shylite

Hi I am responding to your question about going to the MICU vs. CCU. I think it really depends on what you are looking for in reference to experience. I think that both areas are good to start in prior to going to the ED but I feel that the MICU will give you the most experience. In the MICU that I work in at a teaching hospital we end up getting all service patients. You see all types of different illnesses. This will help you to be more broad with your nursing career. I don't know alot about the CCU but they do get some overflow but at our hospital it is not many medicine patients. We send our overflow medicine patients to another ICU such as SICU,Trauma. The MICU is very busy though and they generally get some of the more sick patients that they don't know what is wrong with them. The majority of our patients are intubated but you do have times when there are people in there that are able to talk with you but sometimes that is really good because you can get to know that patient a little better.

I agree with the last person. When a suicidal patient is in the hospital they become our responsibility. They obviously most times are not coherent, irritational and are not in a competent state to make their own decisions. When they become competent by way of the Psychiatrist or the court system all we can do is cover ourselves with documentation. At my hospital if there is a suicide within the hospital it is of course investigated to be sure that everything was on the up and up.

As a seasoned nurse I don't ask the family to assist with any procedure. As an RN you are solely reliable for what happens to the patient. If that fall had also caused the patient some harm then that would be another problem. There are too many people available to assist with procedures. We never know how a family member is going to respond to procedures. They do not see these things on a daily basis as we do. The CRNA should be held responsible.

I was wondering if you have started any of the process of joining the FBI. I am very interested in applying. I am currently taking a Forensic Nursing course on line and I feel this can help the process. I would just like to know how you really got started. I believe a nurse could be very beneficial to there area. As nurses we can help with the care and may be able to see that other medical issues may be going on with a victim or criminal. Sometimes their medical problems is the cause of why they may be doing something wrong. They may be just seeking for help.