Why did you choose to be an ICU Nurse?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 25, 2017

al3x117 said:
I was wondering why you chose to be an ICU nurse? And at what point did you realize that you wanted to do this type of nursing? What is it like caring for patients who are severely sick? Thanks.

I was working in Heme/Onc, and all of my primary patients died within about a month. I wanted out of Heme/Onc and my manager wanted me out (but that's another story). She signed me up to interview for a MICU position. I found out about it when I got a call from the MICU manager about an interview.

Working with the critically ill seemed to be my niche. I transferred to the MICU, felt at home instantly and was surrounded by team members who understood and shared my black humor and joking as coping. The patients were interesting and challenging, and I felt as if I could be on top of what was going on. (To quote an old manager: Less touchy/feely stuff; more thinking and fixing.) Heme/Onc was interesting, but not my niche.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2017

Like many, I initially got into it becuase I wanted to become a CRNA. Turns out I love it so much, my CRNA plans have long since been scrapped. :) I love being able to help someone when they are in their most desperate situation. I love when families are comforted by my care of their loved one. I love the collegial, team approach between nursing, medicine, respiratory, pharmacy etc.

Caring for the critically injured/ill is terrifying and exhilerating at the same time. Sometimes it is beyond heartbreaking; unlike an onc pt who typically is diagnosed and then admitted, in trauma and stroke care that pt could have been the epitome of health, kissed his wife goodbye, and hit head-on on the way to work. There is little to no time for these families to process the situation before they have to see their barely recognizable loved one.

In the cases where the pt will not survive, I enjoy providing comfort care. Sometimes I care for pre-op brain dead organ donors; THAT is an experience! Of course you feel sad for the pt and family, but at the same time inspirational knowing that their loved one is soon going to save many lives.

It is nothing short of amazing when a person comes back to the unit to say hello and thank us for saving them. Some of these bad TBI pts remain on our unit for weeks, not waking; they get a trach and PEG and then they're on to an LTACH. A handful of my pts hadn't even opened their eyes before they transferred to the LTACH...and then to see them, sometimes WALKING, and to hear those words "thank you for saving my life..." I have no words to describe that feeling.

Jickson001 · Feb 25, 2017

Compare to any other job i can feel the immediate job satisfaction in ICU duty.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2017

Moved to the Critical Care Nursing forum to elicit responses from nurses who work in ICUs.

firemedic12, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Feb 26, 2017

I came from an EMS background and had no desire to work in the ER. I did a few clinicals in multiple ICUs and immediately fell in love with it. We make similar spit-second decisions like they do in the ER while providing a continuum of care for days, weeks, or months. You have to know that patient inside and out, and be aware of very subtle changes (neuro changes can really slip past you if you don't pay attention). You only have 2 patients unless staffing is low. I triple every once in a while only because I'm one of the few nurses in my unit that doesn't mind it. The cold and callous side of me wants to mention that I don't like caring for "walkie-talkies". I prefer my patient too sick to walk, talk, or even breathe on their own. :greyalien:

BedsideNurse · Feb 28, 2017

I had worked on an UnGodly Sick step down/ tele unit for two years and then took an ICU position I was offered at a nearby hospital, but it was kind of out of the blue vs. some goal or calling I had. My friend asked me if I wanted to ride up to this hospital and look at the job postings board, just for the heck of it, so I said sure. There was a nursing shortage at the time, and when the head of nursing saw us talking, looking up at the jobs board, she practically tackled us. Then she insisted on "just a quick interview" in case we were interested in what they had to offer. I was wearing Birkenstocks and shorts and a t-shirt and totally unprepared. Kind of funny now....I had been a nurse for 4 years or so at the time, but had always been afraid to make the transition to ICU before then. I'm glad I did or I would have never have lasted in nursing working the floor.

WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS · Feb 28, 2017

I was recruited into the ICU after getting floated into it ( I was tele and they gave me a couple step-down type patients). It was one of the best things to happen to me career-wise. I love critical care nursing-- and at the same time it terrifies me sometimes. It's a kind of nursing you have to keep on top of.... it really helps to study and read and chat with coworkers about CC stuff. You for sure have to form a kind of shell around you -- boundaries and coping strategies (we use humor a LOT), because we deal with a lot of morbidity and all the psych/social stuff that goes with that. People think it's a dream to just have 2 patients. Trust me, those 2 patients will keep you running and on your toes for a whole 12 hour shift and then some. An ICU patient can't go anywhere in the hospital without his nurse. Any tests that need doing... you go with and stay with your patient. The exceptions are if you have a doc that will take management for you while your patient is getting something done (usually and anesthesiologist) --- or if the patient is going someplace with critical care nurses like cath lab. This is so if the patient codes in the elevator there is someone there who can do something about it (yes, that happens). A lot of ICU nurses I know are kind of hard and gritty. I try to let my work persona be a bit softer than that, but I totally understand why they are that way. I like having and growing in specialized knowledge. I do use my brain a good bit on the job. In our unit, we are pretty collaborative with the physicians and other team members. It is a physically exhausting job because our patients usually cannot do for themselves at all and often are not even conscious. When I get the chance to go to step down, I am always so struck by having a patient talk to me or eat real food and walk to the bathroom. Seriously, it's amazing and I actually really enjoy those times I get to chat it up with someone and do some actual teaching. It's rewarding to see someone who is very very sick get better, but it also very labor intensive to get them there. When they are on the vent and we are not weaning -- it is, in some ways, easier than when they start getting better and we can start weaning support. Weaning patients off the vent can be a lot of hard work -- for the patient, the RT and the nurse. That's just an example. In the ICU the nurse knows everything about that patient and watches every little thing so closely. We tend to be control freaks. And we see and do things in our job that most normal people never see or dream of -- I think this is true of all nurses, to some extent, and especially ER nurses --- they have such stories to tell!

al3x117, RN, EMT-B · Feb 28, 2017

Fantastic answers guys!! Thanks so much! Really appreciate the insight!

puppyluvRN · Mar 1, 2017

I work in a MICU/SICU and once had a pt walk into the unit to thank me for caring for him. I was amazed to see my once intubated, very difficult to sedate pt walk and tell me he was going home. I have grown to love critical care and cannot imagine doing any other kind of bedside nursing. It's so nice when you know you've found your niche!

al3x117, RN, EMT-B · Mar 1, 2017

puppyluvRN said:
I work in a MICU/SICU and once had a pt walk into the unit to thank me for caring for him. I was amazed to see my once intubated, very difficult to sedate pt walk and tell me he was going home. I have grown to love critical care and cannot imagine doing any other kind of bedside nursing. It's so nice when you know you've found your niche!

Thats fantastic! Thanks for this! Really motivates me in nursing school! ? Caring for patients is what it's all about!

Cindycin37, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2017

I was wondering how a Med/Surg nurse can make the transition to ICU? Is this possible? If so, how? Thanks:)