tlwbombera

You do a lot more than just my silly little ICU does from the sound of it! I feel embarrassed to say that I have ICU experience sometimes.

Don't forget to feed your patients! Lol this was one of my issues switching to dayshift (we do not have a tech in our ICU). The trays aren't delivered to the rooms and if I was working on the other side of the unit and didn't notice it, I would always miss the cart lol.

I am writing to validate some feelings that I have about my experience thus far in the ICU and looking for some input from all of you as well. A little less than two years ago I started my nursing journey as a new grad directly in a community hospital ICU. I did a bridge/grad program to start simulation and skills checkoffs for ICU competency. In hindsight of everything that I have learned, I feel as though I would be a sub-par candidate for an ICU job in the future that would be more challenging. I say this because my hospital is limited in its specialties and we are not too far from a Trauma center that takes the bulk of many specialties. My experience is limited to CVP monitoring, sepsis patients, cardiac gtts, DKA, post-op, and basic medical ICU patients. I missed the era of the "Swan Ganz" - have never used one - and we do not have an onsite intensivist. There is pressure on our staff to become CCRN certified - which can be done, however, I feel that I would not be living up to the title especially if I was to apply to a bigger scarier hospital lol. Are there any of you who feel this way? Does anyone feel that what is available at their hospital limit their learning? There are a few ICU nurses whom I work with that have 10+ years on who take extreme pride in themselves for their knowledge - and some have a boasting amount for what we have to offer in our unit - but for some, I feel like we aren't where we should be.. I feel like a glorified PCU nurse most days of the week and some days I get lucky to have a ventilated patient. 18 bed unit full of Baker-Acts and downgrades half the time. I need to grow but I feel limited in my skills for even applying at CVICU, ICU, TICU in the neighboring towns. Its intimidating. Thoughts?