1. How did you get the opportunity to work as a critical care nurse?
When I got out of school, the job market for new nurses was not particularly good. A lot of my classmates ended up going out of state to other job markets in order to get their first hospital gig. I ended up working at the nursing home where I once was a CNA, for a year and a half. While working at the nursing home, I met another nurse there who ended up paving the way for me to get an interview on the coronary care unit (CCU) of a local hospital. The particular nurse knew the manager of the CCU unit. When I went in for the interview, I landed the job. However, four weeks into the job I was asked to leave and work in a medical/surg unit, for my skills were not as advanced. I worked on a medical floor from 11-7 five days a week. I disliked the surgical unit because it was like a nursing home with IV’s, and did not interest me. Being that I needed the experience, I paid my dues and transitioned to a cardiac step down unit. This was my first time ever as a registered nurse being exposed to patients who had open-heart surgery. I loved the job so much that I stayed there in the same position for three more years. After the three years, I wanted to make a big change in my life and …show more content…
Most patients have a swan-ganz catheter, arterial lines, and chest tubes. There is a lot to learn when it comes to working on this particular type of unit. This involves studying hemodynamics, drug drips, and a lot of devices that can be a huge challenge to learn on. Another reason why I wanted to work in critical care is because the schedule works well for any lifestyle. Generally, we work two on and two off and then we will work a weekend. When you think of hospital’s in San Diego, we are the best of the best, being one of the top trauma centers. We see the worst of the worst, and I work with the best. I want to be apart of the best and the best is where I am at right
When I got out of school, the job market for new nurses was not particularly good. A lot of my classmates ended up going out of state to other job markets in order to get their first hospital gig. I ended up working at the nursing home where I once was a CNA, for a year and a half. While working at the nursing home, I met another nurse there who ended up paving the way for me to get an interview on the coronary care unit (CCU) of a local hospital. The particular nurse knew the manager of the CCU unit. When I went in for the interview, I landed the job. However, four weeks into the job I was asked to leave and work in a medical/surg unit, for my skills were not as advanced. I worked on a medical floor from 11-7 five days a week. I disliked the surgical unit because it was like a nursing home with IV’s, and did not interest me. Being that I needed the experience, I paid my dues and transitioned to a cardiac step down unit. This was my first time ever as a registered nurse being exposed to patients who had open-heart surgery. I loved the job so much that I stayed there in the same position for three more years. After the three years, I wanted to make a big change in my life and …show more content…
Most patients have a swan-ganz catheter, arterial lines, and chest tubes. There is a lot to learn when it comes to working on this particular type of unit. This involves studying hemodynamics, drug drips, and a lot of devices that can be a huge challenge to learn on. Another reason why I wanted to work in critical care is because the schedule works well for any lifestyle. Generally, we work two on and two off and then we will work a weekend. When you think of hospital’s in San Diego, we are the best of the best, being one of the top trauma centers. We see the worst of the worst, and I work with the best. I want to be apart of the best and the best is where I am at right