IckCU can't stand it.

i recently started in a cvicu after 3 yrs cardiac medical experience. i have been there less than a year. i am finding the environment very difficult to cope with as far as other staff attitudes, gossiping, backstabbing and second-guessing. i also would like to try evenings to see if that works better for my family than my current night weekend schedule. i have been told that evenings is not available and will not become available, so i realize that i will have to transfer if i want that schedule. my question is here: i have not yet oriented to admitting hearts, have not learned IABP or CVVHD. i feel like i cannot reasonably look to transfer until i have these marketable skills under my belt. i have asked my manager when i can take classes for iabp or cvvhd and gotten "not now" as an answer, without any real reason why not or timetable for when it may be possible.

with the toxic environment at this job, i dread coming in for my shifts and have had an increase in migraines. but i feel trapped d/t my lack of experience. i think ICU is right for me, just perhaps not this particular one. is it reasonable to look for other positions or do i just stick it out for as long as it takes to get oriented to hearts, etc? any advice is appreciated.

I would look for new positions. I work ICU, not CVICU....but it is right next door. Open hearts is ALL they do at our CVICU. We get the balloon pumps, post cardiac caths, etc.

If you have been there almost a year, you should be getting training that you need to work CVICU. Put some apps out online......I know in my part of the country, hospitals are screaming for some CVICU nurses! You don't need to put up with the hostile work environment either!

Agree with the previous poster. Suggest you get out of that environment before something cuckoo occurs. You deserve better.

Good luck!