TJRN

I am a recent grad who went straight to the medical intensive care unit. I also heard conflicting advice from people, some saying get med-surg experience and others saying follow your heart. The thought of doing med-surg depressed me because I really do not enjoy or feel passionate about that field of nursing. I decided to follow my heart and what felt right. I have to be honest...it has been very difficult and somewhat overwhelming but what wouldn't at this point? I am soooo glad that I decided to follow my heart. I had an instructor during my last 5 weeks of school (we were doing a preceptorship/mentorship) who told me that you have to follow where your heart and your gut tell you to go, she was so right. I say if the job is available and you are excited about giving it a shot then go for it! If you don't like it you can go somewhere else. Good luck!

I am a new grad and your story is horrifying to me. It sounds like you did better than the best that you could and instead of placing that patient in danger, it seems to me that you saved his life.

That sounds so stressful, and not fair to you or your patients! Did they give you a reason for not assigning someone new for you?

I graduated in december and started straight into ICU. I am still terrified every time I go, afraid I'll miss something important or hurt someone unintentionally. The support from the rest of the staff is amazing and life-saving to me! You will be amazed at how much you will learn in just the first few days! Good luck and CONGRATS!!!

In PA you are a GN until you take your boards, after which you pass and become RN or fail and work as a CNA or nurse intern (as they call it in my factility). As a nurse intern you can do everything but pass medications. If you fail you can retake the boards in 45 days. Good luck!

It'll work out. Somehow it always does one way or another. On the bright side you are still gaining valuable experience and skills.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

I offer you my sympathy. It's so exciting to start your first job and to have the rug pulled out from under you is aweful. I graduated in December and started right into the MICU. It's scary and overwhelming but so exciting. I would recommend you speak with the HR representative and be honest about the situation, your feelings and how you believe it has been misrepresented. A friend of mine is in the midst of a similar situation and that is what she did, they worked with her and she will soon be transferred to the ER. If you follow the proper channels and are honest about how you feel and they still don't help you out then I say find another facility where you feel good about your new career. Hang in there.

Are you able to go onto your state board of nursing website and do a license search? I'm in PA, that is how we find out here.

congratulations!!!!!!!!! i just passed mine on march 14 of this year, it is such an awesome feeling!!!!!! my test had a lot of prioritization and delegation. one all that apply and zero calculation. :nurse:

Thank you so much for your encouragement. I think I do more research now than I ever did when I was in school! I try to remind myself that I didn't know how to drive a car the first time I sat behind the wheel, either. With how difficult last weekend was I am dreading going in tomorrow, hopefully it will be a confidence boosting day. It's good to hear that I dont have to know everything :0).

It helps to hear all of your comments. Is it normal to feel like school did not prepare me at all? It's hard for me to know what I should already know and what it is ok for me not to know. I feel like I should know all the normal values and all of the meds and all of the interventions...most of which I have never even heard of. I really love the environment and my coworkers have been unbelievable, which is the only reason I have not run away screaming yet. I am having nightmares, however. Our orientation is supposed to be 8 weeks but I heard through the grapevine that they are extending it. I have only been on my unit for about 2 weeks if you look at it in the sense that I only work on the weekends and have been there 15 weekend days. Rambling, sorry, thanks for your comments.

I'm a recent grad and have about 15 total orientation days on my MICU. Is anyone else out there new to critical care and/or nursing in general and feelig wayyyyy in over your head?

I graduated with my ADN in December and was hired directly into the MICU along with about 20 other new grads. I work in a big university hospital but was also told that my community hospital would consider new grads as well. If you want to do it go for it!

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and let me tell you it is so nice to see that my fears are not abnormal! To you soon-to-be-grads WAY TO GO!!!!!! I just graduated in December and felt exactly the way that you do, I was sure that something was going to happen right up to the moment of my pinning that would ruin everything. If you have made it to this point it is smooth sailing, enjoy your accomplishment!!!!