What makes a good ICU nurse??

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Hey all...I'm trying to figure out if ICU is for me:

Honestly, I get REALLY anxious at the thought of my patient going bad or coding...the thought makes me sick to my stomach. BUT that is because I feel like I wouldn't respond correctly. That is part of the reason why I want to go into ICU. I would like to challenge myself to get over that and become comfortable and confident in my skills.

I am VERY detail-oriented, driven, organized and assertive (when it comes to my patients). Currently, I'm doing homecare and I am supervising HHA's (I have med/surg background) Its ALL PAPERWORK!! I miss NURSING! I miss that one on one time (bathing, dressing changes, PEG meds etc.) I LOVE that part of nursing. I hate the politics.

I think this is why I am interested in ICU...the one on one time. I think I would be kick a$$ :wink2:

SO, my question is....What makes a good ICU nurse???

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

Hey all...I'm trying to figure out if ICU is for me:

Honestly, I get REALLY anxious at the thought of my patient going bad or coding...the thought makes me sick to my stomach.

*** Well it's going to happen. Maybe, depending on the type of ICU you work in, it may happen frequently.

BUT that is because I feel like I wouldn't respond correctly.

*** You won't at first. Just yell for help and watch what the experienced ICU nurses do.

That is part of the reason why I want to go into ICU. I would like to challenge myself to get over that and become comfortable and confident in my skills.

I am VERY detail-oriented, driven, organized and assertive (when it comes to my patients). Currently, I'm doing homecare and I am supervising HHA's (I have med/surg background) Its ALL PAPERWORK!! I miss NURSING! I miss that one on one time (bathing, dressing changes, PEG meds etc.) I LOVE that part of nursing. I hate the politics.

I think this is why I am interested in ICU...the one on one time. I think I would be kick a$$

*** SOunds like you will. Especially the assertive and detail oriented part. Are you willing to stand up to a senior surgical resident and tell him no when you know he is doing the wrong thing with you patient? Are you willing to call the attending in to protect your patient?

Like all nurses ICU nurses must be advocates for their patients only more so. SOmetimes you will KNOW your patient is heading down hill and be blown off by the resident on call. You have to be willing to call and wake up the attending at 3 AM. We operate with more than enough autonomy to get ourselves in a lot of trouble if we are not careful. We have a saying in our ICU. "Save the patient first then get an order to do it".

SO, my question is....What makes a good ICU nurse???

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Anyone else???? Anyone???

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Specializes in Not too many areas I haven't dipped into.

I think a good ICU nurse is very detail oriented and a whole lot on the anal side...lol.

You have to think outside of the box and be able to connect the dots even when they go in a circle. You are challenged daily. Your heart is broken often by the loses but you just keep coming back.

Personally, I am an adrenaline junky and I love the codes and the excitement although initially, I was terrified.

I think if you love direct patient care and you are willing to push yourself to grow and learn...I say go for it.

You will know if the fit isn't right for you.

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There are so many things that make a good ICU nurse, I can't even begin to tell you. But I believe, like all things, it takes practice. I've been in ICU for 5 years now, started as a new grad and pretty much vomited before I went to work for a month for fear of the same things--a pt coding (would I be fast and efficient enough; will the residents/attending/other nurses view me as completely useless, b/c of my inexperience) well, the truth is, they will! But once you get over that and take a deep breath, you'll realize that you know more than you think you do. People will respect you more for sticking it out and improving. Once you're in the ICU though, don't get discouraged if the nurses are on your back for every little detail--take what they say with appreciation and think of it as constructive. See if what they say is really true and use it, don't feel demeaned by it. Remember you're in the ICU where the smallest things can be huge. I can tell by your enthusiasm you'll be a great ICU nurse...good luck! :nurse:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I have been in the ICU for 1 1/2 years, and these are some things I have learned that makes a good ICU nurse.

No matter how many years experience you have, a good ICU nurse is never afraid or feels stupid to ask a question. Never just guess you have it right.

A good ICU nurse never cares that she has to wake up the nasty surgeon at 3 am because his carotid paitent has a super high BP, remember you are the PATIENT advocate, not the surgeons.

A good ICU nurse leaves her shift with a detailed report, clean rooms, clean patient, and everything checked to make sure things are right.

I could go on, but last: A good ICU nurse feels that is something isn't right, investigate! A short story from the other day at work, and how good this nurse was. The nurse on night shift had two patients with picc lines, so he had to draw the morning blood. The am nurse comes on, with all the doctors filing through and writing orders based on lab results. Bed 4 pt's Bun, creatine and platelets were drastically changed from the day before. The pulmonary doc sees this and consults Renal. Renal comes in an orders Bicarb, mannitol and albumin. Well, the am nurse is thinking that these elevated labs don't make sense, and questions the renal doc. The renal doc just tells the "stupid" nurse that the paitent is just trying to die. The nurse does not buy this, and starts her own investigation with the lab. After many hours of going back and forth with the lab, it was determined the midnight nurse labeled the tubes of blood wrong! The paitent who got all the meds, didn't need them!!! Thank God there were no adverse effects, but we all learn from nursing school to never never take the blood samples out of the room until they are labeled and double checked.

We are awaiting this nurses termination. (its not the first big mistake he has made, and he is very very arrogant.)

Doris

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Specializes in icu.

I have been working in ICU for 22 years and I still enjoy the challenge of critical care.

You need to be an active learner and critical thinker. Think outside the box, things are not always black or white. There are lots of grey areas.

Be a patient advocate, do not afraid to stand for your grounds.

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Specializes in CTICU.
We are awaiting this nurses termination. (its not the first big mistake he has made, and he is very very arrogant.)

Doris

Mislabelling tubes is a careless. Prescribing and administering medications based on incorrect labs that you didn't bother to check, even when queried, is a serious error in judgement.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Mislabelling tubes is a careless. Prescribing and administering medications based on incorrect labs that you didn't bother to check, even when queried, is a serious error in judgement.

I totally agree, the doctor was totally wrong in this situation also. How sad that just because the man was 83 that the doctor thought he was just trying to die. :cry:

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Specializes in ICU/ER/Exec..

I've been in ICU across the country for about 20 years. Stay calm so your brain works. Find an experienced ICU nurse and they will let you know when to rush like a maniac. Never stop asking questions because the key here is to learn. You can always take an antiemetic when nausea strikes. You sound like you'd be an excellent ICU nurse. Follow your heart :)

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sorry...posted twice!

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Always be teachable. No matter how much experience you have, remain open, have humility and be teachable.

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