Last semester of RN school; Advice for critical care

Stephalump · Jul 9, 2012

I think this is why they say it takes a year to really be a competent nurse: most of the learning takes place after graduation. Schools ate supposed to give us a good foundation, but because we're prepared to be generalists, we cannot possibly learn everything we need to know in each speciality. If you've been a strong student, I'm sure you'll be great :).

johnny depp23 · Jul 10, 2012

Uh, good luck trying to land a job in critical care as new grad. :kiss

~passionateSN~ · Jul 10, 2012

Uh, good luck trying to land a job in critical care as new grad. :kiss

where I live ICU does hire new grads

decembergrad2011, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2012

where I live ICU does hire new grads

Same here. Many of my classmates now work in ICUs.

Critical care...a lot of it is heavily pathopharm based. I found that for my learning style, flow charts really helped to understand things like MODS (Multiorgan dysfunction syndrome). To be completely honest, our semester was broken up into two segments and we had to complete the CC class in like 8 weeks, so we had an exam every 2 weeks or so. I did a LOT of cramming that semester because there was no other way to learn the material in time.

If you've done the things you've done throughout school, you should be fine. I would make sure to read over your notes often and do some Google fun while you study to find cool pictures and videos about the topic. Watching a video or looking at a graphic about a disease process could make it easier to understand for me sometimes.

Stephalump · Jul 10, 2012

OP is studying Critical Care in the last semester of school, not worrying about getting a CC job.

michelle0781 · Jul 10, 2012

New grads are hired here where I live and I feel that may be the best place for me to really strengthen my critical thinking skills and understanding of disease processes. Thank you to everyone for your advice. I use google and YouTube quite frequently in conjunction with my textbooks and have found them to be helpful resources as well as this wonderful blog site. Always comforting to hear from nurses with vast experience. I hope to be well rounded one day.

juliaann · Jul 11, 2012

Uh, good luck trying to land a job in critical care as new grad. :kiss

I received my ICU job offer while in my third semester of nursing school.

Annaiya, NP · Jul 12, 2012

I've been a PICU nurse for a year now and still feel like I don't know anything most days. One of the most helpful things that my educator told me during my orientation is to focus on what I do know and not what I don't know. I think it is really easy for us to get overwhelmed by how much we don't know. Especially in critical care. Even if all you know on the first day is to make sure the side rails are up and that the patient isn't lying on anything (cords, syringe caps, etc.) you still know some things that are an important part of nursing. Give your self credit for everything you've worked to learn so far. Then focus on what you want to learn next, don't try to learn it all, it's too much. Pick something you're interested in and let your preceptor know and then try to focus on it. Maybe it's trying to understand vent settings, or ABGs, or VAP prevention protocol. Whatever it is, try to get comfortable with that and then move on to the next thing. Take in as much as you can while you're there, but it will do you no good to focus on how often you're completely clueless. That is what is expected. The nursing students that we won't hire to the ICU are the ones who come in and tell us how things are "supposed" to be. A student who knows very little is expected. A student that thinks they already know the job is scary!

danceportal · Aug 24, 2012

I'm on the same page as michelle0781 (OP)...next week my final semester starts. Although I've been a bright student and my previous clinical instructors have all liked me, I feel like I don't know anything. I too have ICU clinicals this semester (preceptorship). I am extremely nervous and have been trying to read some material before Monday. However, I feel overwhelmed thinking I have so much to read and cover!

It's comforting to know that this is a normal feeling.

futurenurse809 · Dec 18, 2012

Where I live they also hire new grads in the ICU, this is because they want to mold us as new students into what they want in an icu floor, Experienced nurses already have their own ways (habits) of doing things which can highly impact their service as an ICU nurse. I am also going into, my last semester in two weeks. I am so excited and scared!.