Not RN yet....ICU some day??

[mel1977]

I just graduated from an LPN program in July. I take my boards sept 30. I plan on getting my RN sooner rather than later and am very interested in Neuro ICU.

I have worked for a physical med and rehab facility since 1998 with an emphasis on TBI. I love my brain injuries and do well with stroke too. ICU intrigues me and the draw is one on one care-giving all I can to a small number of patients while I am there, hopefully making a difference in their day-no matter how small it may be.

Having worked with TBI for a while, does this background help with my future desires to work ICU? I am told I am pretty smart and "get" TBI. Granted, we get them after you all have made them stable and pretty much kept them alive. I get to see them walk, talk, eat and go home when they came to us with traches, gtubes, IVs, foleys, semi-comatose and what not.

There is so much knowledge that goes into that kind of care-what can you pass along my way? It helps that my mother is a primary TBI RN and has been for 25 years so I have been around brain injuries atleast that long-my step father was the spinal cord primary nurse. I had great mentors.

Anyway, this is kinda choppy but I'd love to hear what you all love and hate about ICU and any suggestions to pass my way.

Thank you!

[augigi, CNS]

I love the challenge of anticipating every need your patient cannot tell you about.

Do not minimize the knowledge and experience you will bring to ICU - it is a totally different perspective, but just as valuable as immediate post-injury care. The main difference I guess is that in ICU you are focused on "What can kill my patient this shift?". You are looking at a systematic effect of their injury on their whole body, not just minimizing their head injury or maximising their outcome.

[mel1977]

thank you! I love to hear others talk about their specialties. I never thought of ICU that way before-I appreciate the feedback. See, learning already :)