What do ICU nurses do?

[mcpnurse]

Hi. Pardon my ignorance. I'm interested in ICU and would like to learn more about what exactly nurses do in the ICU. What are some basic skills/ advanced skills required to become a successful ICU RN ? What responsibilities do you have? Thanks for you input everyone!

[silentRN]

I haven't gotten a raise in 21 months, and counting.

[medicalma'am]

That is so true! The docs just keep keeping them alive. They are not the ones who are there for 12 hours with them dealing with balancing all the drips to keep them going, seeing the patient suffer, seeing the family in distress over their loved one. When the family member asks "How is he/she doing?" sometimes I just want to cry. I see the quality of life down the road and hurt so much for them. I just wish the docs would step up to the plate sometimes.

[annsaudie]

they do nurse aid work, md work, housekeeping, public relations.

they should never show they are overworked, flustered or upset.

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

What does an ICU nurse do? EVERYTHING! You keep your patient alive if that's the plan, you give them a dignified death if that's the way it goes, you take care of their families and you take care of each other and at the end of the day you walk out holding your head held high

[kisserRN]

I remember when i was precepted 4 yrs. ago, my preceptor once told me... as an icu rn your job is to prevent your patient from coding. Basically you need great assessment skills and to be able to ask the md for what the pt. needs before they even see the pt. Good luck with transfering to the icu, it's a great place to be and you'll learn alot!!!

[burn out]

You have to be a control freak because you control everything about your patient, their heart rate bp, breathing,pain, urine output, if they eat if they don't, if they move, if they poop...kind of get the picture?