Preceptorship in the ICU

[green34]

So I am doing my preceptorship in a hospital and I want to seem some what prepared while being open to learn. I enjoyed my 2 days in the neuro ICU and burn ICU at a different hospital. I am brushing up on ICUfaqs.org like is recommended and I am wondering if there are any other tips you would recommend me to do. I am very much open to learning. I guess some of the preceptors upstairs can be hesitant to let students do stuff (last nurses I worked with at the large university were 100% open to having us do things.

It will be MICU and CCU

Another slight cause of anxiety is that I work at the same hospital in the ER. So I am not going to tell them that I work down there but they may piece it together the first time we go to pick up an admit from the ER (the ICU nurse meets the ER nurse and they transport together). I want to do well because it is some what of peers I work with.

I also picked up the Emergency and Critical Care pocketguide too and will review some of the more common drugs and drips. I like my paramedic pocket guide.

I also did take a critical care class at my school and I am ACLS certified already (along with a long list of other certs the hospital likes me to keep up for my job).

[Natural510]

It sounds like you've prepared about well as you can. I am also beginning my ICU orientation as a new grad (I worked there as a CNA during school), and picked up that Kathy Taylor critical care manual to help guide me. ALCS & all that is started during orientation. For the most part, from what I witnessed with other new nurses being oriented there, it's all about attitude...ICU nurses are extra diligent can't do "just enough" to get by as some nurses on other units might do.

[green34]

Well, it's just the final part of the nursing school. ACLS is needed for my job downstairs (have to renew it at the end of August since the other dates available all happen to be on clinical days this semester and it expires in December).

I am super nervous though. I really want to do well.