?? thinking of changing units

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I am currently a PICU/NICU nurse. I love my patients but I also love to learn. IN our units the acuity although high 1:1 is not stressful or conducive to learning as most kids are chronics with very similar problems. I am looking to advance my education (CRNA or PNP) but I feel that I should be competent in taking care of all patients. WHat are the benefits or draw backs about working in the CCU. I know the unit in my hospital has a constant turn over due to workload and stress as most patients will only spend 48hrs in the unit before going to stepdown. Is it difficult to care of an adults? Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

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Hi.

Well, I am actually a MICU nurse but I decided to reply since no one had posted yet...I think that if you can work in the NICU you must be a very special person and could probably work in other (although very different) high stress environments. At least with the adults they can often tell you where the pain is, what the symptoms are, etc. I noticed that you were considering CRNA and they look very favorably on CCU experience. I am thinking of getting some of this experience before I apply to CRNA schools, just to immerse myself more in the hemodynamics and get the experience under my belt. Sorry I cannot give you any more advice, since I am not a CCU nurse, but I think it is great that you are thinking about learning new things! Whatever you decide, good luck!

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I know what you mean. It is important to keep your head in the game and get what you need from this great profession. It is easy to stay but important to go the unit you work on will always be there leave on a good note. Alot of nursing jobs, do not leave for money that is never really enough.:trout:

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I work on a uint that people come to for experiance for CRNA school. We are always looking for people. We have 4 people that will be going to school this fall from unit.CTICU

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Specializes in Step-down and Critical Care.

Cajrio..it is ironic that you posted this discussion because I have been in the SICU/MICU for two years and I really love working with kids. I loved my peds rotation so much that I did it twice. I love ICU but I am thinking about changing to the NICU. I actually have an interview this Thursday for a fulltime night position in the NICU at a local hospital. My dream in life was to get my BSN and MSN and then go onto NNP. I think that NICU would be a great experience but on the other hand how do you deal with little ones dying. I would not want to lose my adult skills so I figured if I got the position then I would stay PRN where I work now so that I could stay up on the adults also.

Any suggestion since you are in the NICU..I just think that it would be a wonderful experience and a good change at this point in my career.

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Cajrio..it is ironic that you posted this discussion because I have been in the SICU/MICU for two years and I really love working with kids. I loved my peds rotation so much that I did it twice. I love ICU but I am thinking about changing to the NICU. I actually have an interview this Thursday for a fulltime night position in the NICU at a local hospital. My dream in life was to get my BSN and MSN and then go onto NNP. I think that NICU would be a great experience but on the other hand how do you deal with little ones dying. I would not want to lose my adult skills so I figured if I got the position then I would stay PRN where I work now so that I could stay up on the adults also.

Any suggestion since you are in the NICU..I just think that it would be a wonderful experience and a good change at this point in my career.

Neonatal (nicu) and PICU I have found to be very differnt, just the way you assess and manage the children in each unit is very differnt. I truly love both units as each allows me to learn on a daily basis. On the average we have 1 child/neonate die each week, some weeks are worse then others with us having as many as 4 infants dying. It can become very heart wrenching.

The way I have learn to deal with this is to know that one most infant are in such a state that this would be the best outcome for them as it ends their suffering. And i feel priviledge to have been allowed to step into their lives and their familes to help them during this time. If you feel the calling to work in NICU I say go for it, just make sure you have a hospital that offers you a good orientation to this unit. Good luck.

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