summer icu externship question..

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Im planning to do my externship in a SICU next summer, and I basically want to know what is expected of me and how I can make the most of my experience. TIA.

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can someone give me a heads up?? i havent even got 25 views yet and its been a couple days, lol...

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

Since no one has answered you - I will jump in........I am a new grad nurse and I did my preceptorship in the ICU. I loved every minute of it. Since you will be interning you can't give any meds, right? What you need to study up on before you get there is ventilator settings (what is assist control, what is SIMV), ICU drugs (dopamine, Levophed, cardizem - all the titratable ICU drugs), brush up on your therapuetic communication - you will use it many times. Families in crisis are the norm for the ICU and you will see them at their worst. Oh, if you are in a CVICU brush up on Swann-Ganz catheters and what they monitor and the significance of the readings. Also A-lines and how to draw blood from them.

I am sure you will enjoy your experience.

Best of luck to you!

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thanks for your reply, i REAAALY appreciate it! i will def review my meds and your other suggestions, thanks again!

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