The ICU Nurse
Quizzes and essays everyday. Skits, case studies and hospital crisis situations to study. Drug and their mechanisms of actions to memorize. Nursing was no joke; in fact, at the time I could have sworn it was the hardest thing I had ever attempted. But textbooks don’t bleed. Dummies aren't real. Flashcards aren't at the tips of my fingers anymore now. I’m a brand new nurse working in the intensive care unit. I am attracted to critical care nursing because of the challenges and rewards of taking care of very sick patients in a fast paced environment. Here in the SICU my nursing skills are crucial to the patient's survival and my role continues to evolve. It’s a circle. You work yourself from beyond the outside in, leaning on experienced preceptors and nurse managers. I received an overwhelming amount of support from the Specialty Nurse Trainees ahead of me and my preceptors, the nurses from the RNHeals Program, and mentor, the Regular Nurses, t...