New, ICU, and Older Too!

Bijou-Spice · Jul 16, 2005

coffee_anyone

Would you mind sharing some first year wisdom on how to succeed and be happy in critical care during the first year?

I am two weeks from my start date in CCU and I am getting more and more panicky! I don't mind working hard and studying after work, but I don't think I have the skills to handle critical care. Had you done many IV's and NG tubes during NS? (For me no NG and only one IV!!!!) I know the type of preceptor I get will make a difference, but right now all I can imagine is someone speaking to me with distaste because I KNOW NOTHING! I know this is not very mature for someone my age! Normally I am confident, but now with people's lives in my hands I know I have a HUGE responsibility to know what I am doing!

So any hints on how you found success and happiness would be appreciated!

Thanks, Bijou-Spice

coffee_anyone · Jul 16, 2005

Bijou-Spice ~

Sure, I can share some of my thoughts and advice... like I said though, I feel like I've been in a fog though due to my parents death. My mom died at the beginning of my last semester of school and my dad died just about 2 months into my new job and 4 days before I took my NCLEX exam - I'm still not sure how I managed to pass that!

Anyway ~ whoever your preceptor is - and hopefully it's someone you feel you can relate to - be honest. Let them know what you've done and haven't done, even if you've only put in 1 IV before - let them know. I really just think that the open, honest approach is best. Let them know that you only have book knowledge on placing an NG tube or foley... You will probably want to watch it a time or two before you do it - I know where I work they use some different products then what we learned on in the nursing lab. When you do something on your patient for the first time - it's okay to ask the preceptor to be there with you - but don't let the patient know that you've never done it before. I got this little flip book, it's like the RN Notes... only it for Emergency/ICU nurses and has the ACLS info in it too. I find it very helpful. I bought my first copy in a bookstore, left it in a patients room and I think a family member helped themselves to it (they may not have realized they took it) - I've searched high and low to find it again and had to purchase it online. You may find it helpful too. I got in on Amazon and you can search it by: ACLS, Emergency & Critical Care pocket guide - it's by Paula Derr and by Informed - I've found it to be extremely helpful with the drugs specific to ICU, the pathways for ACLS, lab information, 12-lead, neuro, and it even has basic meds. I remember the first time I went into a patients room to do a 12-lead EKG... I kept thinking... where do these leads go... I sort-of knew, but not exactly and I didn't want anyone to have to question me because the EKG came out odd looking... so I had this book (it's pocket size) and I decided to see if it was in there, for the heck of it, and it was... I opened it, placed it on the machine (so the pt. didn't see) and was very confident in placing my leads.

In NS I didn't have much practice with anything except those plastic dummies in the lab. On patients I did 2 IV's, 1 foley and no NG tubes. I've since done many IV's and foley's, but only 1 NG tube.

Just remember to be honest about what you haven't done or haven't had much practice/experience in and don't be aftraid to ask questions. You will find yourself asking a lot of questions and probably feeling bad for so many questions... don't - it's good to ask. And remember to take the cap off the NG tube syringe before you check placement or push a med in... it can be messy. :chuckle

Also... very important - keep in touch with those you were friendly with in school. You'll want to talk to each other just to validate your feelings of awkwardness... and you will feel that - you should and it's okay, you'll get over it.

Good Luck! :nurse:

Bijou-Spice · Jul 16, 2005

coffee_anyone...thanks so much for the advice and I really want to apologize for my my thoughtlessness! I had really meant to extend my thoughts to you about losing both of your parents before I went into my whine about what I needed! So sorry!

I am fortunate to at my age still have both of my parents, but have gone through several serious health issues with my dad and I know how rough this was. So I am so sorry you have lost both of your parents. I can not even imagine this. I am also amazed you survive and passed! the NCLEX after all of this, I have to believe you were meant to be in critical care! I would be a puddle on the floor to have gone through all of this!

Best wishes to you and continued success in ICU!

rach_nc_03 · Jul 16, 2005

I was hoping to find a forum for new nurses like myself. I just graduated with my BSN in May and passed boards in June. I was hired into an ICU/CVU/PCU position and am now in orientation. The thing that I think is a bit unusual in my case is that I will be 45 next month and my previous full time job for the past 23 years has been mom to my three kids.
Is there anyone out there who is just starting out and a late bloomer like me?

i'm 33, a new grad, and just started my PICU position last week. this is my 3rd career (worked as a musician, then in the corporate world), and i feel like my life experience is going to help get me through this first awkward year.

best of luck to all of us!

nursepotter05, RN · Jul 16, 2005

I am 29 years old. I was not the oldest person in my graduating class, however I was close. I passed my boards on 7-14 in 75. I worked full time the entire time I was in nursing school and graduated with a 3.953 G.P.A. I had to work because my husband does not make very good money at his job, and my family counted on my income. I did factory work for eight years before going back to nursing school.

I started my job this past Monday 7-11. I got hired at a Children's Hospital. They do a new grad program called a pediatric nurse residency. i floeat through all the units for 10 weeks. Then, they have "draft day", where you pick your 2 favorite units and you get drafted to one. Then you do 12-16 weeks orientation on the unit. Anyway, most of the other PNR's are really young. I think I am one of the oldest three peolpe there. I did worry about that when I interviewed because I was afraid I would not get picked because I am not young, cute, and little (i am overweight). However, I got in on merit. I think that age isn't going to matter, especially during a shortage!!

coffee_anyone · Jul 16, 2005

Bijou-Spice... no need to apologize, really. It's been a very difficult year... but all is well, most of the time. And, yes, I've been a puddle a time or two.

I just realized that some of what I wrote was probably very basic stuff ~ sorry, just some little things I experienced.

Good Luck with your new job and I would love to hear how it goes. I'm sure you'll be great!