Med/Surg to ICU?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Hi all! So I've been been out of school for 1 year and working on a Med/Surg floor. I recently interviewed for an ICU position @ a different hospital. I was just wondering if it is really a good idea to move from Med/Surg to ICU w/ just 1 year experience? My goal during school was to work Med/Surg then go to ICU but is this too soon? I'm really nervous about the change!! :banghead:

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

If you feel comfortable enough to have applied for the ICU position then I believe you are ready.

I know many RN's who have done a year or so of med/surg and went to the ER and ICU and they LOVE IT!!

It is normal to be a bitg nervous but that comes with mostly all changes. Good luck in your new endeavours.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Home Health/Hospice, Cath Lab,.

Do they have a residency program? I would be hesitant about switching to ICU with only 1 year experience unless they had a residency program (preferably around 3 months) which would help increase your knowledge base and make sure ICU is a good fit for you.

ICU does require more intensive thinking skills but to offset you have less patients to do so on. I actually find it easier to keep track of what I need in ICU than on the floor.

Hope this helps,

Pat

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Specializes in M/S, Infectious Dieases, Pediatrics/NICU.

In the hospital I work in NJ, if you go to ICU the orientation is 15 weeks. Unless you come from ICU experience. I am currently in Peds and am thinking of jumping to ICU after I get my PALS and a few more months in. I want to be a trauma nurse (flight nurse in my ideal dreams.) so need to get use to Peds.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.

Go for it!! I went right to ICU from graduating and I think a year is plenty of time to get acquainted with nursing to get into it. You already know the general nursing stuff so you can concentrate on critical care. The hardest part of breaking right into ICU was learning stuff I would have learned on the floor PLUS learning critical care. If you have good management and people to help you out you will definately succeed in an ICU setting. We have got some GREAT nurses from the floor and even though I have been in the ICU longer I find myself asking THEM for help! You'll do great! Good luck!

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