To stay, or leave CVICU/bedside all together?

[hannah4832, BSN]

 am in desperate need for advice. I've been a nurse for a year, primarily through Covid on med/tele. My opinion and skills were valued there by my coworkers and I felt respected. Once COVID calmed down, I made the switch to CVICU with 6 months prior experience. I finished my orientation a month ago and was always told that I did very well. In comparison to my other coworkers, their skill set and critical thinking abilities just seem so much farther along than mine. I just feel like I have no idea what I'm doing sometimes and I'm so afraid I'll make a mistake. I've also been told that I am way too hard on myself, but when the bar is so high I almost feel like that is justified. I feel like I ask stupid questions now. I get the sense that my more experienced coworkers don't have confidence in me because I ask so many questions. Im honestly asking because I'm stressed and want to make sure that I'm right. I rarely doubted my skills when I was a tele nurse. I'm not sure if I am competent enough to truly handle this. 

With the way things are now, I also have to keep making more money and critical care is where it's at as far as I can tell. Thats my other issue. I always planned on travel nursing once I had enough experience, switching again would just delay that more. 

Do I stick this out and give it more time, or cut my losses? Does it get better?

[prayingmantis, ADN, BSN]

Stick it out and quit being so hard on yourself. CVICU is not an easy unit. Keep learning. Your lucky to be there if you have only been a nurse for a year.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

If you have received feedback that you're doing well, you need to try to relax and trust in the judgment of your coworkers. One recommendation I would give if you feel like you're asking lots of questions, when you ask a question, always have an answer in mind and phrase it as such. "Excuse me, my patient is experiencing this_______________, I think that my next move should be to do this___________________, do you have anything else to add before I do that?" Try to show your thought process at the same that you're asking a question. It gets you thinking through things and you'll probably find, more often than not, you've answered your own question and you may not even need to ask. And when you do ask a question it's more of a collaboration than a question. Everyone has rough days starting out, six months you've barely scratched the surface. Don't throw in the towel if you like that job. Good luck!

[JKL33]

13 hours ago, hannah4832 said:

I've also been told that I am way too hard on myself, but when the bar is so high I almost feel like that is justified.

 

You made it through orientation and were given positive feedback. If you weren't doing okay from others' perspectives then they would've let you know.

Don't pick apart every move and every interaction. Focus farther out. If you're moving forward and not being told there is a problem then don't keep looking for ways to assume there is a problem. The learning takes time. Have some confidence in yourself; accept where you are at this moment knowing that in a month, 2 months, 6 months and a year from now you won't be in the same place, you will have continued forward. You will know more, the things that bring uncertainty now will have become second nature, and you will be in a different place--still adding to your knowledge.

 

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

You need to give yourself at least 2 years. ICU is a completely different world than MS/Tele. Just keep asking questions, ask for help when you need it.