Getting started in Critical Care

[jstarr1002]

Hi, I'm just starting out in Nursing school, but debating a few ways to go with it, and what direction I want to take. I was wondering if Critical Care is a hard department to get into if you are entry level right out of school? I'm wondering if anyone has any good ideas for me if I wanting to take this route. Where should I start out if I can't get into the ICU? Do you enjoy your job? What are some highlights about critical care and things you would change? Thanks for responding. I really really appreciate it.

[PSK09]

Most hospitals will not allow you to go straight from nursing school into the critical care areas. You have to be with the hospital on med/surg floor for a minimum of 1year. Then they will put you through training for the critical care departments. Which is about 12 + weeks depending on your progress. Good luck with your future.

[Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN]

Short Answer is for the most part is no. There are few places that sometimes do a bridge to critical care, the first hospital i worked at did this. However the hospitals that do that are few and far between. You will have to get your golden 1 year of experience working in stepdown or a med/surg floor. For myself I was in ICU at 6 months, how I did it was by proving myself, showing that I can handle sick patients, keep cool in emergencies, and be a leader. Having a good friend, who was charge nurse that i worked with go to bat for me and tell the NM that I could handle ICU also helped. A good branch into ICU is step-down, start there, the patients arent as sick, but things can still do wrong with them as they can with anyone. I was an EMT for 8 years also and I learned a good deal about assessment and treatment of common pathologies (to some extent, because EMS and being an RN and TOTALLY different) Do I enjoy my job, yea some days I love it, some days I hate it to the N-th degree. For me I really enjoy playing with machines, IABPs, ECMO, CRRTs, Multiple titrateable drips, having people on the damn near brink of death, only having them to come out of it and say hey I remember youuu, or hear them talk with no neruo deficits. Yea it's pretty amazing, and all I can say is god works in mysterious ways, when you're an critical care nurse you'll experience it, good luck.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Look for a hospital that offers internships for critical care, if possible, and look at the length of the program. That would be your best bet to get into the ICU as a new grad, so it is isn't impossible. I think to start out in ICU you need to have a thorough orientation.

If you cannot get into ICU, I would suggest trying to get onto a telemetry floor or progressive/transitional care unit, which is basically like an ICU stepdown. Those are recognized by the AACN as critical care units, but are on the less acute-end of the critical care spectrum.

[surfnurse311]

I just got into CVICU at Shands in Florida. 16 week orientation. No prior experience in health care except for clinicals... did preceptorship in CVICU and med surg clinicals in surgical Progressive cardiac unit

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

I'm a new grad that just got hired on CVICU. I will have 6 months of orientation. I'm excited. I never thought it would be possible but hey, anything is possible.

[2011GradRN]

I just graduated in December and got hired into the CCU before graduation. I absolutely love it there. I know most people who got into the ICU did their final semester rotation or capstone course there. You need to make an impression on your preceptor, coworkers, manager, whatever and make sure they remember your name. Be really proactive and show you are motivated to learn and work and always ask others if they need any help. You will do great!