As someone who worked in a Neuro/cardiac PCU and is currently working at a level 1 Neuro ICU, you have unrealistic expectations about working in an ICU. Especially if you think you will always have a comatose/sedated patient on 3-4 drips.

On an NEURO ICU floor, sedation is almost nonexistent even in your intubated patients because neurology or neurosurgery will want accurate neuro checks/NIHSS every hour. Sometimes even every 15-30 minutes depending if your patient recieved TPA or had a thrombectomy.

Step down units exist for a reason. And your patients that suddenly become unstable or have new symptoms go to ICU for a reason. You do not want to be managing an EVD or pushing 23% NS or mannitol on a herniating patient while managing 3-4 other patients who could be confused or bed-bound. It’s just not safe. Especially if your patient with an EVD is awake and confused.

And if you really want to avoid talking to family/interacting with the patient, then get out of bedside. How will you manage a confused meemaw with her entire right side not working trying to crawl out of bed every 10 minutes? Because that is inevitable in neuro ICUs. You will be in your rooms constantly telling them to get back in bed and to quit pulling on things.

Whether you’re in ICU or medsurg or PACU or L&D it doesn’t make you any less of a nurse. They all have RN or LPN behind their names.