Hoping to be a critical care nurse

[Beary-nice]

This is my situation:

I have wanted to work in critical care since being a student PN back in the 80's, but of course in my neck of the woods...LPNs are not a common finding in critical care. Now that I am in my last semester of my ADN and I have had over 17 glorious years in many different specialties, I am wondering what else I can be doing to make my dreams come true?

I was hoping that some of you who have been in critical care since forever could give me insight on what I should be focusing on. I know I will need to go through ACLS and PALS...are there some other certifications out there I need to be looking at?

I currently work in Med-Surg, most of my experiences have been in acute care situations. I tend to think I need a couple to few years in M/S so that I can get a few things down pat. There is an ICU at the hospital where I work with a step down unit. We do have telemetry on M/S as well as pts on cardiac drips. We don't have a monitor where we can see pts telemetry readings, we rely upon ICU staff to let us know if there is a problem and vice versa. My manager in M/S is also the manager of ICU and she is aware that I would like to be a critical care nurse someday and be certified in same. I am hoping to get a preceptorship in this ICU this semester, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Sorry for the babbling, I am just looking for words of wisdom from those who know. Appreciate any feedback!!! :smilecoffeecup:

[OkieICU_RN]

In my hospital, we have a few LPN's in the ICU. 1 has been there for a very long time and the other 2 that I know of are currently in LPN to RN programs. Talk to the ICU nurse manager and see if you can move over now to the ICU to begin the orientation process. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

Don't buy what everyone else tells you. It's not necessary to work M/S before going to the ICU. They really are 2 different places. Get used to the ICU equipment and the higher acuity patients now rather than later.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

If you want to go to ICU as an RN - I say go for it. Many hospitals hire new grad RNs to their ICUS all the time. Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming graduation.

[Beary-nice]

Thank you OkieICU RN and traumaRUs for your responses!

If I see something come up job wise for ICU, I am going for it. I will find out a few more details though, because I am pretty sure the last time I approached my manager about my desire, she told me I needed ACLS and PALS. I get to float to ICU on occasion when they need help, and those times have been a challenge to me, which I like. I do know one new grad that was hired to the ICU last summer, and she had no previous nursing experience prior, so I guess anything is possible looking at the scheme of things.

Thanks again for your help and encouragement!