Looking at Other ICUs, Trauma/Surgery ICU or Medical/Coronary ICU?

Nurses Career Support

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Specializes in ICU.

Need help deciding where to take my ICU career...

I am currently working in the ICU of a hospital in the suburbs, we see your typical MICU stuff plus neuro (neurosurgery, stroke, TBI),  some vascular surgery, some general surgery, and some cardiac (CHF, post arrest, STEMI).  Overall it's been a good learning experience but the acuity isn't that high and I'm wanting to go somewhere else after January that has higher actuity, so I'm looking at our Level I trauma center downtown. 

They have four ICUs, two of which interest me. One is Trauma/Surgery, 24 beds, and they get traumas from all over as it's the only Level I in the state. Based on their website, sounds like any neuro/head/spine trauma goes to neurosurgical ICU and not the Trauma/Surgery ICU.  I'm not a huge neuro fan so it sounds nice the bigger neuro cases will go to neuro ICU. I used to work ED/Trauma, so that's why this interests me, although the TSICU is probably much different than the trauma bay. 

The other is a medical/coronary ICU, 17 beds, they do typical MICU stuff like DKA, ARDS, sepsis, but also CHF, post arrests, and stuff like I see now. The website says they do CRRT, balloon pump, and impella. I do love cardiac, hemodynamics, etc., so I thought maybe this would be a good fit too. Open hearts and other cardiac surgery like TAVRs go elsewhere. 

Does anyone have any experience or insight that would help me make a decision? It'd be much appreciated! 

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