What's it like?

[Michelle123]

Hi,

I am commencing my studies this semester and have an interest in ICU nursing, I'd love to hear maybe a "day in the life" story or something like that from people who work in this area to get a feel for what it is really like as opposed to TV shows and my imagination :)

Thanks!

[Mags4711, RN]

I think it is absolutely impossible to give you an idea of an "average day." Which ICU are you looking at working it? CCU is different than SICU, which is waaaay different than MICU or PICU or NICU or TICU.

Some days are busy and you don't get a break, some days you can put some Duoderm on your butt to prevent the pressure sore from the chair you are sitting on.

My very best suggestion would be to identify where you might be interested in working, not necessarily one ICU, but maybe a couple. Then contact the education coordinator or manager of the unit and ask if you can come shadow a nurse for a day or afternoon or night. Realize that as a new nurse, you will most likely be working nights or maybe evenings for a while, perhaps shadowing on an off shift would be the most accurate experience you could have. If you think you'll be doing 12 hr shifts, then shadow for 12 hrs. All the ICU's I've worked in are glad to have folks come shadow. You just have to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Good luck!