Welcome to the ICU

Can I come work on your unit?? lolSeriously I'd love to work in the ICU one day. But I think I fit into your category of trying it out. I haven't been exposed to an ICU environment or even critical patients. (I have no interest of being a CRNA. I heard a student in my anatomy and physiology class saying to the girl sitting next to her, "Oh I'm going to be a CRNA.. you make $160,000 a year and its a step down from Anesthesiologist(My blood was boiling)). I've been at my job a year now, I plan to stay there until I finish RN school or they fire me(whichever comes first lol jk) I love working as a team. I'm always 10 minutes early.(One time I was 5 minutes late and I felt so bad). I like to go on 1 cruise a year. I request off a couple days here and there but I'm very flexible when it comes to the schedule. I bring tons of snacks to work(chocolate included) and keep pictures of my pets and beautiful goddaughter on my phone.

Very nicely stated Ruby...

I think Ruby is a little jaded..... reminds me of my first job in an ICU in NYC and one of the nurses said to me "it will take awhile to get this S on your chest"........ I hope I don't give this impression!!!

I recall a time when being an ICU nurse was somewhat a prestigious position only held by nurses who had experience. The salaries were more because of the specialty area. New graduates could not even apply to critical care areas. Then the critical care nursing shortage occurred and if you had a license and a warm body you were hired. If I am in ICU I would rather have a good 10 year experienced nurse taking care of me instead of a good new graduate with 6 months of experience. Instead of having to write this long list of advice to new graduates. Lets hire mature experienced RN professionals back into our critical areas. Lets offer incentives and increased pay for experienced RN's willing to work in this specialty area.

Ruby Vee, thanks for the time and effort you put into your posts to share your wisdom and mentor new grads along. You're a worthy successor to our much-missed Daytonite. To new grads: Ruby Vee can sometimes come across abrasive but you have to get used to her style--she really cares and wants to help you succeed!

[font="tahoma"]beautifully written!!!! these are things that i already know, but i am in need of reminding! it's good to know that people out there appreciate common sense and courtesy! i have just completed one year on a telemetry/step down unit and i had an interview with our icu tuesday! i should find out beginning of next week whether or not i got the job i will definitely use your post as a reference and refresher.thanks!!

Hi Ruby,Thank you for the advices. They are awesome and I will always keep them in mind.However, I have a question to ask. My dream job is ICU, however I always want to go back to school to learn more and more. There are things I can learn in Graduate School than I will not learn from working in ICU. From what you said, the one who comes in with an intention of staying two years or going to graduate school does not get the same investments from preceptors (My plan is to stay longer than 2 years or until I learn everything about ICU.) Is that true? Or fix me if I interpret it wrong. I understand that it can be a burn out for a preceptor to train someone and the unit keeps becoming short because of someone leaves for school. I read comments about nurse managers or people appreciate employee to inform them about their plan on the unit or hospitals promote continuing education so this advice makes me confused. I really do not mean to provoke your thinking at all. Thanks,

Thanks Ruby!!!

I tried working in the ICU, hated it. Too much death and emotionality for me. My hats are off to all ICU nurses, I've seen what you deal with, and you can keep it. Hopefully all of you can handle the job better than my sister, who's worked ICU for 13 years and all of her hair is falling out from stress. Seriously, it's a rough job, and new grads need to learn this pronto. Just because you have 2 patients does NOT make it easier than other nursing jobs.

nothing is easy ! Life is hard .

I am printing this out and hanging it on my mirror! It seems to be the kind of advice a guy likes me needs to carry with him everyday and everywhere, not just into the unit for my first days.Thanks Ruby your my kind of nurse

Interesting to get insight into the eyes of a more experienced nurse and their views of the new grads in the ICU. After only two years in the PICU after graduation (and here to stay) we have not hired any new grads, but there are some coming this summer so I will be keeping this story in the back of my mind the entire time.