Redeployed to ITU and hating it

Specialties MICU

Published

The specialist Plastics ward I had worked on for the last 7 years was recently shut down by the NHS Trust I work for (I'm in the UK) and the only alternative post I was offered was in critical care which I know nothing about.

After 2 weeks on the Unit I find I absolutely detest the place and I really dread going to work. My surgical and wound-care skills are now useless and I'm overwhelmed with a whole lot of new information.

The UK job market is currently in a very difficult state. Most London hospitals have a recruitment freeze due to lack of funds so securing a post elsewhere is nearly impossible.

Please someone tell me how to survive in Critical Care, a job I neither chose nor want until I can get the hell out of there!

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Yeah well thanks for your non-advice.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

So, you're upset because people didn't respond within the hour?

If you hate the ICU, find another job. If you can't get another job, then figure out how to like it.

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

I live in the us and I have worked in TSICU and ER (Trauma/surgical intensive care unit/emergency room) a long time and I love it if you dont like it find something else or learn to like it and wait till youve been there a while.:nono:

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I DID mention the job freeze? Most UK Trusts are no longer taking on new staff.

I'm stuck with a post I loathe.

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At any rate count me out of the miserable technologies that extend a life that has come to a natural conclusion to the torture of a ventilator and inatropes.

Go into that gently.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Does your hospital offer you a critical care class and orientation to your new role? I am in the US so I don't know how you do things in the UK. You can always see if you can tansfer out of that unit and find something you like better.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
At any rate count me out of the miserable technologies that extend a life that has come to a natural conclusion to the torture of a ventilator and inatropes.

Go into that gently.

Yea, those dumb families who love the patient and just want to have them live. Sheesh!

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Specializes in ICU.

Seeing as how you seem to have ethical issues with the area, i suggest you leave and find other work. I would not want my nurse to loathe her job and have my care be lacking because of it especially in such a high acuity area. Critical care is not for everyone. And a hundred people are not going to apply to your post in just over an hour, give it a few days to see who responds.

Sheesh

Cher

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Specializes in ICU.

Perhaps it would benifit you in the meantime, seeing as there is a hiring freeze and all, to start focusing on the great things about ICU. Not every patient on a ventilator and Inotrops is supposed to die. And even the ones that we think are, aren't. Who hasn't had that patient that we swore was only leaving on the velvet trolly with elvis come back a few months later baring chocolat and thankyou cards, and walking around very much ALIVE. Granted, yes, some of them are supposed to go, so find pupose in that, if nothing else. Advocate for them, help their families uderstand that we can't save every life, and that sometimes, it's just better to let them go, and then help those patients to die with digity, and help their families to not feel guilt over it, and find comfort in knowing they did what was right. ICU isn't about saving every life.

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Hugs to you MVH119.

My NHS hospital did this to us 2 years ago. They closed down our medical ward and redeployed us. I ended up on a surgical ward (i hadn't taken care of a surgical patient since nursing school). My first day on my new surgical ward I was the only RN on duty that shift. So much for orientation. The **** hit the fan basically.

I don't think some of the other posters on this thread can get their heads around the differences between the US and the UK causing them to be a bit negative.

In the US there isn't any nationwide hiring freezing. If you don't like the hospital you are at you can apply to the one down the road, or an hour away. You can commute a little further if you want to. Gasoline is actually affordable there. I really think things are much, much, much more limited in the UK as far as jobs. But it might be hard for someone who has never lived over here to grasp. I think that is why you got some negative responses.

I am really sorry to hear that you ended up in critical care. When they closed my medical ward down and I ended up in surgical I hated it. But you have made a much bigger jump from plastics to ITU.

After a year on that surgical ward they did re-open my medical ward so things turned out all right. Is that a possibility in your trust?

Unfortunately they have now announced that they are closing 2 wards at my hospital at the end of the month and rumour is that it will be the medical wards. I am terrified about where I am going to end up working without orientation. I know from experience that I won't get orientation. But if I want to pay my mortgage then I have to do it. One job did come up on the children's ward at my hospital and they had 574 applicants. There are no other vacancies AT ALL.

I hope things work out for you. Hopefully another job will come up, in the mean time.....hang in there.

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No it isn't. And it seems to me to be spending thousands of pounds on hopeless cases, This is the UK, there is a finite budget.

Just because we CAN dosen't mean we SHOULD.

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