Trauma Neuro ICU interest

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology/Telemetry/ICU.

i just applied for a job in the tnicu at the hospital where i've been working med/surg/onc/tele for the past 8 months. i don't know if i'm going to get an interview, but i'm kind of afraid of what they might ask, including "why do you want to work in this unit?".

i honestly don't know what i would say even if they asked that basic question. i mean, i think it's very interesting and challenging, but i mean, since it hasn't been a "lifelong dream" for me, i don't know if they'd invest the time (6 month orientation) in me when i don't know much about what goes on there.

on the regular floors, the most intense things i've seen include codes, bipap (don't laugh!:p), a heparin drip or two, pcas, a couple insulin drips, etc and i feel like i don't even have much to offer if i was hired. they know i don't have experience with much of the critical care aspect of things, but a friend of mine (who i was in hospital orientation with) just got hired there and we graduated at the same time so i guess it's not impossible.

i'm soooooooo rambling on, but i was just wondering if there was a way (via books or anything else) to find out more what it's like there and what they'll expect of me in the interview, on the unit, etc.

sorry if this was vague, but thanks anyway!:D

~katie

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.

Can you shadow a TNICU nurse? I love trauma for the fast pace, broad range of ages of patient population. The never ending combination of injuries....

You have a LOT to offer. I think you would be an asset. Think about why you want trauma before the interview and answer honestly. Even if the answer is you're looking for a change.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology/Telemetry/ICU.

:p

can you shadow a tnicu nurse? i love trauma for the fast pace, broad range of ages of patient population. the never ending combination of injuries....

you have a lot to offer. i think you would be an asset. think about why you want trauma before the interview and answer honestly. even if the answer is you're looking for a change.

good luck!

thanks for the reply! i stopped checking on my post cause no one was saying anything so i figured people thought i was being loopy! :uhoh3: they've since posted another job on my hospitals' site and i've applied for that one too, but with no reply.....bummer. i'll keep on trying though! :D

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.

I just re-read your post. I thought you had 8 years experience! I don't know that anyone will allow you to transfer to ICU with 8 months experience. I would stay in med-surg for 1-2 years. I did trauma step down for 2 years before I applied for TNICU. The experience has helped me a lot.

Good luck and hang in there...

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Specializes in Staff Dev--Critical Care & Trauma.
I just re-read your post. I thought you had 8 years experience! I don't know that anyone will allow you to transfer to ICU with 8 months experience.

We would and do. In fact, we have taken new grads fresh out of school with fantasitic success. Of course, you have to be prepared...

1. Be ready to study. Forever. Critical care is a life-long commitment to studying books, papers, research, conferences, etc. I run our hospital's critical care orientation course (both new grads and experienced med-surg nurses) and I would equate it to about a three or four credit college course.

You will feel like you are a new grad again. I promise.

2. Do you have the time management skills? If you're spending a lot of overtime because you can't get it all in your shift, then no, you don't. I'm not talking about the occasional shift--everyone has those, but if you're constantly staying late, you're not ready.

3. How do you deal with stress? If you shut down and freeze--not for you. If you work more efficiently, then yes.

4. Families. If you think families are tough and stressful on the floor, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Be ready. You know how in school they tell you that people under stress take it out on the convenient people around them? Yup. And how. (That's not to say there aren't some wonderful, loving, patient, and understanding families too, because there are--and I think the majority. But when they're bad, they're ugly.)

5. How devoted are you to best practice? Not just lip service, but truly. How do you keep up with best practice? See number 1.

6. How do you deal with the undesirables? Most folks don't become trauma patients by working at Creative KidStuff. How do you feel about working to relieve the pain of a child molester? How do you feel about saving the life of the man just charged with vehicular manslaugher? How about the gang banger who shot a 14-year-old girl?

I love critical care. It's my crack. There are many days, though, that I would go home and crash. You will cry, you will scream, but you will also smile uncontrolably and have a lot of laughs. I think it's totally worth it. Shadow a nurse for a shift and see what you think.

One last thing: people die in trauma ICU. If you haven't faced your fears/beliefs about mortality, you will. (And no matter what anyone tells you, it's OK to cry.) Number 6 was one aspect, another is how to talk to the eight-year-old whose mother has just died from injuries sustained in a car accident and is now an orphan.

I don't want to scare you or anyone else out of trauma or critical care. But you do have to be ready and go in with eyes open. I would never in a million years survive even two hours working in L&D... I'm glad there are nurses who love it. And I know they feel the same way about trauma.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.
We would and do. In fact, we have taken new grads fresh out of school with fantasitic success...

We also hire GN's in TNICU. We do not however, hire RN's with 8 months experience. An RN needs at least a year experience (two would be better since it is such a drastic change to go from the floor to ICU). They can than do the internship for experienced RN's. It has a different start time than the GN's and a slightly shorter clinical component. That's what I was trying to explain to OP.

She may not be getting replies to her apps because she does not have the required experience.

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Specializes in Staff Dev--Critical Care & Trauma.

Maybe. I just finished with three who only had 6 months experience and they're doing wonderfully. It is very dependent on the nurse in question, though. There are many who wouldn't make it.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I started off in the ICU as a new grad & have never regretted it. The floor & the ICU are so different. I say go for it. There is no reason to stay on the floor.

The person interviewing you understands your experience. ICUs hire new grads & people from the floor all the time.

I would say I wanted to be more challenged. I want to learn more. I want to utilize my critical thinking skills more frequently. I am a team player and work well with other people. I am also a fast learner, I believe I catch on quickly.

We have had people transfer to our unit from the floor & be horrible! But, we have had others who are amazing. It depends on the person. Good luck to you!:clown:

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