Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

I’m an ICU nurse, AMA

131 replies

Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 15:28

I guess there may have been a few of these a couple of years ago, but in case anyone’s got any more questions

OP posts:
LawksaMercyMissus · 22/02/2023 15:39

How on earth do you stay so upbeat and switch off after work?

Just spent two weeks with DH in ICU. It was obvious from the start he wasn't going to live but he was always treated as if no one was ever going to give up on him. The staff constantly chatted to him although there was little sign he could understand and he was treated with infinite respect and kindness. Some of the tasks the nurses had to perfection were pretty grim but they genuinely seemed to love what they were doing.

I'm in awe of you Flowers

Wishfulthankin · 22/02/2023 15:50

Do you think you're better than other nurses?

Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:03

I’m so sorry for your loss, @LawksaMercyMissus. I’m glad, however, that you have positive memories of the care he received during his final days.

We learn fairly quickly how to guard ourselves emotionally. That doesn’t mean we don’t care, far from it. It just means everything’s coming outwards to our patients but nothings going in, if that makes sense. It’s hard to explain, but we wouldn’t be able to either do our jobs properly or have any kind of life of our own if we didn’t.

OP posts:
DoughnutDreams · 22/02/2023 16:03

Wishfulthankin · 22/02/2023 15:50

Do you think you're better than other nurses?

Wow, so rude!!
They do have very different skills and responsibilities. The way they work with patients is also very different so it's an important distinction to make.
Also, I think a very interesting and probably therapeutic AMA for anyone who has experienced, or had a loved-one experience ICU level care.

Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:05

Wishfulthankin · 22/02/2023 15:50

Do you think you're better than other nurses?

Ha this is an interesting one! My first reaction is no of course not! But, whenever anyone asks me what I do I always say I’m an ICU nurse rather than a nurse so I guess I must do in some way.

We do have quite large amounts of knowledge, autonomy and responsibility compared to some other specialisms, so there is that.

OP posts:
Xrays · 22/02/2023 16:07

What’s the hardest part of what you do?

Squamata · 22/02/2023 16:07

What makes a patient memorable?

How hard is it to 'read' families and work out the best way to talk to them/how much info they want etc?

What's the best thing non-medical people can do to thank you, or support you in strikes?

JuvenileEmu · 22/02/2023 16:08

I spent some time in ICU a couple of years ago, and I remember when I woke up I thought people on the ward were being murdered (!) and some other strange things going on. Do you know if there is a reason for this? Even after a few years I find the memory quite disturbing.

Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:12

Thankyou @DoughnutDreams - I hadn’t even considered it was rude, I thought it was a genuine question! Thanks for the support 🥰

OP posts:
Wishfulthankin · 22/02/2023 16:17

It was a genuine question. I think ITU nurses should all automatically be band 6 after a year/or the ITU course as a minimum. The responsibility is tenfold that of an outpatient nurse yet paid the same.

Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:24

Xrays · 22/02/2023 16:07

What’s the hardest part of what you do?

The constant exhausting grinding struggle for beds and staff. Knowing I am piling pressure on my juniors who are sometimes really struggling and no matter how hard I work I can’t help everyone that needs it.

I’m a charge nurse, so spend more time running the unit than providing direct patient care.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:46

Squamata · 22/02/2023 16:07

What makes a patient memorable?

How hard is it to 'read' families and work out the best way to talk to them/how much info they want etc?

What's the best thing non-medical people can do to thank you, or support you in strikes?

I couldn’t give you a list of criteria. It’s like life really - some people you gel with and some people you don’t. There are always some patients and families that touch you more than others.

Usually it’s a process getting to know families. I haven’t ever really been taught or developed any techniques. We usually ask them how much information they want. It can be tough with people who want lots of information without any medical knowledge as you go down a rabbit hole a bit and you’re never going to be able to get them to fully understand it and then misunderstandings ensue. We do do debriefs about when communication with families hasn’t gone well.

The best thing really you can do for us is support the strikes. We don't want to do it. And we know we’re not going to get 19% for Christ sakes it’s a negotiating start point.
But fewer and fewer people want to come into nursing or stay in nursing and give up their weekends and do nights (Increasing their cancer and dementia risk btw) and work themselves to the bone. The only way to improve the conditions is to attract more people. In order to attract more people (in spite of the weekends and nights) you need to pay more 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:52

Thats very common @JuvenileEmu after an ICU stay. It’s a combination usually of the sedative drugs, sensory overload from the monitors going off constantly and sleep deprivation. It also affects older adults much more than younger ones.

Im sorry it still bothers you. Perhaps mention to your GP and see if you can get some counselling?

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 16:56

Wishfulthankin · 22/02/2023 16:17

It was a genuine question. I think ITU nurses should all automatically be band 6 after a year/or the ITU course as a minimum. The responsibility is tenfold that of an outpatient nurse yet paid the same.

I’m glad my first instinct was correct! Thankyou - us being paid more than other nurses isn’t an unpopular opinion amongst ICU staff

OP posts:
Battlecat98 · 22/02/2023 17:13

Can I just say as a ward nurse, when you guys hand over to me I think wow you know your patients so well. Although, I guess I will never get to know that much about my 9 patients.

Anyhoo, my question, when you bring a patient to a ward, do you explain how the ward will be? I ask because when I take ITU patients they always look like they have landed in the worst possible place, particularly if they have been a long stay.

Chickenkeev · 22/02/2023 18:37

Would you choose the same career if you could go in time? Do you have any regrets about picking something that (i assume) is very sad/stressful? As an aside, I had a family member in ICU a few years ago and he was treated with such dignity. Thanks for all you do x

Chickenkeev · 22/02/2023 18:37

Go back in time!

mrstumblet · 22/02/2023 18:40

Is there a cut off age for icu admission? Elderly relative was admitted a few years ago age 78, I think it was obvious from the onset (traumatic injury) outcome would be poor. I've often wondered how they decide who should go in and who shouldn't.

Thanks

Everythingstaken · 22/02/2023 18:47

I just want to say thank you! My father was recently in ICU and all of the staff were amazing. We thankfully had a positive outcome, and I am full of gratitude and awe for what you do x

Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 20:18

@Battlecat98 there’s no way you could know that much about 9 patients! It’s one of the reasons I moved into ITU I couldn’t handle all the patients 🤣

I don’t think everyone does but I try to prepare them a little bit. Even just advising them they won’t have a nurse to themselves! We also try to sell it to them that it’ll be nice and quiet and won’t have all the monitors beeping away all the time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 20:24

@Chickenkeev in all honesty I should have done medicine, but I didn’t realise I would have been able to access it. So I would do that if I could go back in time. I don’t regret about it being sad or stressful.

I like ICU though, it’s interesting and varied and of course rewarding. I used to very much like the hands on part and even enjoyed the shifts, but my bodies giving out a bit now and I’ve got a kid and I probably need to slow down.

I’m really glad you had a positive experience of ICU.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 20:29

@mrstumblet no there’s no age cut off in isolation. Acute events, like trauma and we’d take almost anyone. We wouldn’t take people from nursing homes for example or people with lots of long standing problems who have a poor quality of life as it is.

Saying that we probably do need to have conversations as a society about what we want the NHS and it’s finite amount of resources used for going forward.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkplasticbathcup · 22/02/2023 20:30

Everythingstaken · 22/02/2023 18:47

I just want to say thank you! My father was recently in ICU and all of the staff were amazing. We thankfully had a positive outcome, and I am full of gratitude and awe for what you do x

I’m so glad you had a good outcome ❤️

OP posts:
NecklessMumster · 22/02/2023 20:34

JuvenileEmu · 22/02/2023 16:08

I spent some time in ICU a couple of years ago, and I remember when I woke up I thought people on the ward were being murdered (!) and some other strange things going on. Do you know if there is a reason for this? Even after a few years I find the memory quite disturbing.

This happened to my mum when she was in ICU, she thought the consultant was a spy. They told her it was common and she was offered a tour of the ICU after her discharge, to help her process it. This was a long time ago though

Xrays · 22/02/2023 20:39

NecklessMumster · 22/02/2023 20:34

This happened to my mum when she was in ICU, she thought the consultant was a spy. They told her it was common and she was offered a tour of the ICU after her discharge, to help her process it. This was a long time ago though

Show quote history

I’ve had similar experiences. I had surgery 3 weeks ago actually and when I woke up in ICU I was convinced I had been rescued from a POW camp and was in some Red Cross tent somewhere. Which is absolutely insane - clearly. But there we go, the mind does funny things. The nurse was very kind to me and just sort of nodded along, offering me sips of water from a cup with a straw as I sort of chatted my way through it all as I slowly came back into the room so to speak. And then I changed to kept saying I desperately needed a wee, which I didn’t (catheter) but I was so worried I’d wet myself and I kept asking to go. All very strange.