ICU nurse - trying to learn more

[lizdimi54873]

Hi,

just wanted some feedback and maybe examples of how other units work. Been new in the ICU for about 8 months, floor nurse before this. I've become comfortable taking care of patients here, of course I still have questions and double check myself, but I am feeling better in this environment. We take the cvvh education pretty early on in our training and after I took it I had 2 patients on cvvh. Since then, I haven't had any and see that they always go to the same nurses,

over and over. I understand they want competent nurses taking care of sick patients, however, if the unit is going to be stronger, the rest of us need to become competent as well. That won't happen without taking these patients. Our policy is to take the class and then take the patients with resource as back up. I've been studying on my own and also just met with my manager to tell her how I feel and that I really want to learn. She agreed with me and said she can help it work out. 
to add to it I'm pregnant and can't take certain patient types due to meds etc. however lately we have had patients I'm able to take with cvvh and I'm still not getting them. (Also, feeling fully capable and healthy to still work and take patients)

I told my manager I feel like this is my window to learn and it's not happening.

I don't get many of the super sick patients, even with a drip or two. Lately the most of done is levo. I'm just feeling frustrated that us newer nurses are losing out on training and learning because the senior ones always want the 1:1 and sick ones.

do any units have this problem? Am I crazy to want to learn in my first year? Or unrealistic ? 
thanks ! 

[Dre2416, BSN, RN]

I am also new to the ICU (but not a new nurse).  I work in a unit similar to yours.  We must take classes before taking CRRT, temp pacers, open heart, etc.  I am 5 months into the ICU and I told my mgr from day 1 that I want all the education ASAP.  She said " OK but we have a tier process" blah blah, which is just an order of when you take classes and at the year mark is when you start to take open hearts.  I have gone above and beyond to show her I want these advanced classes EARLY.  I just got my CCRN, took the trauma for ICU nurse course and checked back in with her this week.  I sent her the certs and asked when I could be put into the classes.  She got me from being on the august/sept schedule to the jan/feb schedule.  Granted our acuity seems to be higher than most, levo/neo/prop/fent drips are the norm but I want the device training with fresh hearts.  She said it's just more of watching you as a nurse and getting more experience in the ICU nurse skills.  

 Have you gone above and beyond on your own to obtain more education?  CCRN, CMC,CSC, any extra classes or are you part of the AACN chapter?   If you can say yes to this then now that you've been in for 8 months have a sit down and lay it out.  I would be ready to walk if you really want sicker patients.  Say you aren't getting the experience you had hoped and you have really made it clear that you want to learn.  Is there anything they see that you are demonstrating that is making them fearful of giving you higher acute patients?  You also need to ask yourself if you are OK with getting these kind of patients for the next couple of years.  If not, then figure out plan B. 

[airy]

fsuandrea said:

I am also new to the ICU (but not a new nurse).  I work in a unit similar to yours.  We must take classes before taking CRRT, temp pacers, open heart, etc.  I am 5 months into the ICU and I told my mgr from day 1 that I want all the education ASAP.  She said " OK but we have a tier process" blah blah, which is just an order of when you take classes and at the year mark is when you start to take open hearts.  I have gone above and beyond to show her I want these advanced classes EARLY.  I just got my CCRN, took the trauma for ICU nurse course and checked back in with her this week.  I sent her the certs and asked when I could be put into the classes.  She got me from being on the august/sept schedule to the jan/feb schedule.  Granted our acuity seems to be higher than most, levo/neo/prop/fent drips are the norm but I want the device training with fresh hearts.  She said it's just more of watching you as a nurse and getting more experience in the ICU nurse skills.  

 Have you gone above and beyond on your own to obtain more education?  CCRN, CMC,CSC, any extra classes or are you part of the AACN chapter?   If you can say yes to this then now that you've been in for 8 months have a sit down and lay it out.  I would be ready to walk if you really want sicker patients.  Say you aren't getting the experience you had hoped and you have really made it clear that you want to learn.  Is there anything they see that you are demonstrating that is making them fearful of giving you higher acute patients?  You also need to ask yourself if you are OK with getting these kind of patients for the next couple of years.  If not, then figure out plan B. 

I love your attitude and hope to get as many advanced certs to work with higher acuity. I will be going into the ICU new and I am wondering what is your recommendation for obtaining the advanced certifications? For the CCRN, what is the practical time on getting 1,750 hours required for it?  Did you work a lot of overtime to do it quickly?

[Dre2416, BSN, RN]

I previously worked in ER so those hours count toward the CCRN which is why  I was able to take it early.  If you work in a trauma ICU, you can take the TCAR which is basically trauma cert for ICU nurses.  CMC, CSC if you work in cvicu. You can ask about a pacemaker class or talk with your educator to see what they recommend.