New Graduates In The Icu?

Specialties MICU

Published

Should new graduates be able to work in the ICU? Do they have the experience to make critical decisions? How long should they have to work on a general med-surg floor before being allowed to work ICU?

This is a valid reason to start in ICU. You should know in first year whether you are cut out or if thing become easier. I have a question or two related to this post.

If someone has ulterior motives for starting in ICU do they put this on their application/resume? What hospital would hire someone, then train them only for them to leave for graduate school in 3 years or so? This would mean that those people wanting to go this route might want to keep a low profile on their own ambitions? True or not?

Some new nurses want to go into ICU/ER because it is a requirement for application into some C.R.N.A. and P.A. programs. (Don't flame me!!)

I certainly wouldn't want to spend a year or even six months in med-surg if my ultimate goal was to get into a C.R.N.A. program. (times awastin for us "nontraditional" students!). I wonder if some hospitals take long term goals of the nurse into consideration when placing them.

Just a thought....

This is a valid reason to start in ICU. You should know in first year whether you are cut out or if thing become easier. I have a question or two related to this post.

If someone has ulterior motives for starting in ICU do they put this on their application/resume? What hospital would hire someone, then train them only for them to leave for graduate school in 3 years or so? This would mean that those people wanting to go this route might want to keep a low profile on their own ambitions? True or not?

I am in the same boat as the person with crna or np aspirations....I agree that this is a valid reason to get into ICU. I am just coming out of school and have a few options for ICU.

as musky said, keep a low profile with those plans.

they spend alot of time and money training people for ICU and they surely dont wanna do it "in vein" haha get it, see i did not even mean to be funny:nuke:

Specializes in CRNA.

Well, like others have said, I believe that new grads in the ICU all depends on the orientation given....I started out in a general ICU @ a community hospital with absolutely zilch healthcare experience...talk about stressful! My orientation was only 3 months and luckily I was able to stick it out and become a capable ICU nurse. Others in my orientation group (new grads and those with experience) ended up leaving either during orientation or within 6 months. I am now in a level 1 SICU after a little over a year of general ICU experience, but if I had to do it all over again, I might have felt more confident starting out on med/surg or tele...my orientation was lacking and it was recently improved for all new grads after me, so I definitely got the short end of the stick! I would advise all new grads looking to go into ICU to VERY carefully search for a great (not just good) orientation that will allow them to grow as RNs.

I'm not even in Nursing school yet {starting in one week} but I am trying to gain a grasp on what is is to be an ICU nurse and common misconceptions about the intensity of it {which I do know that there is and some new nurses do not realize.} I have no previous hospital experience and I'll probably be 31 when I start working.

I am highly motivated and ambitious since reading this-- I learned a bit-- I plan to work as an NT in ICU as soon as I am eligible, and work really hard in school to fully understand basic patient care. I see where having med-surge under your belt may be advantageous if only for 6 mos. but I also realize that there have been new grads that become great ICU nurses depending on their learning style, motivation and comprehensive abilities. I too have ambitions to be a CRNA but I will not disclose this information until I am literally out of the door. {This I have learned from CRNA threads}.

You all have been helpful to me as a pre-nursing student and now I am aware of some of the concerns that veteran nurses have... some of the issues expressed by new grad ICU nurses... some of the reasons why ICU can be problematic to a grad nurse with no prev hospital exp... and some things that can be done to possible alleviate the issues and make the transition from new grad to fully functional ICU nurse easier for everyone.

Specializes in Critical Care.

i went to the ICU fresh out of school and i like to think i am managing well. I do see other new grads there that are scared or too intimidated to ask questions and yes that is scary. I personally am glad that I went to the ICU first b/c I knew thats what I wanted to do. Its been exactly a year now and I still have a lot to learn, but advice to others considering, I would say DO NOT be scared to ask questions, and if something doesn't look right you need to trust your intuition and get the CN to just confirm. thats how I do it, and so far so good.

Specializes in Not too many areas I haven't dipped into.
I can't get past the feeling that a new grad has enough on their plate just learning the basics of practice, without the added stress of the ICU. There are lots of pros and cons to this, lots of opinions, and sure, some people do fine. But I think there's so much to learn to start with... people consistently underestimate the difficulty of the job, both technically and emotionally. I tell the new kids that it's "right up there with nuclear submarine", which is quite true - and they always laugh, as though it couldn't possibly be so. It is. Doesn't mean they can't do it - but I was never sorry I worked the floors first.

I started out by "paying my dues". Looking back on it, I am not so sure that I thought it was the best way to do it or if I was just to afraid to jump right in...lol.

I started out as a nursing assistant, then RN and I took baby steps along the way and added to my knowledge base:

Long term care

rehab and restorative

infection control

med-surg

telemetry

transplant

ICU

I think, for me, it was the best choice since it gave me the baby steps that I felt I needed either out of lack of confidence or just because I am so anal!

Well I have to agree that experience is necessary. I am a new grad but have over 20 years medical experience, the last 4 being in the ER as an EMT. I graduated in May and started in the SICU. Precepting is everything. If you don't have a good one you are in trouble. That is what has been happening to me. I know the tasks on how to get things done. But thank god I had the critical thinking part down already with past experience, otherwise I would be up a creek.:nurse:

I have worked in a Nuero/Med ICU for over a year now, fresh out of school, and in retrospect I have to agree with RNFELICITY when she refers to"baby steps". Thankfully, I had 16 weaks with various preceptors, and my colleagues were and still are, very cognitive of my lack of experience, otherwise I could have easily done more harm than good. I'm not sure this was the best way to cut my teeth in nursing. I have to say though, when your on your third month of mandatory OT, that new grad coming out of orientation starts looking pretty good.

+ Add a Comment