icu?

[Momof8CNA]

hey there, i have yet another question for other CNAs who have icu experience.

they have been putting me there for the past several weeks, and i love it..but its so different. i do hardly any hands on work, but i do a lot charting,entering patients into the computer, ordering any medical supplies that notice running short, printing out ekg strips and such, picking up blood/medication/equipment,etc.

is this normal for that floor? its just so different than other areas of the hospital.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Pretty much. Most of the care in the ICU is provided by the RNs and speciality team (respiratory, etc). Very few ICUs use CNA's or techs but will fully utilize a unit clerk

[Momof8CNA]

yeah, that is almost what it was like, being a unit clerk!

i almost want to find out how to become a unit clerk, i think im more suited to the job. i really have a lot of admiration for the nurses up there though..i dont see how they keep from losing it, with the stress of everything going on. when a code blue/rapid response is announced, one of them has to run to wherever its going on, in addition to what they are doing in the icu.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Then inquire. A good unit clerk is worth gold. Some facilities have dual role unit clerk (secretary that is a CNA and can help when needed)

[Momof8CNA]

i might check into that. the problem is that im with an agency, not the actual hospital. if the hospital paid more, i would love to work directly for them though..but i bet i would still have to float!

[guest769224]

I have been an ICU tech going on 3 years now, and have a large scope of practice comparatively.

I draw blood gasses and labs off arterial lines, remove art lines, change central line, picc, art line and cordis dressings.

We have hands on care and assist with all spinal precautions and log rolls, programming bedside monitors, blood sugars, bathing patients, oral suctioning and more. Bathing bloody trauma patients that come in. Inserting NG or OG tubes. (RN must auscultate or pull residual)

When we get new admits I weigh the patients (bed scale), get all their vitals, hook up cardiac leads, O2, BP/Art. Chart vitals.

We help assist handling patients with bone flaps, or intraventicular bolts. Meaning, we help with their repositioning and hygiene. We set up CVP and Arterial monitoring bags with the saline and transducers. We help put full body cooling pads on our anoxic patients or those who have arrested.

This is in a level one trauma center ICU.

We also are allowed to burst the patient's FI02 to 100% per the RN or RT's instructions and if they are with us at the bedside.

We are also CPR relief during codes, while the RN's push meds. Last night I did 8 rounds of CPR.

My unit is the bomb.

[Momof8CNA]

you change picc lines? they have special nurses to come put those in at our hospital.yeah, i think my position is more of a clerical nature,which suits me just fine. i really hope they keep me there. floating gets old real quick, but on the other hand, i am learning so many new things, it seems.

[guest769224]

I change the dressings, not the actual line. You will learn so much by working there.

We have a PICC team insert ours as well.

Just ask lots of questions!

[Momof8CNA]

oh, ok! i was going to say! but you are right, there is so much to learn! but of course, now that i am going on about how much i like it, ill be floated elsewhere tonight!!