ICU and New Grads!

[Jenny12]

Hi! I am going to be graduating soon and have been offered an ICU ( better known as a complex care unit) postion in a small town. I was all for it and ready, because i know that complex care is where i want to work. I have a lot of nurses supporting me, however there are a lot that don't like the idea of a new grad in ICU. I have been told some things in which i have second guessed myself. I was also told that new grads should start off on med/surg before even thinking of ICU. I know that the majority of ICU nurses have accepted me and have even volunteered to preceptor me when i start working. But my question is: should new grads work in ICU? I did mention to the nursing manager that i haven't seen some things and haven't had experince with certain procedures, but she assured me it would be all right, but with everything thats being said about the ICU i have second guessed myself.

[TazziRN, RN]

As long as you have an extensive preceptorship (at least 8 weeks, preferably 12) you can do it. MedSurg teaches you things that you can't learn in ICU, but you can do it.

[SICU Queen]

Lose the second-guessing, be confident!

You'll be fine!

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

You should be fine. As long as you have a few month preceptorship, you should be ok.You wont be expected as a new grad to take a complex unstable patient anyway. I think that the beleif that all new grads should have med surg first is untrue. I personally worked in surgery for about 9 months before coming to ICU, but I didnt feel confident at the time that I graduated to go directly to ICU. In a time of such short staffing, we need all the help we can get! Just be prepared to study alot when you first start. In our unit, there are plenty of new grads, and most of them are doing great.

Cher

[bill4745, RN]

I'm old-fashioned - get at least 6 months of med-surg under your belt. Even with a year of med-surg, ICU was an adjustment for me.

[chuck1234]

The most important thing is...if you don't know something, stop and ask your preceptor or any senior nurses on duty. One year med-surg will help, but it is not necessary these days... You will be a good nurse, because you have asked the most important question right here...

Good luck!!!!

[cdchick]

I started off in the ICU. I had a 14 week internship. I have no regrets. I knew I wanted to work ICU when I was finished with nursing school. Just like OP stated, make sure you ask questions. :)

[anne74]

You'll be fine. The old "you need to be in med/surg first" is a farce. I started out in med/surg, hated it and almost quit nursing because it wasn't what I wanted.

If you know you don't want to work med/surg, why go there? Just because other people think you should? New grads going into the ICU is still a new concept to many, so of course it will be questioned. Many new grads start in ICU in our hospital, and it's not a problem. The hospital knows that new grads in ICU need more orientation than med/surg, so orientation is 6 months in there. Med/surg is only 3 months.

But, if you enjoy being a waitress with a lot of liability, go for med/surg.

[jasonglh]

I started with a group of new grads in ICU with no problems. I have seen nurses with that magic year of med/surg come to ICU and fall on their face. It all depends on the RN.

ICU is a completely different environment and mindset. The only advantage my wife had by working on a medical unit first was learning to be organized dealing with 8-9 patients. No more time than you have with each patient what exactly are you going to learn up there for a year?

[onesunniegal]

This is coming from a new graduate ( I am being pinned tonight) so for what it is worth, here goes.

Be sure to ask questions if you aren't sure about something (as someone has already stated), have the mindframe that got you through nursing school, study, study, and study harder! Have confidence! Don't allow the second guessing to get to you.

As long as your hospital has a preceptorship for you I think you will be fine.

So there you have it, not anything you haven't heard here already, but just giving you my vote of confidence. Now go and be the great nurse you know you can be!!!

[NeosynephRN]

I too am graduating in 9 days...who is counting though?? I will also be starting out as a new RN in an ICU unit. I am prepared to be completely overwhelmed for a year...or more. I love to ask questions, and I am hoping to get lots of support on my new unit...I shadowed a couple times and they were great with me as a student. I am going to start reading up what I can and get myself..prepared...I am ready to dive on in!!! I get a min of 12 week orientation, so I think that will be a good start. GL!!

[gradRN2007, BSN, RN]

Good luck to you! Hospitals now have the mindset (some of them) that going straight to ICU/ER etc you can be trained like they want you tranined with no bad habits to break...that's the idea i like anyway because I am starting as a new grad RN (passed in March) in a ICU, I have a 6 mon orientation and a preceptor that i learn with one on one no patients of my own :)love that and i get a ekg class, iv class, chemo class , some get phlebotomy if needed and a 2 day nursing orientation..I met my preceptor last night and can't wait to start..so go for it and you will do GREAT

good uck