I'm a new grad with about 6 months on a cardiac stepdown unit. I interviewed for a CVICU this week and it completely changed how I see nursing. On my unit I'm a task bunny with a license. Providers don't ask for our input, we don't do rounds, and even our most experienced nurses don't have real rapport with the doctors. At the CVICU I watched nurses and providers actually work together. Providers asked the nurses what they thought. There was trust. I studied SO hard for that interview. Drips, receptors, why you'd pick one over another, every surgery they see, vents, ICU devices. They asked me none of it lol. The interviewer was stone cold and I have no idea how I did. Then I shadowed a nurse for an hour. His patient was on ECMO and CRRT with 9 drips running. I asked if I could walk through everything in the room while he corrected me. He never once made me feel stupid. He just taught me. It felt like home. Then I went back to work today. Without getting into details I took over lines that were running incompatible meds, an access with no documented placement and no order to use it, a med that had been discontinued the day before and was still running, and missing I&Os and basic care. I spent half my shift figuring out what happened and chasing providers who wouldn't answer. When I tried to report it, I got questioned like I was the problem. Thankfully the patient is ok. I know the grass isn't always greener. I'm not looking for easy. I want to learn and be an excellent nurse, and I can push myself. But it's hard to grow when my whole shift goes to cleaning up after other people. For anyone who moved to ICU early, or felt like this on stepdown or tele how did you deal with it? And if I don't get this job, how do I keep from burning out while I wait for the next one? My hospital has already told me that they’ll force me do a year on my unit before they consider transferring me to ICU. I’m really tired of people telling me to “stick it out” or that this is part of the process and I have to learn this to succeed in the ICU. If this is being a nurse, I don’t want it. I can’t come into every single shift not trusting any of my coworkers, not trusting report, and having to spend the entire day correcting other people’s mistakes while still giving complete and efficient care to my patients. I feel lost :(   submitted by   /u/Q__Q- [link]   [comments]