How long did you work med-surg before getting an ICU job?

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I'm a med-surg nurse and I want to switch specialties to ICU, preferably SICU or CVICU. For those who switched into the specialty, how long did you work med-surg (or any other type of specialty) before you got an ICU job? What type of ICU do you work in? I work on a med-surg floor with fairly high acuity acute care surgical patients. When my fellow nurses are floated to the other med surg floors we have "good days" and everyone hates floating to us, although most times we can't give them post ops. Our ratio is 1:5.

Specializes in Public Health Nurse.
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While I understand completely the data-based rationale, it saddens me to realize how many solid people will be excluded from 'the club.' It's probably because I was nearly in this position myself and essentially got lucky to be interviewed by someone willing to take a chance on me. I likely would not have been hired by the person presently making those decisions and yet I seem to be one of the stronger nurses in our group... I simply needed some seasoning and opportunities to make up for the gaps in my experience base.

As I read the recent posting of the ANA's lobbying to sustain and expand fundamental nursing education, I kept thinking how irrational is that mindset but how beneficial it would be to develop and subsidize a system that would enable more nurses to engage in a magnificent program such as you describe (I'm jealous!!)

It's sad to know that one's entire career may be dictated by the simple luck-of-the-draw in one's initial hiring.

Wow, you posted my sentiments. It is the situation I am in.

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I stuck it out 18 months on Medical Telemetry. I had 10-15 patients, ran vasoactive drips, and did charge nurse. If I didn't learn organization & prioritization, I was sunk. Jobs were easier to get back then though. I transferred to ICU which has a combined unit that does everything and have been there ever since. I have also cross-trained for ER and day surgery.

I've trained some insane number of new grads and experienced nurses from other areas of the hospital. I find it comes down to the individual rather than anything else. Sometimes new grads do better because they come with freshness & willingness to learn and do well but others don't do well because they either don't "get it" or find out it really wasn't the right area for them & usually will thrive in other areas such as L&D or med-surg. The same can be said for experienced nurses.

So my advice is if you want to work ICU, try it! But realize the job market is different now so getting a job can be very difficult. Many hospitals have cut back on training programs so they don't accept new grads, but my hospital still does. And yes, they have instituted ratios in my state so med-surg nurses don't have as many patients now luckily...?

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

zero days, graduated that morning and was charge GN that evening on 3/11(CCU) ofcourse I had spent three weeks leadership clinicals in the same CCU, prior to graduation.......but that was "way back in the day" 1972. :)

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Out of curiosity, how long did it take for you to feel comfortable? I have been in ICU for one month and am wondering if I made the rt move. I had 1.5 years on med tele floor.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

At one month, if you WERE feeling confident I'd worry, because I'd figure you still didn't know what you didn't know. I've been on my unit for 3 months shy of 2 years and I'm not 100% there, although I do only work half-time so I'm sure that's made a difference. But from what I've heard, 2 years is when we start to function independently.

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Hi there! I am a new BSN graduate. I was accepted into a critical care nurse residency program. I'll be starting in March, 2015. I'll be orienting in a step down unit for 6 weeks and then will have 2 6-week rotations through an ICU (I'm requesting MICU and CICU). I've pulled out my med surg book and have started reviewing patho and treatment on ARDS, ESRD, liver disease, sepsis, etc. I purchased an intro to critical book and I'm reviewing critical care websites daily. I must admit I am both excited and terrified! Any words of advice and/or suggestions for a newly licensed RN orienting to the CCU? Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ICU.

I worked for 5 years in Med-surg before I made the move to SICU (only because I needed the ICU experience to get into NICU)....I've been in the SICU now for 5 years and I love every single minute of it!!! Open heart's are my favorite - the sicker the better!!

I think the need to have floor experience depends on your personality. I was a pretty "quiet" new nurse Who really need to get to know how to talk to physicians and patients and family members. I am extremely thankful for my background in med-surg nursing everyday!

Where I work we higher brand-new nurses into the ICU all the time!

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like...4 month

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ICU.

Blah to that! I am a prior M/S nurse... Spent 5 years there and then transferred to SICU. I've now been in SICU for 5 years as well. It depends on the nurse, their skills, etc... Love my open heart patients - the sicker the better!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Zero seconds

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery.

I worked on the surgical patient care unit for a little over a year and then transferred to sicu. Best decision I have ever made!

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