I need some help!

[at2726]

I have been offered a position on a med/telemetry unit and I am a little nervous about the position. When I applied for the job it was listed as a cardiovascular short stay unit doing CV procedures, but in actual reality it is an inpatient telemetry unit. I'm not so nervous about working on a telemetry unit, however I am nervous about having to float into the ICU. I don't know what it is about the ICU, but it really scares me as a nurse. If I do except the position, it only comes with four weeks of orientation, which I don't think is long enough. My background is in GI and Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated on how to prepare mentally and physically for a critical care position! I have until Tuesday to make my decision about the job. I also considered following a nurse for one shift to make sure I really want to be on this unit. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! :uhoh21:

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Make sure when and if you float to ICU that the acuity of your patients are low: no vents, no swans, no muti vasoactive drips to tend to. I was floated to ICU from a telemetry floor after 4 months of being a new nurse and given a vented patient that had dopamine, Levaphed (leaves "em dead), fetanyl drip. They told me I would be sharing the patient with the shift leader etc etc. Patient coded 4 hours into shift: I said to myself this is just not right! Anyway, the ICU staff helped me with the calling of the family and the paperwork. I just did not think this was fair at all. So, I would see about starting in ICU rather than being floated there! Just for my piece of mind, anyway sounds like your guts telling you what's best for you!

PS. If they do decide to float you to ICU demand more than just a shift of ICU before they float you. We at our hospital are only given a day of orientation...not enough to really know the floor.

Nowadays, thankfully our department floats the travelers first rather than the permanent staff, whew! Now that's cool! Thankfully haven't had to float to ICU in a while.

[maame]

What I know is that when your orientation period finish and you need more time your NM should be able to give you more time until you feel comfortable to be your own.

But first of all you should talk with the manager about your past experience so that see can understand what your background first.

[Christie RN2006]

Where I work, you cannot be floated to the ICU unless you have been trained there. Only one time have we ever floated a non ICU nurse to the ICU and we gave her 2 patients that were essentially step-down patients ("walkie talkies" with no lines, drips, procedures out of the ordinary) Did they tell you that you would have to float to the ICU?

4 weeks of orientation is pretty short... Do they have the option of lengthening your orientation if you or your preceptor feel that you are not ready? My orientation was 4 months long (I am in the ICU) and when I started, my NM told me that I would get 3-4 months with the option of extending it based on how I and my preceptors felt. Ask your NM if you have the option of extending your orientation or if it a cut and dry 4 weeks.

If you still don't feel comfortable taking the position, then don't. If you do take the position, be sure to start studying tele and other things you will be dealing with. Its always better to be a step ahead :)

[at2726]

I was told that my orientation would be 3-4 weeks with the option to extend if needed. During the orientation I will have one shift in the ICU. At this hospital they don't use travelers so it is the regular staff that will float over into the ICU on a rotation schedule.

[YellowFinchFan]

I was told that my orientation would be 3-4 weeks with the option to extend if needed. During the orientation I will have one shift in the ICU. At this hospital they don't use travelers so it is the regular staff that will float over into the ICU on a rotation schedule.

Four weeks does not seem enough for a busy tele floor....maybe if you were just coming out of med surg but doesn't sound like that's your experience.

What is the turn over there? Is it high?

Floating to ICU is dreaded as a new nurse but they did give me one slightly heavy patient (lines,suctioning,drip) the first time (but just one patient) the second time I floated I got walkie talkies basically who would be in tele the next day.

But you may want to know that ICU nurses at my facility HATE floating to tele - and recently we heard one started to cry when she learned she had to float to us so another nurse went for her....

With tele you have more patients and sometimes they are pretty heavy - all at once!

Good luck - and try to take on as many patients as they get as soon as you can so you know what you're in for.