IMU/Progressive Care RN description

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Specializes in ICU, CCRN.

Hello New Grad RN here and just trying to find out a littler more info than what google can provide me with.

Is the IMU/Progressive Care type units virtually a step down unit from ICU? From reading descriptions online it sounds more like med/surg... Seems every hospital describes their floors differently.

Thanks for any input!

As a add on Moving from Cali to the kingwood area can't wait! =))

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I work PCU. It is ICU Stepdown with much higher acuity than med surg. We do drips, acute stroke, acute head injury, acute MI, peritoneal dialysis, ETOH withdrawal, DKA and more. Kind of med surg on steroids. The pace is fast and most of the patients are unstable, thus the higher level of monitoring. Ratio is 3-4:1 on days, 4-5:1 on nights. For some hospitals PCU can simply be telemetry. For others, like ours, it is everything but vents.

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It does vary from hospital to hospital.

Where I work, the IMU is a step down from ICU and a few steps up from regular Med/Surg.

2-3:1 nurse ratio, no vents, no unconscious patients. It is sometimes used as an overflow from ICU for those non-critical critical patients (lots of drips or high medical needs/assessment patients). It is staffed with mostly ICU nurses.

A lot of these patients just need some higher lever care for a few hours (insulin drips are the biggie in our facility, need to get them out of the ER but don't really need ICU) before being stepped down to regular med/surg beds.

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Specializes in ICU, CCRN.

Thank you both! =)

That's great to know with the ratio, since in California its regulated and in Texas it depends on the facility(I believe) I was worried the ratio would be higher.

I ideally would love to get into ER but as a new grad I know that's difficult, just crossing my fingers one of the hospitals gives me a chance IMU sounds like it would be a good challenging place to start.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I can promise you, IMU is a fantastic place for anew grad if you an get it and then if you are able to adapt. It is a launch pad for pretty much anywhere you want to go after a couple of years experience.

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xsh0r7yx - I am interviewing with Kingwood Medical Center for the IMU as well & am also from Cali! Would love to talk to you more!
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Specializes in ICU, CCRN.

leabea24 that's so awesome! When's your interview?

The recruiter e-mailed me on wednesday and said that she sent my information to the directors for review... fingers crossed I hear something soon about a interview

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yeah! have you been to kingwood before? i know nothing about it really. my interview is next week

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Specializes in ICU, CCRN.

Yes been to kingwood a few times, I'm moving to the city right next to it atascocita. Kingwood is really pretty and green.

That's so exciting next week! How long did it take them to contact you?

What part of Cali are you from?

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oh awesome! :) glad to hear that. any particular reason your moving there? I'm from the bay area, how about you?? The recruiter called me last week to schedule an interview for next week

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Specializes in ICU, CCRN.

My family is in the process of moving there and since I'm not tied down and the job market isn't great here for new grads I figured I would give Texas a try to be close to them =) I'm from the Inland Empire by san Bernardino.

You must be so excited for the interview! Have you applied other places in Texas ?

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awesome! i did apply to other places in texas, but just recently got my endorsement license.

did you ever get a call back from kingwood? I interviewed via webcam and just took the job offer!

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