MICU vs. SICU/STICU

RN1982 · Dec 25, 2008

I like surgical ICU because for the most part, patients don't seem to stay very long. We see a lot of interesting things like the traumas, patients being opened up at bedside etc.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 25, 2008

what are the differences between nursing in the micu vs. sicu/sticu? in your opinion, is there one that is better than the other? if so, why?

sicu patients tend to have had surgery; micu patients tend to be treated by medicine doctors, not surgeons. the implications for this is that sicu patients (unless you're in a major, tertiary teaching hospitals that does all the cases no one else will touch) started out with better protoplasm. they're younger/healthier and tend to recover faster. the advantage to a nurse is rapid turnover, frequently interesting surgeries and procedures at the bedside. the disadvantage is that you don't get to know your patients as well.

micu patients have medical problems -- often several going on at once. they tend to be less healthy when they land in micu, and therefore tend to stay longer. the micu at a large university teaching hospital tends to be full of infected, chronically ill patients who aren't going anywhere very quickly. the advantage to the nurse is that because the patients stay longer, you have a better chance to get to know them and their families. the disadvantage is that many of your patients become "chronics" -- they're not as exciting as the really, really sick patient who rolls back from surgery but who recovers quickly.

it's all in what you prefer. i started out in micu/ccu and now work in sicu and i think there are positives and negatives to both types of units. if you've never worked icu before (and it sounds like you haven't) my advice is to pick an icu where the unit culture is supportive, the orientation is the best you can find and the manager is someone you can respect. after you have some nursing experience (and icu experience) you may find that you naturally gravitate toward either the medical or the surgical side over the other.

good luck.

brandiyund · Mar 24, 2009

micu+dead people....sicu/tsicu+ people that may die but could live LOL