SHefner22

I think going to UCH would be very parallel to what I am doing right now. Possibly lower acuity patients from what I understand. Maybe I'm wrong. I haven't actually been to St. A's; I've only seen UCH. Sounds like the large consensus is that UCH is a better option right now given my current situation.

SummitRN- what do you know about the STICU at UCH vs the SICU or Neuro/Trauma ICU's at St. Anthony's. As a nurse with only three months experience in a multi-trauma ICU, would the ICU's at St. Anthony's be too big of a jump? Right now I am torn between a guaranteed job offer at UCH in the STICU (have to accept/decline by July 1st) and no guaranteed job offer at St. Anthony's in an ICU, but a promise that if a position is open closer to when I plan to move (September/October), they will likely make an offer. I had a skype interview with St. A's last Thursday and they were prepared to make an offer but when I told them I couldn't be out there until late Sept./Oct. they said they needed to fill the position now, and to re-apply at the end of August (with the caveat that they may not have the same positions available that they do now...Full times days in either the SICU or N/T ICU). Again: 17 months total experience, 14 months in a Trauma IMC, 3 months in a Trauma ICU at Baltimore's Shock Trauma Center. Career goals to work in a high acuity/fast paced ICU, flight nurse, and eventually Emergency Room or CRNA one day (I'm 25, I don't have it all figured out yet, haha). Thanks

Thank's, that's still very helpful. I am coming from a major teaching hospital on the east coast and I did feel very "at home" when I visited UCH. I have only ever been at teaching hospitals, so perhaps it would be a better transition if I stuck with the teaching hospital system for now since I'm already making a lot of changes by moving half way across the country. I am 25, and have only been a nurse for 17 months, so maybe I ought to stick with what I know for now, and look for a challenge in a few years? Thank you.

Wondering how thing's are going/went for you in the SICU. I was just offered a job there and am weighing is against the STICU at UC Health.

klone...I was offered a position in the SICU at St. Anthony's as well as a position in the STICU at UCH. I have seen the STICU and really liked it. I will not be able to see the SICU at St. Anthony's. Since you seem to know a lot about St. Anthony's (your username pops up on all the threads with St. Anthony's). I was hoping you had some insight. I liked the STICU @ UCH because the technology is a similar level to where I am coming from (Baltimore--Shock Trauma, Multi-trauma ICU). They also used epic which is the charting system I am most familiar with. The downside was that the pt acuity seemed pretty low, and I prefer to work in a fast-paced, high acuity setting. They are not a level I trauma, but they get post-surgical patients. What appeals to me about St. Anthony's is it's connection with EMS. My roots are in EMS and I want to fly one day. I also like that St. Anthony's in a level I trauma, among being a resource for other things like stroke, cardiac, etc. Of course, I have not been able to see the unit, so things like technology, charting systems, patient acuity, make-up of employees, etc. are a mystery to me. I am going to ask as many questions as I can during my next skype interview, but I am hoping to get insight from absolutely anywhere.