what kind of patients go to MICU?

[sasparilla]

Hi, I'm a nursing student in my last semester who is really interested in working in either MICU or SICU. Luckily, our hospitals here will hire new GN's and train us. I've had one rotation in MICU, loved it but don't feel like I really know what types of patients end up in an MICU. Can you give me any info on what to expect that I would see if that is where I end up?

I also like SICU but there is a high turnover rate in the hospital that I do my rotations in that makes me kind of leery of working there as a new nurse. The MICU is very stable, they hardly ever have people leave. That sounds like a good unit.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Pts with respiratory failure, sepsis, unstable overdoses, DKA, active GI bleeds, or any train wreck type of pt; i.e, your septic diabetic renal failure with CAD and CHF on a vent in hypertensive crisis in rapid A-fib with a potassium of 9 and a glucose of 600! In short, any unstable pt with any combination of multisystem dysfunction.

[Christie RN2006]

Pts with respiratory failure, sepsis, unstable overdoses, DKA, active GI bleeds, or any train wreck type of pt; i.e, your septic diabetic renal failure with CAD and CHF on a vent in hypertensive crisis in rapid A-fib with a potassium of 9 and a glucose of 600! In short, any unstable pt with any combination of multisystem dysfunction.

Yep to all of that above! I work in a SICU and we also get neuro patients. On a rare occasion we will also see cardiac patients such as MIs, etc. We also occasionally get post partum moms that had trouble. My unit gets all of the hemorrhage patients.

[GregRN]

I used to work in the MICU and just transferred to the SICU a couple months ago. MICU involves critically ill patients with life-threatening/potentially life threatening illnesses that do not require surgery. SICU ivolves critically patients with life-threatening/potentially life-threatening illnesses that do require surgery.

[RNperdiem, RN]

SICU patients are often in for trauma. The average age of patients tends to be younger with SICU. MICU patients are often older(except for folks with cystic fibrosis), have more co-morbidities and often a poorer prognosis.

[blueheaven]

Pts with respiratory failure, sepsis, unstable overdoses, DKA, active GI bleeds, or any train wreck type of pt; i.e, your septic diabetic renal failure with CAD and CHF on a vent in hypertensive crisis in rapid A-fib with a potassium of 9 and a glucose of 600! In short, any unstable pt with any combination of multisystem dysfunction.

LOL and don't forget the patients that surgical team won't touch until "they are stabilized by the medical team!!":lol2:

[blueheaven]

Pts with respiratory failure, sepsis, unstable overdoses, DKA, active GI bleeds, or any train wreck type of pt; i.e, your septic diabetic renal failure with CAD and CHF on a vent in hypertensive crisis in rapid A-fib with a potassium of 9 and a glucose of 600! In short, any unstable pt with any combination of multisystem dysfunction.

LOL and don't forget the patients that surgical team won't touch until "they are stabilized by the medical team!!":lol2:

[sasparilla]

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate the info. I interviewed for and got the job in MICU to start after I graduate and am looking forward to being in there. I'm excited!