Newbie needs advice

kids · Mar 11, 2003

What sort of patients are cared for on the RCU you will be working on? I ask because it can be a fairly broad term. The RCU I worked on for 3 years was 90% vents, both long term as residential care and short term for weanings or terminal.

BSNfromMCN · Mar 11, 2003

Dear kids-r-fun,

I was told that there are some on vents, COPDers, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, trach pts., etc. The Nurse Manager said the patients come from ICU, nursing homes, home, and other units and are discharged to skilled care, nursing homes, home, or other units. It seems like there is a pretty broad mix of patients.

Thanks for replying!

kc ccurn · Dec 11, 2003

Hi,

This sounds like an excellent opportunity for you, especially if you want to eventually end up in ICU. I've worked ICU for almost 12 years, started as a new grad right out of school. This position, and by now you've been in it for a while, is an excellent opportunity for you to get experience with vented patients. I'm going to assume they are trached if they are on a vent outside of ICU. You will be able to practice and perfect your assessment skills, especially your respiratory assessment skills. After you graduate, you will use these skills no matter what area you go into.

Hope everything is going well!

Kris RN, BSN

CCU

needdynurse · Aug 27, 2004

Hi all! I am in my junior year of a BSN program and will be graduating May 04. I just accepted a position as a Nurse Extern/Tech in a Respiratory Unit. I will be working full time over the summer and every other weekend my last year of school. I guess I'm just looking for advice as to what to expect, any hints or tips, etc.
I think I am interested in ICU or stepdown and was directed to this position by H.R. who said it would be a great experience for me, as many of the patients transfer in from ICU and also often have other disease processes going on.
The Nurse Manager I interviewed with seems awesome and I am really excited about the position, however I am nervous because I didn't intentionally seek out a respiratory position and I'm not sure what to expect.
Ironically, I just finished up Peds where 90% of my patients were RSV or acute asthma episodes. And I have asthma. And now I'm taking this job. Hmmm... maybe somebody's trying to tell me something?!?
Anyway, thanks in advance for your advice!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a Nurse and an R.T and the same thing happened to me.I was Nursing on a Surgical ward, when I was approaced by the Cheif R.T to come and work for him.It was the greatest move that I ever made. The best part is that you

are not stuck on 1 ward. Where applicable an R.T works EVERYTHING from

Neo-natal to Geriatics=Good stuff.DON'T BE AFRAID---NRS/RT/DUG :)

liz_beth_v · Aug 12, 2008

Hello All

I am a newly graduated nurse (July). I was wondering if anyone can offer me some advice...Im going into an interview tommorow on a respiratory unit and am just curious if anyone can share with me their thoughts on what i can possibly expect in terms of any questions they might ask. Im extremely nervous as this is my second interview.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks