How to be successful in ICU as a new grad?

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

Never let something you don't understand go. You must fully understand every detail of your job from how the IV pumps work, actions of drugs, patho of disease and so on. I am constantly looking stuff up and asking questions (I've been in ICU 2.5 years). If your preceptor can't or won't explain, look it up, after work if needed. Make friends with other staff members and ask them. Good luck.

JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

What kind of personality?

Good question. ICU nurses tend to be Type A control freaks. It also seems to be a repository for those with ADD, which I find funny because I didn't even know that and was diagnosed with ADD after I started my nursing career. Very strong personalities seem to gravitate toward ICU nursing. A lot of us are very opinionated and in-your-face types. Oh, and remaining cool in a crisis is very important. You have to be able to remain calm whether it's a family member screaming at you or a femoral artery spurting that you can't get under control.

I definitely don't think that it's better assessment skills or being smarter or any sort of thing that would make an ICU personality profile better than other sorts of nursing specialties, it's just different. I would expect a med-surg nurse to have the same assessment skills and the same amount of cojones when dealing with doctors, but they may deal with it in a different way. You definitely do need a thick skin when working ICU, but that's probably true for any unit.

It's difficult to describe. It's one of those "I'll know it when I see it" kind of things. I think other types of nursing attract more diplomatic people (and mind you, I'm an ICU nurse!).

And of course, I can only go by what I know, which is the people I've worked with. Perhaps it varies by facility.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 29, 2011

personality type? you may not have it right now but u will get it.. it's a type of caddiness, i hear others call it icuitis.. the personality that u know something is wrong with the pt but u get blown off by the intensivest/ doctor but u maintain ur stance and things work out for the best.. able to be cool headed in a code. strong willed, thick skinned, not a push over..don't let this scare u. i didn't have this 10 years ago but grew into it.

what in the world is "caddiness"?

all the "u"s and "ur's" are distracting . . . but it's your content, if i understand it correctly (and possibly i don't because of your textspeak) that is most disturbing. icuitis?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 29, 2011

12 weeks seem skimpy for a new grad in the icu. is that time extendable, or lengthened for specialty units?

there are icus and there are icus. 12 weeks might be fine for a 200 bed community hospital with an 8 bed icu and a hotline to the transport team of the closest tertiary referral center. it's way to skimpy for a specialized icu in a thousand bed tertiary referral center.

2126 · Mar 29, 2011

there are icus and there are icus. 12 weeks might be fine for a 200 bed community hospital with an 8 bed icu and a hotline to the transport team of the closest tertiary referral center. it's way to skimpy for a specialized icu in a thousand bed tertiary referral center.

it is a community hospital. i haven't found out how many beds there are in the icu yet. thank you! the 12 week orientation makes more sense now!

2126 · Mar 29, 2011

Good question. ICU nurses tend to be Type A control freaks. It also seems to be a repository for those with ADD, which I find funny because I didn't even know that and was diagnosed with ADD after I started my nursing career. Very strong personalities seem to gravitate toward ICU nursing. A lot of us are very opinionated and in-your-face types. Oh, and remaining cool in a crisis is very important. You have to be able to remain calm whether it's a family member screaming at you or a femoral artery spurting that you can't get under control.
I definitely don't think that it's better assessment skills or being smarter or any sort of thing that would make an ICU personality profile better than other sorts of nursing specialties, it's just different. I would expect a med-surg nurse to have the same assessment skills and the same amount of cojones when dealing with doctors, but they may deal with it in a different way. You definitely do need a thick skin when working ICU, but that's probably true for any unit.
It's difficult to describe. It's one of those "I'll know it when I see it" kind of things. I think other types of nursing attract more diplomatic people (and mind you, I'm an ICU nurse!).
And of course, I can only go by what I know, which is the people I've worked with. Perhaps it varies by facility.

I don't think I have a very strong personality. I also tend to be thin skinned...I guess I'll have to toughen up sooner than later if I'm going to survive this. I'm more quiet and subdued, but I've met some amazing ICU nurses that had a similar personality, so that calms me down.

JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

I don't think I have a very strong personality. I also tend to be thin skinned...I guess I'll have to toughen up sooner than later if I'm going to survive this.

You'd have to toughen up for nursing anyway, so if you can keep your head in a crisis, you still might be a good candidate for ICU! Not having a strong personality doesn't mean you won't be a successful ICU nurse, just know that you'll encounter a lot more of that type there than in any other area. Again, I have to qualify that by saying I only speak from my own experience. Others may have different experiences than I have.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

what in the world is "caddiness"?

all the "u"s and "ur's" are distracting . . . but it's your content, if i understand it correctly (and possibly i don't because of your textspeak) that is most disturbing. icuitis?

i used context and my critical thinking cap to determine that the poster likely meant "cattiness," and secondly that you trust your gut enough to be able to advocate for your patient even if the objective data doesn't immediately back you up and regardless of how obnoxious it makes you seem. that's not really how i'd use the term "catty" but i am almost entirely sure that they're not referring to the manner in which one would carry golf clubs around for someone else.

to the op: will you get an opportunity to shadow during your interview process? i think that should help you get a feel for the unit. watch how people are interacting with each other and how happy people seem to be there. find out who else on the floor is a recent grad and see if you can talk to them too about the orientation process.

2126 · Mar 30, 2011

I used context and my critical thinking cap to determine that the poster likely meant "cattiness," and secondly that you trust your gut enough to be able to advocate for your patient even if the objective data doesn't immediately back you up and regardless of how obnoxious it makes you seem. That's not really how I'd use the term "catty" but I am almost entirely sure that they're not referring to the manner in which one would carry golf clubs around for someone else.
To the OP: will you get an opportunity to shadow during your interview process? I think that should help you get a feel for the unit. Watch how people are interacting with each other and how happy people seem to be there. Find out who else on the floor is a recent grad and see if you can talk to them too about the orientation process.

I will have the opportunity to shadow. I'm so excited, but so nervous! It's scary not to be in the safety net of my instructors anymore! I'm just trying to gather as much information as I can. I had an ICU rotation and LOVED it, but it wasn't the real world. Difficult patients were fun to have because I could always get the actual nurse or my instructor to help. It was all a learning experience. I can't believe I'm going to be THE nurse now making those decisions.

canchaser, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

My apologies, readers.. I am on my I Phone. Computer Got a virus and is in the shop. That is why all the u and urs.Sorry for the distractions, Ruby. Cattiness was spelled wrong in my previous post. According to the dictionary is meAns spitefulness, malevolent by virtue of being Malicious. It's the short version of nurses eating there young. Again I am on my phone so sorry about misspellings or any other textfull words..