What makes a good PICU nurse

[HayBug, BSN, RN]

Hi everyone!

I am getting ready to cross train to the PICU at my new job and the closer it gets the more nervous I am. I've heard people say "They're  just not PICU material" about other nurses. Not being "good enough" is my worst nightmare so I was wondering:

What do you guys think makes a good PICU nurse?

What kinds of things should I avoid so I'm not deemed "Not PICU Material"

[offlabel]

The difference between a good ICU nurse and everyone else is that a good ICU nurse reads...a lot. And they read the medical literature the vast majority of the time, not the nursing liturature. So, for example, you want to be really squared up on stuff like DKA or the management of increased ICP or whatever, so look to a source like Up to Date. Excellent resource that gives clinical insights that are immediately useful at the bedside. Be a Know-It-All, just don't act like one.