Back in the Unit

Coming back to the ICU is an interesting experience. Being in the ICU requires a different knowledge base and set of skills than any other rotation. The diseases, medications, complexity, and interpretation of numbers in the ICU far outstrips any normal ward rotations. Yet my intern year is comprised mostly of ward rotations and my two ICU months are spread apart. Since my last rotation, a lot of that quick ICU agility has atrophied. I am spending a lot of time reviewing things that once came quickly and naturally. It can be scary as the pace in the ICU is incredibly fast and dynamic, and keeping up with a coherent stream of thought can be challenging. Hopefully as this ICU rotation nears the end of my intern year, it prepares me for the physiology and acuity of next year.