ICU Nurse

Work is great, I really love working in ICU. I have more good days than not. I have to use my nursing skills/judgement with patients. My patients are touch-and-go rather than waiting for a nursing home to accept them. Many days it's so intense that I want to rethink my choices, but I'd still choose it.

The intensivists (ICU doctors) are an odd bunch. There's three of them. Doctorita is a no frills, no extra movements. She comes in like a whirlwind and turns off sedation and leaves silently. Then, I'm usually wondering why Pat is wide eyed, flailing and arching off the bed. Thirty minutes later she has 95% of the people extubated and half-way out of the ICU. Don't get me wrong, she's a great doctor and doesn't give people cushions when they need a good slap. I've been working there for like 6 months, and I'm still surprised when she comes around. I've gotten a little better at expecting her movements though. I hold off on any sedation until mid-morning (otherwise "they're too sedated, don't give them that much") and try to get ahead by planning on them being extubated and out of bed.

Doctorio doesn't care about anything, but cares about everything. His most used phrase is "I don't even know why we're doing this!" "Why this?" and "why that?" but then, "I don't care, what do you want me to do??" He can be super nice and so easy going, but then WHAM! something spits in his coffee and he's McCrankypants. But, to be fair, we've had some nice chats during some procedures. He laughed at my kid's name, I laugh and chortle at his. And he's very down-to-earth with family and patients. He gives slightly more cushion that Doctorita.

Then we have Señor Doctor. I think his goal is to do as little as possible, unless he can get other people to do it for him. He likes to keep people intubated and sedated if possible. Now, he makes for a pretty easy day, but not always in their best interest. Everyone knows that when he's on for the week that everyone stays intubated and sedated. He loves to give out water flushes though, haha.

But I love it. I have some irking things when I work with certain people, but who doesn't? It's not as bad as I was thinking, working with some nurses. I do know how to work my days when I work with the select few. *cough*

But like I said, I would still make the same choice to go.