ICU stress

Nurses General Nursing

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When ICU nurses say their job is very stressful, is it due to physical exhaustion or mental stress?

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Yes :)

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

Both. My last ICU job was the hardest I've ever had. Constantly on the go, high acuity unstable patients, constantly changing assignments, and the pressure to be perfect 100% of the time.

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When ICU nurses say their job is very stressful, is it due to physical exhaustion or mental stress?

Frankly, my ICU jobs have been a walk in the park stress-wise compared to working the floor.

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Can be both--constant monitoring of unstable patients, anxious patients and family who need lots of teaching and lots of reassurance, multiple alarms and other noise pollution, physical tasks (various lines to maintain, lots of IVs to hang, assorted tubes to manage, frequently sedated and/or unconscious patients who have to be turned and otherwise cared for), and the simple stress of very sick patients. Administering and titrating medications that have narrow margins of safety. Codes, with successful outcomes and otherwise.

Just curious--why do you ask?

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I'm deciding on my career to be a CRNA or a PA. So I want to know if I'm capable to work in a critical care environment to become crna

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The short answer is "both."

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