Intermediate Transplant Unit

[BrittanyRN18]

I've just been accepted for an internship in an intermediate transplant unit. Unfortunately, I'll be working nights. I'm afraid I won't get as much hands on experience on night shifts, since I'm not allowed to give medications. I was wondering if anyone who currently works on a transplant unit could give me an idea of what a night shift would look like? I'm thinking its mostly going to just be assessments (since I can't give pain medication). Please let me know, any information would be appreciated! Also, any tips on how to stay awake and alert during night shift would be welcome! :)

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I've never worked an intermediate transplant unit, but I used to work in a SICU that took postop transplant pts. We got livers, hearts, and lungs. They were still quite sick in the postop period. The livers we did a lot of 1:1 hourly fluid replacement, FFP and platelet transfusions. For all there were frequent labs, hemodynamic monitoring, careful assessment for rejection (looks like failure of the organ), lots and lots of teaching.

I'm confused why you're not able to give meds during an internship though. Is this your final clinical before graduation?

[BrittanyRN18]

This is actually an internship that I found outside of school. Since, I don't have my license they don't want the liability of letting me give medications. But I'm pretty sure that I can do anything else.