student internship...continue on in ICU or do ER?

[Dean7]

Hello everyone,

Thank you in advance on any advice on this. Over the summer I did a student nurse Externship on a Neuro ICU floor. We have option of changing to another floor during the school year. My goal is to get into a critical care fellowship...or get hired as a new grad into the ER or ICU...though I think long term I'd prefer working on an ICU floor. ER can get dangerous with people lashing out...I know a staff member who got shot in the ER. I think it's less likely to happen on an ICU floor. Though the ER fascinates me and I love the rush of it.

I have been hearing about many new grads getting hired into the ER...maybe because the ER has higher turnover, more so than new grads into ICU's.

* Is it true that management prefers to hire new grads into ER rather than ICU unit (MICU, SICU)?...so therefore I should probably ask to continue the internship in the ER so I have a wider breadth of experience and make myself more" marketable" as a new grad and will be more likely to get hired into an ER?

*Or should I just ask to continue on with a medical ICU floor, to have more general wider breadth of things to learn in addition to what I learned on Neuro Icu?

* Would having both ER and ICU internship experience make me more desirable as an ICU fellowship candidate or. ER fellowship candidate, than if I just had ICU internship experience?

I'm just so scared with this job market! Also, I will be graduating with an associates in nursing which might make job prospects harder. Thank you so so much for your help! :)

[Maggie09]

The ICU and ER are two totally separate worlds. If you feel like you would rather work in an ICU over the long haul, then stay in the ICU. In the ER where I work and most ERs around the area, new grads are not very welcome at all...and it's pretty much the same in the ICUs...although I will say that critical care opportunities are more common for new grads than in the ER. But every region is different. If you feel the pull towards ICU, stick it out and get as much experience in it while you're finishing up school. ER experience as a student wouldn't necessarily do much for you with regards to getting a job in an ICU...at least in my hospital.

[Dean7]

Thanks Maggie!

I think I would like ICU over the long haul...partly because I like seeing more of the course of the patient's recovery process and/or complications. I guess my question now is, should I stick on Neuro ICU or ask if I can work on MICU or SICK to get a broader range of experience. I had a great experience on Neuro and loved the nurses who precepted...my relationship is good with them.

* Should I try MICU or SICU (is it true there are even more things to see,and it would be good for me experience-wise), or stay on the Neuro ICU. I personally think it'd be better to get a variety of experience, even though my reference letter from Neuro Icu might be stronger as I get to know them and vice versa longer, as far as my skills and work ethic etc. I graduate in December so I'd still get 4 more months of experience (one twelve hour shift a week).

Thanks so much. This forum has been great! :)