Worked Telemetry/ for 1 year, now to the ER or Cardiac ICU? Give me input please...

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Guys/Gals,

Need a little help here...Gonna be totally honest here...I'm in my mid 20s, been a male RN for over 1 year now working on a Telemetry floor/Cardiac Step-down Unit...I have experience with POD #1-discharge open heart patients, heart cath , MI , and mostly CP patients...I have experience with cardiac meds with drips like Integrillin, Heparin, Cardizem, and Natrecor, have been offered a job in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and in the Emergency Department...I float to the CCU very frequently, however, it is extremely demanding although I'm sure the Emergency Department is too..what should I do? Right now...I'm leaning toward the Emergency Department because there is more variety (traumas) in the ED where in the CCU and it is usually nothing but cardiac, lol Can someone ask me some questions to point me in the right direction?...eventually I'm looking toward PA, NP, or CRNA...

Thanks for your help...

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Do you think you would get bored doing nothing but cardiac ICU? I know I would and I know a lot of bored CCU nurses as well (some *love* it, but some find it same ole same ole after a year or two). I have an PICU background but we did/saw everything (trauma, neuro, hearts, accidents, congenital defects, chronics, kidney, transplants, etc) so I never got bored and learned a LOT about all sorts of different things.

I think your tele experience would be great for either. Try the ER!

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You seem to have lots of ambition in a lot of areas! Get grounded..Go where your passion :redbeathe is! Just my :twocents:.

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Thanks for the input...anybody else?

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Specializes in CTICU, Interventional Cardiology, CCU.

I work in the same exact setting. I have been on my floor for a year and a half. I would love to get a job on CTICU, I have been pulled to CTICU and loved it . But as of late all of my fellow collegues have been telling me I belong in the ER. Not the ER at my hosp. but a level I trauma center. But even having 1.6 years exp. in interventional cardiology/ccu stepdown unit I am always learning. I think that tele is a great gateway nursing exp. I am the one all the night shift nurses come to to ascess if there is a suspected problem, I am also the one who will call the MD and make sure some one sees the pt. no mater what time it is, even if it's not my pt. . With only 1.6 years exp. and I am having nurses with 20+ years exp. asking me to give an assessment before the MD is called or a code or an RRT, makes me think if Ihad 3 years exp. I can go to what ever critical care setting I choose, with the exception of Peds and L&D.

But go for it! Tele is a great place to have exp.

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Regarding ER: While traumeas can be an awesome test to your knowledge and skills, keep in mind that a large number of your patients are likely to be:

Narc seekers

People with common ailments and no insurance

Primadonnas who think waiting 3 days to see their PCP at the office is beneath them

****** off about the wait

****** off about the MDs

****** off about their pain

****** off in general

Since you have CICU experience, please let me STRONGLY suggest you request an entire shift to shadow in the ER, to get a feel for the working environment.

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