Trying to ensure success!

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Recent grad entering the CVICU, nursing, and critical care nursing for the first time.

1) any recommendations on how to be successful?

2) any recommended resources to pass the CCRN. I will not be even considering taking until at least a year or two in. Just wanted good reading/learning material for the job as well.

3) how to get past the intimidation of taking care of really sick patients, while juggling another, monitoring the proper lab values, administering the correct fluids/medications, all while not killing someone.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology.

Like I tell all new nurses. Get the book Physiology by Constanzo. Read it cover to cover so you actually understand the physiology behind the body then pay attention to everything and research stuff on your own. You will not learn everything from your ICU orientation, your preceptor and definitely not from nursing school. After you read the physiology book then pick up Manual of Perioperative Care in Adult Cardiac Surgery and read it cover to cover. That is somewhat of the bible for CVICU nursing. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

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Thanks. Just finished ordering the cardiac surgery book. Came highly recommended.

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology.

Yea that book is good, but like I said books about pathology are pointless when you don't actually understand the physiology behind it to begin with.

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Specializes in ICU.

How exciting!

The best thing I did for my CCRN was laura gasparis videos. She is amazing and simplifies what to focus on and how to remember stuff.

Good luck!

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