Life in burn / trauma ICU

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Greetings,

im graduating next year an really want to pursue a job in burn / trauma ICU. My area has two centers and hires new grads. I loved a very brief clinical I did during medic school years ago but didn't consider it as a career path. I love the fact that you see a long progression process in the patients and that your population is very diverse. However, both centers do both adults and peds.

Question 1: what is life like for a new grad in burn.

Question 2: Do you think I will be working with both kids and adults?

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

You should talk to the units you are interested. Even in the city I'm in different hospitals have different approaches as far as mixing peds and adults on specialty units.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Our new grads have gone through the hospital residency, then do an additional preceptorship/time in the BICU. It's pretty intense, like a critical care bootcamp. :) Taking care of patients in a BICU is hot, tiring work. Many procedures that might otherwise be done in an OR are done at the bedside (trachs, PEGs, even opening abdomens in cases of abdominal compartment syndrome) because the patient is too unstable to move out of the room. You will learn so much about critical care, from vents to drips to CRRT, not to mention the amount of wound care you'll do. I would say that if you are hired on a mixed age burn unit, you will likely see peds and adults. But as PeakRN wisely advised, it is best to see what your centers are doing. It takes special folks to work in burns. Good luck!!

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Wow! It sounds like you have an outstanding Department. It is something I am really interested in and hope that I have an appealing resume. I really do not like the idea or working with peds burn at all. I worked in a peds ed as a tech for awhile and HATED seeing the severity and prevellancy of burned kids. I guess that is something I may need to learn to deal with though.

Thank you so much for the input.

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.

Our program also accepts new grads into a residency program. We see peds and adults and so if you're gonna hang with us you have to be able to do both. That said, I know there are burn centers that do adults only. Depending on how these operations are set up -- it's possible the Burn nurses are still doing dressing changes on kids in other ICUs. If you absolutely don't want to do peds these are things you need to figure out about your area's Burn Center.

I love my job and prefer to think of myself "glistening" at work rather than sweating. ;)

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I hear ya. I just remember so many toddlers getting boiling water dropped on them. I have two little ones and for some reason personalized them more than any other patient. The peds traumas, chronic illnesses and other stuff didn't get to me. The burns though.

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Why is it so hot and sweaty on the burn unit? I ask because I'm considering applying for a tech position there (moving from dialysis) to get more patient care experience. I've seen children on the burn unit every time I've had to go over there and that part unsettles me. Anything else I can handle.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
1 hour ago, Apollo617 said:

Why is it so hot and sweaty on the burn unit? I ask because I'm considering applying for a tech position there (moving from dialysis) to get more patient care experience. I've seen children on the burn unit every time I've had to go over there and that part unsettles me. Anything else I can handle.

They have to keep the rooms warm because most of the patients have major skin disruptions. And yes, you will see lots of kids, unfortunately. ?

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Specializes in Burn, ICU.

My hospital has an adult burn unit. Kids go to the PICU or peds surgery unit as appropriate. Managed by the same medical team, but adult RNs care for adults only on our inpatient units. I don't know how many other places do it like this, but you might find one!

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology.
On 8/3/2019 at 10:08 PM, Pixie.RN said:

They have to keep the rooms warm because most of the patients have major skin disruptions. And yes, you will see lots of kids, unfortunately. ?

This was one of the reasons I really hated doing Burns in the OR. Having that OR 80+ is no fun at all.

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