New nurse in ICU and I hate it...please help!

[LauraRN1]

I'm three months in to my first job as an RN in the ICU...night shift of course. And I absolutely hate it. I had 6 weeks of orientation and I just don't feel like I know how to take care of my patients. I feel like I've already forgotten so much that I learned in school. I never had a real interest in ICU, I just applied for the position as I was considering CRNA school (which I've now decided against). What I dislike: feeling overwhelmed and underprepared, needing help to do anything for my patient besides giving meds and basic assessments, working night shift, the acuity of the patients and all the drips/ventilators. I am so depressed and but I just don't feel like I can leave. First of all, I don't think it's professional to leave a job after just a few months and I don't think I'd have an easy time finding something else since when the only nursing experience I'll have had is just three months. I'd really like something with less stress and where I can work days. In school I really enjoyed clinicals at the health department and home health/hospice. I don't know if I should try to tough this out for a year and then try to move into one of those other areas or if I should just start trying now. I'm just so unhappy right now and even though everyone says it takes a year to feel comfortable in ICU, I just don't know if I'm cut out for it. Any advise? I'd appreciate any that I can get.

[NewPICURN]

I too am a new grad in an ICU. I go to work anxious everyday over what assignment I might have, but everyday is a new learning opportunity about a new disease process or situation that I might face. It's very mentally and emotionally taxing to start here, but I feel that it will be beneficial in the experience gained in the end. It might help to think of it as an opportunity to gain experience and perspective for future patients. If you are going into hospice, those people might have had stays in the ICU and you can use your experience to know just the kind of things that they DON'T want that they were getting there. I have always known since I started working in my unit as a tech in school that it's where I wanted to be. It scares me all the time, because I know that there will be situations where I'm unprepared and will have to act and think quickly, but it will be one more situation that I'll be prepared for the next time. I also lean heavily on my fellow experienced RNs at work. They are like TREASURES to me and I hope that with enough practice I can reach their level! I hope this has been some encouragement. HANG IN THERE!

From a fellow new grad ICU nurse!

[fsh1986]

I can't believe you only got six weeks for ICU. I'm taking a position on a med surg telemetry floor and I've got a 4-6 preceptorship at a teaching hospital, THEN a 3 month orientation to the floor. I would request to be moved to a different floor and as someone else said, bring up the subject of patient safety, and that you absolutely do not feel 6 weeks orientation is enough for a critical care unit. That's ridiculous. I don't think anyone would feel safe on their own after just 6 weeks.

[Awesomemiss]

I agree. I've bee an RN for three years, 2 med surg, 1 step down unit, tele.... And it's still a huge deal for me, AND I WANT TO BE THERE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING NIGHTS FOR THREE YEARS AND I LIKE IT!!!

Don't take this personally, because I don't even know you personally, = ) but here is the part you missed first and foremost: your pt safety should be your number concern not what you think is an appropriate amount of time for staying in a job. Period.

BUT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM, AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN IN THIS POST IF YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT. It really is hard to see the forest through the trees sometimes. It's embarrassing, demeaning, and uncomfortable to say any of this to your nm or whoever..... But if you approach it with confidence, like it would be THIER problem if they didn't get it, then it may be easier for you. Example: An ortho surgeon who refuses to write orders on cardiac meds don't act like they are incompetent or say sorry, they get the hospitalist consult!

[PatMac10,RN, RN]

You should have been given a more extensive orientation. I've never heard (not yo say they arent out there) of a critical care orientations as than 12 or 13 weeks. Mine, in all, will be 20 weeks for the CVICU, as is standard with all new grads!