Opinions needed!

lowski · Jun 29, 2005

I have to agree with what they are saying. I strongly suggest at least 2 years of Med/Surg but with your experience...I would recommend 1 year. You won't regret it and you will have a broader knowledge base for your other position.

begalli · Jun 30, 2005

"do you think I am making the right decision to work on this unit instead of completing med-surg first for 1 year?"

Do the step-down unit. Years ago, I was a new grad who went right into CVICU. Now I precept new grads into the CVICU.

You will find that the answers you get will be split almost 50/50. I stongly advocate you doing what you are drawn to. With the right orientation and support you will learn so much to prepare you for where you want to end up.

I say if you want to work in CCU, but you don't feel comfortable starting there, the next best place to start would be a step-down like you mention.

Go for it!

Good luck!!

p.s. if you look through the critical care threads (here and on med/surg intensive care forums) you will find many threads on this topic.

1017sharonrn2003 · Jun 30, 2005

When I graduated from Nursing school, I swore I'd never be a M/S nurse. I really wanted to specialize, but all that was avalible was M/S. Many nurses told me that M/S was the place to start, at leaast 1 year. You know what, they were right. I'm so glad I've worked the last 2 years in M/S. No matter where you go, you can take it with you. M/S is every where. It's never a wast of time and I feel it helped me to see the whole picture in health care. I don't think I would have been as well rounded without it. I have also met nurses who started in a speciality and have never worked M/S, they have told me that they regret not having a M/S background. I think you can do well either way you chose, but I strongly recomend M/S for at least one year. I hope this helps. Sharon

candyndel · Jun 30, 2005

I listened to "them", too and did MS for a year, then step down for another year and hated both. (It was worse than clinicals in nursing school!!)

We get brand new grads who kick butt in the ED, but then we get ICU RNs, floor RNs, and ex-paramedics who dont make it. You are totally making the right decision. Go for it and act like a sponge during your orientation.

I am a new nurse graduate who have taken boards and passed. My ultimate goal is to obatin a position on a CCU. At this time I don't feel I am ready to a take that Plunge, so I have accepted a position in a pre and post procedure unit, where I did my praticum. This unit primarily deals with patients who are post cardiac cath, angiogram, liver biopsy, parancetesis and so on. The floor is also an overflow unit, they accept patients from ICU and ER who are not quite ready for the floor (step down).The orientaion and training will be the same as CCU's. I will be ACLS certified upon completion. I am very nervous and anxious about this position, mostly becasue of what I have read from experinced nurses on this website, they all seem to say the same thing, "DO 1 YEAR OF MED-SURG FIRST". I worked part-time as a PCT on a ortho/neuro medsurg floor, my last year in nursing school and I loved the floor, but I really wanted to specialize in cardiac nursing.......... So my question is, "do you think I am making the right decision to work on this unit instead of completing med-surg first for 1 year?"

framps · Aug 13, 2005

"do you think I am making the right decision to work on this unit instead of completing med-surg first for 1 year?"

I recently started my nursing career in the CTICU. I have a strong background...BSN, previous BS in exercise physiology, EMT. I've found the experience extremely challenging, but in a positive way. There's no way I could've done "time" as a floor nurse because I have no interest in being a floor nurse.

One key ingredient to your success will be the training and education provided by hospital. The longer and more in depth the better. I was put through a critical care program, 16 hours a week for 8 weeks, in addition to basic disrhythmias, advanced disrhythmias, ACLS. The same holds true for preceptorship. Don't hesitate to ask for more time if you need it.

Best of luck!

dutchgirl · Aug 17, 2005

I hope you went with the cardiac position...our best nurse in our cardiac cath lab came right out of school. If you want to learn fast and furious, that is the way. The first year is tough anyway, why not do it where you really want to be? Good luck, and remember we all started somewhere! :stone

BadBird, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2005

I think you should take the job in the unit that you want to work in. Although you gain experience on a medsurg floor you will find that the majority of nurses don't stay on the floor. Many nurse managers try to steer new nurses to medsurg only so they have staffing. If cardiac is your passion then go for it! Many years ago nurses didn't have so many options it was just expected that you went to medsurg. Unfortunately so many leave the floors and they are always desperately short. Perhaps management needs to staff better so nurses won't leave, but that is another topic.

hrtprncss · Aug 23, 2005

hey, it depends on how eager u r, i always precept new grads and regular nurses who's been on tele floors fo a long time, sometimes and i'm sorry to regular tele nurses, it's easier to precept a new grad because they are more willing to study and learn and read, though i know it's hard for most nurses because when u get home u just want to forget about nursing, but really to be a cvticu rn alot of work needs to be put in, and new grads will just eat up everything u say and tell them to read;) so go for it, if u wanna be a unit nurse then apply, dont spend a year doing something ur not interested in

aaac · Dec 19, 2005

I did MS for 3 years and even though I hated it towards the end. I feel it provided the best base to work from. No offense to others, but if you can handle Med-surg then I believe you can handle ICU. Med-surg was the most stressful bedside nursing floor in my hospital. I think you would be well prepared to move up to ICU in a year or two. You may be new to the heart stuff but you will likely have the stress and time management under control. Plus, you deal with every body system. Most nurses who do not go to med-surg when they get out never will. So, I think it is best to get a foundation to build from when you get out. YOu will not know any better. Then when you leave, everything else will seem better and you will have a good knowledge base as well. I have co-workers who left my med-surg unit and went to ICU and said it was much easier than the med-surg unit. It is a different kind of stress. I was told to go to Med-surg when I got out and eventually hated it but do not regret it. To me, med-surg is most of nursing wrapped up into one. YOu see everything. I really believe it will take you several years to really figure out what you want to do in nursing. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do and have been a nurse for 7 years. As you get older and experience different things, you will see that things you once desire you no longer do. It is part of life. I believe iit is best to get a broad base experience before specializing. That is just my opinion. Hope it helps!

patwil73 · Dec 19, 2005

I'll post from the opposite spectrum that says no to med/surg. When i graduated nursing school I went straight into critical care -- the hospital I chose had a medical/surgical and open heart unit. I trained in all three and had a 6 month orientation. That experience has made me confident enough and trained enough to handle any position I have put my mind to as an angency nurse (home health/hospice, cardiac cath lab, telemetry, med/surg, etc). I believe you learn more and more in depth about all systems in critical care than med/surg.

For those who advocate med/surg, what do you think you learned that wasn't taught in critical care? I ask because most nurses I know that come from med/surg to cc have to be taught what I consider basic nursing (sats dropping, increase O2 up to 100% NRB, flash pulmonary edema give lasix, chest pain O2 morphine ntg, etc)

Anyway, go for what you like, just make sure that the orientation is long enough that you won't be thrown to the wolves.

Pat

aaac · Dec 19, 2005

I'll post from the opposite spectrum that says no to med/surg. When i graduated nursing school I went straight into critical care -- the hospital I chose had a medical/surgical and open heart unit. I trained in all three and had a 6 month orientation. That experience has made me confident enough and trained enough to handle any position I have put my mind to as an angency nurse (home health/hospice, cardiac cath lab, telemetry, med/surg, etc). I believe you learn more and more in depth about all systems in critical care than med/surg.
For those who advocate med/surg, what do you think you learned that wasn't taught in critical care? I ask because most nurses I know that come from med/surg to cc have to be taught what I consider basic nursing (sats dropping, increase O2 up to 100% NRB, flash pulmonary edema give lasix, chest pain O2 morphine ntg, etc)
Anyway, go for what you like, just make sure that the orientation is long enough that you won't be thrown to the wolves.
Pat

I have nothing against critical care. I just believe that if she is not wanting to jump right into critical care as she had mentioned then I would consider med-surg as a starting and transitioning point. I believe if you choose to go straight to ICU then you should go to one that offers a lot of variety and not just hearts unless you are sure that is all you want to do. I believe med-surg can somewhat prepare you for ICU with time management and being able to handle stress plus be able to manage multiple number of patients.