I want to be an ICU nurse, but cant..

Nine9 · Aug 30, 2014

For me that's a pretty lousy excuse for not placing you as an ICU nurse. I'd rather accept it if the reason why they won't put me in the ICU would be my lack of experience. If your Chief Nurse is worried about Nepotism and stuffs wouldn't the HR personnel be the one to handle those issues? or a committee formed by the hospital? On the other hand, It really depends on the hospital policy. I don't really know how your hospital works neither do i know your policies. So I can't really say anything obsolete about that issue because hospitals do differ from one another.

As for your question I am thinking of 2 answers and it all ends up to a yes.

1. Yes, it depends on the hospital that your entering, some hospitals look at the length of experience, credentials and assess you during the interview (some even ask what area you would prefer to work in). If they deem that you are ready they MIGHT give you a position as an ICU nurse.

2.No, especially if they require a 1 to 2-year experience in an ICU set up. You may be hired as a Med-Surge nurse but eventually CAN be transferred to the ICU when there is an opening (for such to happen you must excel in the med surg area)

My Advice would be:

- Do good in the Med-Surge area since you were already assigned there, gain as much experience and confidence as you can. And remember that all ICU nurses, as far as I'm concerned, were previously medical surgical nurses, when they were in their entry level. The good news is you know what kind of nurse you would like to be so you wouldn't have trouble in raising your credentials, attend extra seminars and training that would lead you to becoming an ICU nurse.

I hope this can help you :)

Goodluck and Godbless!

mikeru22 · Sep 29, 2014

What an unacceptable excuse for not placing you in ICU. Well there could be some other reasons your chief nurse isn't designating you in ICU yet that he or she isn't willing or comfortable to tell you. I know a friend who never had any nursing related experience here in the Philippines but was eventually hired as an ICU nurse in Saudi. I hate to say this here but he faked his certificate of employment and when he got the chance to leave for Saudi, he initially started working in a small clinic and then applied as an ICU nurse thereafter.

Let's put it this way and look at the other side of the coin. I don't feel really proud or good of what he did although I am very happy for him for finally getting a decent job as a nurse in an awesome area in the hospital he's working in but what I'm trying to tell you os that you're definitely more privileged and luckier than my friend for having a solid hospital experience in the medical-surgical unit. If he who did not have any nursing related experience here was able to land a job in a wonderful area abroad, then chances are things could be better for you when the right time comes.

I for one is staff nurse in the medical ward in the hospital I work in and I enjoy every single second I spend in that unit taking all the opportunity to advance my skills and competencies as a nurse. I never wanted to be assigned in the ICU because I like ER better but it's really up to the Nursing Service to decide. Haha. Goodluck!

Just open yourself up for other opportunities and possibilities because you'll never know when and where one would come up, if it's something better than your current designation then go for it.

icychoco · Jan 13, 2015

thank you :)

akomismo · Jan 13, 2015

Absolutely yes but it is advisable to apply for med surg position if ur applying abroad because of experience related work then after u finish ur commitment to unit you may transfer to icu. ðŸ˜Š