Help RN Split Personality! Bouncing between ED and ICU looking for home.

At my previous level 1 facility I had many coworkers that worked both. They did 2/3 ICU, 1/3 ER, at the same facility. Both managers approved this and thought it was beneficial. I think it would be an awesome position, maybe see If you could obtain something like that. If not, just pick up per diem at a local ER.

By the way, I've done ICU for 4 years now and have never heard of bilateral EVD's. That's interesting.

even in my ED it's mundane, most of our patients are elderlies from the nearby nursing homes who fell or just need a blood transfusion and same day is closed.

Thanks for the suggestion, I have in the past worked per diem in either ICU or ED while maintaining my primary which I'd like not to do for awhile. But I will definitely talk with the managers regarding splitting my 3 shifts between the depts, I hadn't thought of that.

And I currently am working in a NeuroSurgical ICU and with our patients that have massive bleeds they put bilateral EVD (external ventricular devices) in because sometimes one drain just can't keep up. It's very interesting.

Yes that happens too depending on the ED, my most recent one had a high level of acuity thankfully but on those days when its just routine with junkies or slip/fall its not challenging enough. Those were the days I missed ICU the most.

You have reached the trained monkey stage of your nursing career. You know most of the stuff inside out and you're sick and tired of chasing K+.

So what's left?

You could take the easy way out and become a nurse practitioner.

That way you'll get the respect and love you crave from your supervising physician and adoring patient load.

This method of career advancement (NP) and replenishment is far from the same job different day banality of the treat and turf and turn and water mentality of either the ED or ICU.

And you would have to admit full of glamor and ultra intellectually stimulating also.

Life I love you. All is groovy !

At my previous level 1 facility I had many coworkers that worked both. They did 2/3 ICU, 1/3 ER, at the same facility. Both managers approved this and thought it was beneficial. I think it would be an awesome position, maybe see If you could obtain something like that. If not, just pick up per diem at a local ER.

By the way, I've done ICU for 4 years now and have never heard of bilateral EVD's. That's interesting.

I've seen that a couple of times. It's interesting. It happened actually to one of my patients who ended up with a huge decline in neuro status with the first evd in. The pt's bleed had just started spreading.