feeling overwhelmed by the ICU

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jun 5, 2008

I had been a nurse 6 years when I tried the PICU. I nearly passed out when I put a stethoscope on a baby's chest and he had a PVC. If you feel overwhelmed you are normal. If you felt confident it would scare the bejeebers out of all your coworkers. Seriously anyone who orients to the ICU that isn't downright terrified at some point should be fired. They are either lying or a sociopath.

ambersnight · Jun 5, 2008

I am a new grad also and wanted to work in the ICU. But, my hospital quit allowing new grads because so many were deciding that it was too overwhelming. I understand why since alot of time and teaching is put into that newbie and then they leave. So i plan on working in telemetry for a year and then progress towards my icu pathway.

but since you are already there i would stick it out as long as i could. but thats me and i dont know what you go through. some of my friends started in icu and they felt similar to you. wish i could help more. Goodluck!

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

I am a new grad and I started in ICU 6 mos ago. I am still overwhelmed, but it is getting better. I have learned I have many resources made avail to me, the ER doc, some great ER nurses that can pull my monitors up from the ER so they can look at a tele for me if I have a question. Resp therapy has saved my butt on more than one occasion. I call pharmacy when I have a question, of course the other ICU nurses or the float nurse.

Every shift I learn something different, two nights ago I had a ruptured AAA---well actually my patient had it--I didnt!!! I felt like it at times though...

Now that I have the flow of the paper work and the process down, and know where every thing is in the charts and supply room, I only have the patient to worry about that makes it a bit less stressful. I would get flustered and stressed if a Dr asked for something and I didnt know where it was.

Best of luck---I dont know if I offered any help, but knowing that someone else feels like you do hopefully makes you feel better...

PS check out the ICU tab in the specialty section of allnurses, some great people and great advice over there, I have learned alot just be reading what others post.

bethem · Jun 5, 2008

I am a new grad and I hired on to an adult ICU. I feel so overwhelmed! I know this is where I want to work, and I look forward to going in, but I feel like I'm constantly making silly mistakes. At least they aren't the same mistakes over and over but there are so many to make in this environment. Does this get easier with time or am I in the wrong area?

Ahahahahahahah, I just posted a thread that said almost the exact same thing, but less succinctly! At least we're both normal (or else you and I are freaks and all the other newbies are having a ball!).

seanpdent, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 6, 2008

It IS absolutely normal to feel overwhelmed. Working in the ICU is not easy, and not everyone can do it. It's a tough environment for ANY nurse, let alone a new grad.

Hang in there. I can tell you from experience (I entered the ICU fresh out of school), that it will take almost 2yrs to feel comfortable in your skin. It will take almost a year for those butterflies to subside every time you report for a shift.

But that 's the point, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Best of luck.

Sterren, BSN, RN · Jun 7, 2008

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. I definitely don't plan to quit, I have known for quite a while that the ICU is where I want to work and the fact that I actually got hired straight on as a new grad with no experience is something I'm not going to take for granted. I am glad to hear that it's a normal feeling and that I might actually learn all of this information just like the other nurses on the floor. I will definitely check out the ICU forum, I've browsed there a tiny bit but felt kind of out of place since I just started and can't really join any of the discussions yet.

SoundofMusic · Jun 7, 2008

Well, I started in an ICU first after graduation and just found it to be too overwhelming. I didn't bank on everything I needed to learn about nursing in general first. I also had lack of support at home, so I decided to go back and try a med surg type floor first.

And I'm really glad I did. I like the floor as I can sort of disappear alone for a while and just figure things out. I've learned time management and just all the hospital stuff at a pace I can handle. I've also learned a lot from some really excellent nurses in terms of relating to pts and families, little tricks of the trade, etc.

I see myself trying ICU again in maybe 18 month again or so. I used to notice that the ICU nurses really liked the nurses who had some prior experience. I know I'll want to move to it, because i already feel glimmers of frustration and boredom on a floor, but I'm giving myself time to get fluent in nursing/meds/SBAR, etc. first.

Life is long. If it's too much, you can always back up a couple of spaces and then advance when your'e ready. It's worked for me, but I also have a very busy home life. If you're younger with no kids at home, etc, maybe it's just a time to put your nose to the grindstone and work VERY hard in the ICU -- but then again, where do you go from there? I'm sort of glad I've got a path to move around from. My next goal is a full tele floor, maybe an IMCU, then ICU from there. After that I'm sure there are many options -- grad school, etc.

I'm on a stroke/tele floor and have my hands full with arrhythmias, neuro assessments, as well as general medical pts. I'm learning tons but without the pressure and fishbowl type atmosphere of the ICU.