Want to go into the ICU

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

I've been working in a busy med-surg for 6 months post-graduation, plan to work there another 6-12 months.

After that I'm changing hospitals (this one is an inner-city charity hospital) and changing specialization.

Given my med-surg experience, would MICU be a better fit than SICU? Or does it matter?

[sunnycalifRN]

That doesn't matter. Either a medical or a surgical ICU would be a good fit. You're taking care of both types of patients now. Maybe a mixed, medical-surgical ICU. Good luck with your future pursuits.

[moonischasingme1]

I don't think it matters, probably just a matter of preference. In fact, I work in an MSICU, so we get both. I think a lot of units are similar. Good luck:)

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

I don't think it matters, probably just a matter of preference.

Then I guess I'd have to ask what the differences are between MICU and SICU.

I know that SICU is high-acuity post-surgical patients. And that a lot of SICU nurses are looking to become CRNAs.

I know that the MICU has a broader mix of patients, some surgical and some medical, kind of like med-surg.

Not looking to become a CRNA, but a narrower range of conditions might be helpful. It's harder to master something when you're dealing with a wider range of stuff.

[moonischasingme1]

MICU is going to be all other intensive care patients, besides surgical. So lots of sepsis, respiratory distress, maybe GI bleeders, ODs, etc.

[sunnycalifRN]

just to add to the previous post:

I also work in a med-surg ICU . . . and our surgical patients are usually pretty straight forward: pain control, continuous assessments for bleeding, infection, dehiscence, mobilize soon after surgery, monitor renal and respiratory status . . . in most cases, transfer out in 1 or 2 days

Medical patients are a total mixed bag: previous surgical patients who bled or got septic, COPD'ers or asthmatics in resp failure, GI bleeders, crazy people, drug OD, failure to thrive, you name it . . . many of these patients end up intubated, trached, on dialysis, long time in ICU . . .

[RNforLongTime]

I much prefer surgical to medical, especially when it's ICU. When I worked in a SICU, the pt's didn't stay for WEEKS on end! Turnover was high which was a good thing. I really miss my surgery pt's!

[lupincu]

In Taiwan, 90% of patients in MICU are respiratory depress and we always coopreate with RTs.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

The best unit for you is not SICU or MICU, but rather the unit that provides a decent orientation program for non-ICU nurses.

I prefer SICU by far, also because you have higher pt turnover, high acuity and don't tend to have the longterm respiratory pts staying forever.

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

Many of you seem to favor SICU over MICU because of the higher turnover. I can see how that might be good.

But on my present floor we have high turnover, and it really isn't that good. While it's great to get rid of a troublesome patient, it means a near-constant stream of admissions, which ends up disrupting your day.