Going from ICU to Step down ICU?

[mbrendia]

Hi all!

I am new to this forum, but I'll just go straight to the point. I currently work at a small community hospital in the ICU. I had gotten the job as a new grad and I love it so far. The ICU I work in currently has only 10 beds. Since it is a small community hospital, our patients aren't necessary that critical. I have experience with CVP monitoring, A-Lines, Ventilators, and vasopressors, but our unit can be better described as a "geriatric ICU." I am looking for a more challenging job in a bigger hospital.

I had recently interviewed at Hackensack with the intention to continue onto a more intense critical care unit. However, since I only have about a year of experience in a small community ICU and Hackensack is a trauma center with very sick patients, they felt I was better suited for a Step down ICU. I would like to work at Hackensack since it's such a great hospital, but I don't know if working in a Step down ICU would be a downgrade. My reasoning is I can go to Step down ICU and then re-apply to a critical care unit in Hackensack after about a year. Would this be the right move? Am I wasting my time by going to a Step down ICU? I am a bit indecisive about this and would like some opinions. Thanks!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I worked many years in both areas in a small community hospital. That facility closed and the main facility transferred all of the ICU staff to stepdown, because they KNEW the experience in the small ICU was limited.Hackensack recognizes the level of expertise you have gained in a smaller facility.

You yourself stated "our patients aren't necessary that critical." You will not be wasting your time , you will be gaining the experience you need to work in a more intense ICU.