PICU to Adult ICU. ANY ADVICE???

[LIZPICURN]

Hi everyone. I have been a PICU RN for almost 4 years and venturing to adult ICU. I am nervous. I know it is going to be a very big change. ALL PICU's and my new Adult ICU are level 1 trauma centers, and pretty large! (My new unit is a 40 bed unit) Start in a few weeks. I know I will get an extensive orientation. Taking my ACLS in a week. Can I get any advice or some good books to brush up on assessment skills for the Critically ill adult. Thanks so much!!!

[TazziRN, RN]

Remember that your new pts will be a LOT bigger!! Seriously, one night in the ER I was expecting a multi-victim trauma, so I called for help. One of the nurses who responded was from OB. I asked her to drop a foley in one guy and she said the foley was too big. I got her a smaller one. She said that was too big. I grabbed the foley and the guy's wing-wang and pushed that sucker in. OB nurse's eyes got reeeeeal wide and she started laughing -- said "I'm used to little teeny tiny ones!!"