kcollins45

Mike, Yes! I am actually just finishing my last week of orientation and I start on my own next week. Fastest 8 weeks of my life. Its been a big change, I really am enjoying the ICU setting over my previous med/surg/ortho background. There is so much more help and cohesiveness it seems. One thing I would recommend freshening up on is swan-ganz catheters. This was something I remembered learning in school and just kind of tucked in the back of my mind. The first time I had one I had a hard time remembering its purpose. Definitely familiarize yourself with levo, epi, dopamine, dobutamine, fentanyl, precedex, and propofol. Those are the most common drips I have seen this far. And the last thing I would recommend is get used to hemodynamics: cardiac output, cardiac index, and SVR in particular. I hope this helps! These are just the things I wish I would have looked up better before starting. Good luck to you, and congratulations as well!

Hello all, Some background, I have 2 years experience on a mainly ortho floor with some telemetry for patients with post-op complications. VERY small ortho dedicated hospital. I loved my job but found myself yearning for more, I always felt like I wasn't taking full advantage of my education in this position. Fast forward to now, I have accepted a position in the cardiothoracic ICU at a large level 1 trauma center hospital. I have finished "corporate" orientation and begin working with my preceptor in 3 days. I am VERY excited but so nervous because I know that it is going to be a steep learning curve and feeling a bit crazy making this huge change. I have been studying in my own time, reviewing vasoactive drips and trying to prepare myself in any way possible. I'm just looking for anyone who has been in a similar situation or anyone who has any words of advice about going in to the ICU. Much thanks!

Hello everyone! I am a very conflicted nursing student. I am entering my final semester of my undergraduate degree in nursing (BSN). I am currently working for a hospital near where I live and am being hired in as an RN once I graduate. I am 100% sure that I want to go back to school and get my graduate degree. I am 90% sure that I want to be an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. My question for all of you is if I should practice as an RN for a few years or begin getting my degree now while I am still willing? Here is a list of pros and cons I can think of. Please feel free to add and tell me your opinion! Pros for going to graduate school now: 1. I am willing, young, have the energy, have no kids, and have hardly any other responsibilities besides my dog. 2. I will be working as an RN full time while I go back to school part time to get my graduate degree, so I will be getting experience as I go to school for about 3 years. 3. Cons: 1. What if I change my mind about what kind of nurse practitioner I want to be? 2. Will going back to school make my transition into nursing harder? 3. Am I too young to make this decision? (I am 21) 4. I am already pretty burned out on schooling Please feel free to leave your opinions, I am very open to any suggestions you may have. My fear is that if I don't go back now and do it, I never will.

Hello everyone! I am a very conflicted nursing student. I am entering my final semester of my undergraduate degree in nursing (BSN). I am currently working for a hospital near where I live and am being hired in as an RN once I graduate. I am 100% sure that I want to go back to school and get my graduate degree. I am 90% sure that I want to be an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. My question for all of you is if I should practice as an RN for a few years or begin getting my degree now while I am still willing? Here is a list of pros and cons I can think of. Please feel free to add and tell me your opinion! Pros for going to graduate school now: 1. I am willing, young, have the energy, have no kids, and have hardly any other responsibilities besides my dog. 2. I will be working as an RN full time while I go back to school part time to get my graduate degree, so I will be getting experience as I go to school for about 3 years. 3. Cons: 1. What if I change my mind about what kind of nurse practitioner I want to be? 2. Will going back to school make my transition into nursing harder? 3. Am I too young to make this decision? (I am 21) 4. I am already pretty burned out on schooling Please feel free to leave your opinions, I am very open to any suggestions you may have. My fear is that if I don't go back now and do it, I never will.