New Grad ICU Nurse: Everything You Need to Know

First things first: CONGRATULATIONS on finishing nursing school and passing your NCLEX! If that doesn’t apply to you right now, I promise it will soon. As someone who started their new grad career in critical care and truly had no desire to apply to any jobs outside of the ICU, I can very confidently confirm that it IS possible, and totally feasible! Read on for everything you’ve wanted to know about being a new grad ICU nurse. 

If you’re not here for the ICU content and are just wondering how to excel in your new grad program, I wrote a post about it HERE.

Can a new grad nurse work in ICU?

If I could sing this from the rooftops over and over again, I would. The short answer is: YES, YOU CAN WORK IN THE ICU AS A NEW GRAD NURSE. Please, please do not listen to those who tell you otherwise. I would almost argue that new grad nurses working in the ICU have one huge advantage over experienced nurses: You are a sponge at this point. You have no bad habits to break, and all you want to do is learn. Say what you will about ICU nurses, but we are type A overachievers at our finest!

As a new grade nurse in the ICU, you DO NOT have to

• “Start on a med surg floor.” (Don’t even get me started on this one. I WILL GO OFF I TELL YOU!)
• “Get experience somewhere less intense first.”
• Learn x, y, and/or z first.
• Get really good at putting in IVs, NG tubes, foleys, or performing any other kind of procedure first.
• Be the best ICU nurse on the floor 5 minutes after starting out.
• Know everything.

What you DO have to do is

• Do your best to get a good feel for ANY unit you are considering starting on as a new grad ICU nurse. Finding a collaborative, supportive unit is the #1 thing you can do to set yourself up for success as a new grad ICU nurse. If there’s even one red flag in your interview, please don’t do it.
• Learn, learn, and learn some more.
• Always ask questions. If even a little bit of what you’re doing is unclear, then it’s unclear. Don’t risk it.
• Find an ICU new grad nurse residency program if you can. This is not required, but definitely helpful.
• Take everything you do “wrong” and use it as a learning opportunity. Some of the worst mistakes are the ones we will never (ever) make again.
• Find a mentor (or mentors) that you trust. This will come with time. Ask these mentors about all the ins and outs of life as a new grad ICU nurse – both at work and at home.

How to become an ICU nurse as a new grad

Again, I will start off by urging you to read How to: Become a Critical Care Nurse, which contains lots of great info if you are still in nursing school and know that you are interested in becoming an ICU nurse as a new grad. If you don’t feel like reading a whole other post, I’ll give you a quick, simplified breakdown of some key things you’ll need to become an ICU nurse as a new grad.

Steps to take during nursing school

• Volunteer or work (per diem, full time, or part time) in an ICU setting.
  • Getting certified as a nursing assistant is a great idea (if time and finances allow, of course).
• Connect with local ICU nurses and ask if there is an opportunity to shadow them.
  • If you don’t know any local ICU nurses, do your research. You definitely know someone who either is an ICU nurse or has a friend who is. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them and ask them about the type of setting they work in and the pros and cons of their jobs. Ask them what they love and what they would change. ICU nurses are generally very proud to be ICU nurses, and I can’t imagine that there isn’t at least one that would be happy to chat with you about what they do.
  • Your other option is to reach out to the nursing department or human resources department at local hospitals and ask if there are any opportunities to shadow or volunteer in critical care settings.
• Get a preceptorship in any critical care setting during nursing school. If you think your DREAM ICU is the surgical ICU but there’s only a medical ICU position available, do it anyway. Critical care fundamentals are the same no matter what kind of ICU you end up in. The important thing is that you get critical care experience!
  • The same goes for the hospital you end up at. Even if it’s not your dream hospital and it’s not where you want to work, that’s okay. Remember that you are just getting experience, not committing the rest of your life to this place!
• Make friends and connections everywhere you go. Every clinical, every hospital, and every unit you go to should see your bright, smiley face, your willingness to learn and help others, and your ability to take initiative. Connecting with hospital staff of any kind gives you a great opportunity to get hired on to a position with that hospital as a new grad in any department. Treat everyday like an interview and you will not be forgotten when it comes time to apply for new grad nurse positions!
• Focus on your GPA. I’ve discussed in previous posts about becoming a critical care nurse how important it is to focus on your academics. Unlike other areas, many hospitals do assess your GPA when determining if you are a strong candidate for this position. As an ICU nurse, you will always be learning, always be taking classes, and always demonstrating that you know the material. Show those hiring managers how capable of excelling you are!
• Get involved. Hiring managers love to see community involvement, volunteering, and leadership experience, but that’s not the only reason to do these things! The extracurricular experiences you have during nursing school also give you a wide variety of stories to tell, topics to discuss, and make you a well-rounded individual.

Always remember that if you truly want to become an ICU nurse as a new grad, you have to make the opportunities for yourself. If you’re really struggling throughout nursing school, I have some advice for you.

Steps to take as you start your job search

• Search for ICU new grad nurse residency programs (more on that below).
• Set yourself apart. Some ways you can do this include (but are not limited to):
  • Focus on creating a great resume that showcases:
    • Versatility and flexibility
    • Time management skills
    • A willingness to grow, learn, and ask for help
    • A strong work ethic
    • Excellent teamwork
    • Great written and verbal communication
• Create a stellar portfolio
  • *tips on how to create an amazing nursing portfolio coming soon!
• Showcase your great GPA
• Write an excellent cover letter that highlights your “why”. Here are a few things to think about to get you started:
  • Why do you want to be an ICU  nurse as a new grad?
  • What qualities do you have that make you the perfect candidate for this position?
  • What would you bring to the table?
  • What makes you equipped to handle the steep learning curve that comes with ICU nursing?
  • What resources do you have to help you thrive during your time as a new grad ICU nurse?
  • Why do you want to work at THAT hospital? In THAT unit?
  • What excites you about this position? What about it aligns with your goals?
• Prepare for your interview like your life depends on it (*more on that below)

ICU new grad nurse residency

Though starting your career in an ICU new grad nurse residency isn’t necessary, it can be very helpful. I would be lying if I told you that there isn’t a very (very) steep learning curve to starting in the ICU. Being a part of an ICU new grad nurse residency program was extremely beneficial to me. 

Because of my involvement in a new grad nurse residency program, I:

• Was able to take classes on a wide variety of nursing subjects (not just critical care related) that I really enjoyed.
• Completed many trainings that usually cost thousands of dollars, such as Lean Six Sigma training.
• Was one of only a few students in every critical care seminar. This meant more time to ask questions and more hands-on experience.
• Had weekly or monthly career progress and mental health check-ins with my preceptors and manager.
• Made amazing friends who worked both in critical care and beyond.

One major con with my new grad nurse residency program? I did feel like I had to take LOTS of classes, and some of them felt irrelevant. However, it was overall an amazing experience and one I would do again.

If you don’t feel like you need extra hand holding or don’t want to be involved in a “we’re all in this together” type of environment, then applying for a new grad nurse residency might not be the way to go. Like everything throughout your career as a new grad nurse, what works for me might not work for you. GoodRx has a great article on the pros and cons of doing a nurse residency.

New grad ICU nurse interview questions

Preparing for your new grad ICU nurse interview can be a nerve-wracking experience. The #1 thing that will make you feel less nervous is to be as prepared as humanly possible. Practice, practice, and practice some more. If you’re not sure of the types of questions that might be asked, check out my post on Staff Nurse Interview Questions: Over 100 Questions to Prepare.

As you prepare your answers to these questions:

• Learn and practice different interview techniques like the STAR method.
• Learn everything you can about the hospital’s mission, vision, and values.
• Prepare your own list of questions about the hospital, unit, job roles and responsibilities. The absolute most effective question that I like to ask in an interview is “In your personal opinion, what makes a good new grad ICU nurse?” 
• Practice professionalism. Have professional clothing ready, your hair tucked back, and practice good eye contact. Don’t forget to practice shaking hands with your interviewers and silencing your cell phone!
• Record yourself practicing. You will learn a lot about your mannerisms when you see yourself through a different lense.
  • Do you say “um” or “like” a lot? Do you touch your hair or fidget?
  • This can also include timing your responses. Many people ramble when they get nervous and completely miss the point of the question.
• Practice some calming techniques before your interview so you don’t panic during the interview. Before any interview, I always say four things to myself:
  • I am smart.
  • I am capable.
  • I am prepared.
  • I WILL succeed.

*More tips on how to ace your new grad nurse interview coming soon!

New grad ICU nurse salary

Entry-level new grad ICU nurses generally make the same as any kind of entry-level new grad nurse. Starting pay for a new grad ICU nurse can range from $22.00/hr to $43.00/hr. As always, your salary in any kind of nursing setting will largely depend on several factors. According to ZipRecruiter,

As of Jul 26, 2023, the average hourly pay for an Entry Level Icu Nurse in the United States is $44.50 an hour. While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $85.58 and as low as $10.10, the majority of Entry Level Icu Nurse wages currently range between $26.68 (25th percentile) to $62.02 (75th percentile) across the United States. The average pay range for an Entry Level Icu Nurse varies greatly (by as much as $35.34), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

The only way to really know how much you’ll make as a new grad ICU nurse is to assess how much new grads make at the exact hospital you plan to work at. The good news is that the longer you are an ICU nurse, the more you will likely get paid!

I hope this post was everything you needed to know (and more) about being a new grad ICU nurse! I’ve been there and though it can be a nerve-wracking time, it’s also filled with so much excitement. You absolutely can do this. Please don’t let anyone tell you differently.