ICU here I come

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Specializes in ICU.

Graduated from EC on Feb 20th got my ASN diploma in the mail on the 21st. I interviewed for a ICU position on Feb 10th and offered a position on feb 25th.

I accepted the position and Im now officially working as a GN in the ICU with a 2 week GN orientation.

It can be done, the EC program is not for everyone....but like myself it is a life saver and the only way to becoming a RN!!! I love critical care medicine and the ICU/CCU is in my blood. Although the last few days on the unit have been culture shock coming from the streets as a Medic and now functioning as a critical care RN! boy I have alot to learn from my preceptor......You can do it, put your mind to, with a little determination and you will make it through it!

Chris, GN, ASN, NREMT-P

:smokin:

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Congratulations!!! :yeah:

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Good for You!!! Wishing you much sucess on your new career. EC grads Rock!

:clpty::clpty::clpty:

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Only two weeks of orientation? Man, that's pretty fast!! But if anyone can do it, you can. Congrats, and good luck!! :) :) :)

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Specializes in ICU.

hehe should have been more specific, 2 week general GN orientation....then up to 6 months of unit specific orientation with a preceptor. The ICU manager said she expects me to have less but I won't rush things!

OMG, there is no way I could function on the unit with 2 weeks orientation, except to crap my pants! lmao

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

LOL!! Whew, I was wondering ...

Definitely ride the orientation train as long as possible! :D I think I ended up with about 16 weeks of orientation, which was awesome.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

Way cool Chris....I am a medic too and I was wondering how it would be going into the hospital setting...keep us posted! When you take the boards?

Congrats!!!!:D

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Specializes in Med surg and Psych.

Congrats to you! Traci

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

congrats to you. i am also looking for a internship probably in surgery ...i want as much orientation and training as i can get...

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Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.
Graduated from EC on Feb 20th got my ASN diploma in the mail on the 21st. I interviewed for a ICU position on Feb 10th and offered a position on feb 25th.

Although the last few days on the unit have been culture shock coming from the streets as a Medic and now functioning as a critical care RN! boy I have alot to learn from my preceptor......

Chris, GN, ASN, NREMT-P

:smokin:

There is always the assumption that when medics cross over to the dark side they will go to the ER, but I honestly think the ICU is a better fit for a medic. Although we are used to mass tragedy, umm I mean casualty, we are best at taking really good care of 1 to 2 patients and all of the technology that goes with critical care. That is what I did. After I came off orientation though, they let me pick up extra shifts in the ER and that was fun too.

Congrats. You will rock the NCLEX.

Ivan

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Specializes in ICU.
Way cool Chris....I am a medic too and I was wondering how it would be going into the hospital setting...keep us posted! When you take the boards?

Congrats!!!!:D

All I can say going into the ICU is "culture shock". That about sums it up. I have had some bad patients, and very comfortable with 1 hour, but the ICU nurses must go to all "rapid responses" and CPR's in the hospital. I ended up doing CPR for like 20 mins and then transfering her into ICU and critically taking care of her for 7 hours, were she eventually passed away. It is a completely different world and thinking. I do feel out of my "realm" I will say but I'm always up for a good challange!!! I will rock the ICU :smokin:

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Specializes in ICU.
There is always the assumption that when medics cross over to the dark side they will go to the ER, but I honestly think the ICU is a better fit for a medic. Although we are used to mass tragedy, umm I mean casualty, we are best at taking really good care of 1 to 2 patients and all of the technology that goes with critical care. That is what I did. After I came off orientation though, they let me pick up extra shifts in the ER and that was fun too.

Congrats. You will rock the NCLEX.

Ivan

I do love Critical Care medicine, it is what I do....in my blood as they say. Unfortunately in NY you have to have 1 year RN experience to work in the ER, state law. I did try to get a waver as I'm a paramedic but I was shut down by both the Dept of Health and BoN. I do think working in the ICU will give me a leg up, and I really would like to get cross-trained in our CCU as well. I plan on taking the CCRN exam as soon as I get the bedside requirement out of the way which is like 1700 bedside hours.

Darkside....lol so so true :p

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