The 8 plus years I spent working as a bedside RN in the ICU unit were physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging. Though overall, it was a positive experience I truly enjoyed. I expanded my nursing skills and grew as a professional. When I started, I knew I would gain immense critical care nursing skills but didn’t realize the other life lessons I would also take away. Each ICU shift presented unique challenges, some days more than others. And you could never be entirely sure what peaks and valleys your shift would bring, with life lessons folded in between. Here a few of the life lessons I learned.
Life perspective and personal health appreciation
I gained a better life perspective while working as a bedside ICU RN. I became more thankful for the blessings in my life. I frequently witnessed health changing on a dime. The situations you become privy to while caring for ICU patients (of all ages) and their families remind you of what truly is a bad day. A coworker said to me once during my orientation, “Brooke, we often meet people on the worst days of their lives”, that resonated because it was true. I often took the emotional burden home, spending the next day or so (even when I was off and physically removed from the hospital) wondering about my patients from the previous day or week. My heart ached for the patients and their families. I still have a handful of families that I think about, some years out from when I initially cared for them. I know this is true for all RNs. Working in the ICU also repeatedly reminded me of the blessings I had with the physical capabilities I had. Sometimes it was the patient disabilities that remained from the injury that was distressing. ICU RN Life Lesson #1: I learned to appreciate each day along with the life blessings and good health. I could do the things I love, such as running, playing with my kids, or eating my favorite food. I appreciated the health of family. I became consciously thankful, and that perspective made me a better person.
Teamwork is essential
I was an “experienced RN'' before becoming an official critical care RN. I had worked on several units that were busy and demanding, though the urgency of the ICU is a different level of stress. I loved the fast-paced and intense environment paired with the critical care thinking skills required by ICU Nurses to care for sickest patients. Healthcare providers can appreciate the reality of the spectrum of ICU patients; some are more stable, while others are so critically ill that you spend your entire shift caring only for them. There is constant monitoring, emergent procedures, frequent labs, adjustment of medication drips (IV infusions) and ongoing communication with the MD’s-etc. The nursing care and tasks are endless. I enjoyed the challenge. Adrenaline is a definite factor in working in these environments, but the stress is palpable even with a great team. Nurses learn quick, hard, and fast. RNs can be physically, mentally, and emotionally drained after shifts, most working 12.5 hours. I poured blood, sweat, and tears into my role as an ICU RN. This intensity makes your coworkers a “make it or break it” type of situation. Teamwork in nursing is essential in these environments, all nursing environments for that matter. Staff benefit greatly from the camaraderie and coworker support (yes, we give each other pep talks, fill each other’s water bottles and help each other with RN tasks. If you don’t, then that’s a red flag for the culture of your unit). So much can be achieved when we all help, fellow RNs feel supported while patients get better care. I was fortunate to work in an ICU where teamwork was strong; I would refuse to work in an area where that was not the culture. We had immense pride in our teamwork and nursing care. It only takes a few staff members to sour a workplace environment (I’ve seen it); that’s why it’s crucial for the majority to have a positive attitude to dilute any negativity. ICU RN Life Lesson #2- you are only as strong as the support system around you. So, put forth the effort to create a positive work environment with teamwork, it will return the favor.
The most challenging days can teach you the most
The learning curve in the ICU is steep, but you can gain immense knowledge. Often the most knowledge is gained through emergent situations where stress is high. You have to act and do it quickly. After the event, you run through your head/discuss with coworkers/team members (as you should learn the most) and dissect the interventions to understand and learn. Orientation should (emphasis on should, unfortunately not all hospitals are created equal) have taught you the policies/procedures and care for that patient population. But it is much different enacting them in a real-time patient situation. Experiencing and working in these situations is nerve-wracking but you learn so much. I always told orientees that your worst days are often when you learn the most because you don't forget them. We as RNs remember the worst shifts, down to the last detail. Write down events, make mental notes/journal what went well for you, discuss/debrief with coworkers… all of which can help make things flow easier for you next time. There’s a reason seasoned RNs handle these types of situations with more ease: they’ve done it several times. ICU RN Life Lesson #3: There’s a lesson each day; the toughest days can make you better.
How precious time truly is
This is one that definitely resonates. In the ICU, I could leave one day and return to find a newly admitted patient the next day with a poor prognosis. Sometimes these patients could be unstable, and staff was unsure how long they would live. Some shifts were spent stabilizing a patient to allow the family to arrive at the hospital to see them to say goodbye. Several times I had a patient deteriorate so quickly that I had fellow coworkers call the family to come into the hospital/from the waiting area to be with them so they could be present for the last moments of their life. The key part here is that time is so precious. So often we are living our lives knowing this but it isn’t truly recognized until it’s in your face, whether from personal tragedy/loss or witnessing it through work. RNs see this everyday in their profession. Life can change instantly, and my role as an ICU RN cemented that in my outlook on life. I don’t view this life lesson as a negative but as a compass for living my daily life. ICU RN Life Lesson #4: Enjoy time with family and loved ones to the fullest and savor the small pleasures in life because we are all on borrowed time.
The ICU is a tough environment for any Healthcare Professional, but it rings very true for the ICU RN. We are at the bedside the most with the patients and their families, likely for shifts that run 12.5 hours (and yes, many times, we are there for even longer shifts). It's an important job, the ICU will never go away. It will always be needed to treat the most critically ill. That’s why it’s important for RNs (in addition to all Healthcare workers in the ICU, in any area for that matter) to keep perspective and life balance, but also the realization that such a demanding work environment can teach us so much. I am proud of the time I worked in an ICU and wouldn’t trade the experience. The life lessons are there; you just need to stop and recognize them.
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