New Nurses Working in Critical Care

Annaiya, NP · Jul 29, 2013

You will do great, don't worry about it! If you managed a 4.0 in school I have no doubt you'll commit the same time and effort to your new job. The ICU is a hard place to start for reasons that are different from floor nursing but I don't think it is any harder overall and in the end you'll be a better nurse for it. If you browse the ICU forums here you'll find other threads talking about things to do to help during the orientation process.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2013

Hopefully you will have an extensive orientation process. I know I did, and even so, I spent the better part of a year feeling terrified. Learn from the amazing experienced nurses around you. Be open to constructive criticism, and make it your goal to ultimately be able to not only react to crises appropriately, but be able to anticipate and therefore head off problems before they occur.

Good luck!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2013

First: Don't handicap yourself by being overwhelmed, nervous, or terrified. Put those words out of your vocabulary.

Second: While most ICUs won't hire new grads, a really big one can absorb one or two from time to time to raise them up in good habits, so to speak. They know what they're doing in this process.

You should have plenty of people watching you, supporting you, and teaching you. Be a sponge. Soak it all up.

gscervan · Jul 30, 2013

Thank you all for your replies and encouraging words! I am lucky to already know a few people who work on the unit and in the hospital (including a family member) so I know I will have plenty of support and know where to go with questions!

CountyRat · Jul 31, 2013

Figure out who the best nurses are in the unit, watch and listen, and follow their examples.

KimAydelotte · Jul 31, 2013

Yes, mentoring is one of the best practices in an ICU. It IS a difficult first start for a new grad. Mostly because you have no feel yet for what is normal is a hospitalized patient. That's what you get on the floor, time to learn organization of care, time management, normal problems of patients, the occassional difficult patient. I started in a busy Labor and Delivery, then switched to a major surgical floor. Great experience in variety. When i went to ICU WAS overwhelmed at times with the intensity, the life & death issues, families in distress, dysfunctional families in distress. Had to develope a philosphy on death as it is a definite issue in ICU. It can be really scary dealing with the new technologies, medications, social/fmaily issuses. A wise RN's response when I asked he, "Will I EVER be as calm as you?", was, "It just takes time". And this is so. That and a great orientation/mentorship program in the unit. We are a tight ship in our ICU and reassure our new grads, "we will not let you drown". NEVER be afraid to ask for help, and ALWAYS look up new meds, diseases. Take every class you can to upgrade your skills. Keep eyes open and watch other nurses you admire, they have years under their belt. And if you're in a unit with a recent big turn around with new staff, have a place you can debrief after stress, learn to take deep breaths to stay calm, smile, your patients will be very reassured, and be willing to help all. Will get many new, fantastic exzperiences. It IS tough to be a new grad on the unit, but not impossible, and it can be wonderfully rewarding!! Good luck!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2014

Hey, OP -- whats the update? This is like "Stump The Chumps" on Car Talk....did we get it right?

hdyoung · Mar 7, 2014

I'm in the same position as you! I'm a new grad and I just got hired on a SICU unit! I haven't started yet, but I'm trying to see what I can do in the interim, maybe look in to a great ICU book? I'm so extremely scared, but so very excited!! I hope things are going well for you!

FutureCRNA?, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2014

The book "The ICU Book" is really, really good. I'm going through it now in hopes of being hired in the ICU after graduation in May.