience it's the intensive side of cardio and I am a young, though ambitious and dedicated, nurse.

What do you guys think of all this and how it went? I was offered a position in labor surgical room today too, but am waiting to hear back from them.

So stressful and exciting!

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

They probably need more staff on the CV floor. Open hearts are 1:1 so if they can train someone up to take care of those pts it's abig help. Also I guess they thought you were awesome. :-) Congrats! And you also got a L&D offer? You certainly have your pick of jobs. But they don't really intersect, so you need to think about what pt population you want to serve.

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Specializes in Cath Lab & Interventional Radiology.

It sounds like your interview went great!! I will be interested to hear the outcome. Having multiple interviews and job offers on your plate is a good thing!

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